This alert expired on 20 July 2026 at 22:45 UTC. It is kept here as a record.
It is the 2nd strongest of the 255 detections recorded within 20 km of this point since 10 March 2026. Another comparable one was recorded here earlier the same day. 20 more were recorded here in the fortnight before it.
What the source measured
NOAA reported: Tornado Warning issued July 20 at 5:36PM CDT until July 20 at 5:45PM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA
An estimated 149,444 people live within 50 km of this point.
Nearby, since 10 March 2026
- June 17, 2026 · score 43 · 6.1 km
- August 13, 2026 · score 72 · 18.3 km
- September 2, 2026 · score 37 · 22.1 km
How we know
One source: NOAA. Not yet confirmed by a second, independent source.
Our own score for this event is 67 out of 100, at 80 % confidence.
The score is ours, computed from intensity, exposed population and local history — not the source’s.
Computed under scoring rules v1. Rows carrying other versions were judged by different rules and are not directly comparable.
Event Data
| Type | Severe Weather |
| Severity | Critical |
| Calamity Score (ours) | 67 / 100 |
| Our confidence | 80% |
| Coordinates | 42.1333, -93.3983 |
| Nearest City | Ames (22 km) |
| Population Exposed | 149.4K within 50 km |
| Impact Tier | severe |
| Timestamp | 2026-07-20T22:36:00.000Z |
| Source | https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.258eb81931e44207344b71cb317f7c496683d5be.002.1 |
Score Breakdown
Technical Details
| Event | Tornado Warning |
| Urgency | Immediate |
| Certainty | Observed |
| AreaDesc | Story, IA |
| Headline | Tornado Warning issued July 20 at 5:36PM CDT until July 20 at 5:45PM CDT by NWS Des Moines IA |
| Expires | 2026-07-20T17:45:00-05:00 |
| SenderName | NWS Des Moines IA |
| HasExactCoords | true |
Safety Information
If a tornado warning is issued: go to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor, away from windows. A vehicle and a mobile home are not shelter. Cover your head and neck. Wait for the official all-clear before going outside, and watch for downed power lines and gas leaks afterwards.
Series begins 8 March 2026. Comparisons refer to that period only. Collection gap: 14-26 August 2026.
This data is aggregated algorithmically from scientific sources. Not a replacement for official emergency warnings.
Want to know when something happens near Ames?
Calamity.live data shows a weather event with CalamityScore 67/100, near Ames (United States), based on data from noaa. Source: Calamity.live, a platform aggregating real-time data from 185 scientific monitoring sources.