Alert archive / North Dakota / Tornado Warnings in 1986

Tornado Warning 5, NWS Bismarck, ND

June 30, 1986Morton County, North Dakota

NWS Bismarck, ND issued this tornado warning at Jun 30, 1986, 9:03 PM MDT for Morton County, North Dakota. It was in force for 27 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jun 30, 1986, 9:03 PM MDT (03:03 UTC)
Expired
Jun 30, 1986, 9:30 PM MDT
In force
27 min
Issued by
NWS Bismarck, ND
Area
Whole counties

County Morton County, ND

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

The nearest sounding before it

Bismarck Municip, ND (KBIS), launched 00:00Z, 3.1 hours before the alert went out and 45 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Bismarck Municip, ND at 00:00Z on 1986-07-01Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 20 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Bismarck Municip, ND at 00:00Z on 1986-07-01The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -15 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
20 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-147 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
893 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
45 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-15 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-13 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KBIS 010303
TORBIS
NDC059-010330-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED 
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
903 PM MDT MON JUN 30 1986

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING 
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 930 PM MDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY OF


CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...WEST CENTRAL MORTON

THIS WARNING INCLUDES THE TOWNS OF GLEN ULLIN AND ALMONT.
.
.
.
AT 900 PM MDT WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A TORNADO  BETWEEN
GLEN ULLIN AND ALMONT IN CENTRAL MORTON COUNTY MOVING
SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

IF A TORNADO IS APPROACHING GET INTO A BASEMENT...IF NO BASEMENT
IS AVAILABLE...GET INTO THE INNERMOST HALLWAY...STAY AWAY FROM
WINDOWS.  IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE GET INTO A DITCH...GULLY...RAVINE...OR
EVEN A LOW LYING SPOT ON THE GROUND.  PROTECT YOUR HEAD.  ABANDON
CARS AND MOBILE HOMES.

RSL/0302Z

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jun 30, 4:56 PM MDT, 4 hours 7 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
600 PM CDT MON JUN 30 1986

...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...

AT 550 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS..SOME WITH
VERY HEAVY RAIN..OVER MOUNTRAIL COUNTY..HALFWAY BETWEEN WILLISTON
AND MINOT. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL CROSS INTO WARD AND RENVILLE COUNTIES BY
615 PM CDT AND BE IN THE VICINTIY OF MINOT BETWEEN 630 AND 700 PM
CDT. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABABLE OF PRODUCING VERY
HEAVY RAIN..GUSTY WINDS OF 25 TO 40 MPH..SMALL HAIL AND DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING.

BE PREPARED TO TAKE SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.
LEBLANG
Special weather statement, Jun 30, 5:20 PM MDT, 3 hours 43 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILLISTON ND
615 PM CDT MON JUN 30 1986

...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE ACROSS NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA...

AT 605 PM CDT WILLISTON RADAR LOCATED AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALLS AND SMALL HAIL IN NORTHEAST WILLIAMS..
AND ACROSS CENTRAL MOUNTRAIL COUNTIES OF NORTH DAKOTA.  A PARTICULARLY
INTENSE STORM WAS LOCATED 45 MILES EAST OF WILLISTON OR 15 MILES WEST
OF PARSHALL NORTH DAKOTA.  THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.
NUMEROUS REPORTS OF SMALL HAIL ASSOCIATED WITH THESE STORMS HAVE BEEN
RECEIVED..AND A HALF INCH OF RAIN FELL IN 20 MINUTES AT A LOCAL RADIO
STATION IN WILLISTON.

REMEMBER THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE SMALL HAIL..OCCASIONAL STRONG WINDS
HEAVY RAINFALL AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.  PLEASE TAKE SAFE SHELTER WHEN
THESE STORMS APPROACH YOUR AREA.

VAN COR
Special weather statement, Jun 30, 5:56 PM MDT, 3 hours 7 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
655 PM CDT MON JUN 30 1986

...THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN MOVING THROUGH NORTHWEST AND
NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...

AT AT 645 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A 20 MILE WIDE BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS
EXTENDING FROM 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MINOT..SOUTHWEST TO 40 MILES
NORTH OF DICKINSON. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCED RAINFALLS
OF 1 1/2 INCHES IN JUST 45 MINUTES 8 MILES NORTH OF HALLIDAY AND
4 MILES NORTH OF DUNN CENTER IN DUNN COUNTY.

THIS AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE THROUGH THE MINOT AREA BETWEEN
700 AND 830 PM CDT. VERY HEAVY RAIN..WITH SOME URBAN AND SMALL STREAM
FLOODING..DANGEROUS LIGHTNING..GUSTY WINDS..AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE
WITH THE PASSAGE OF THESE STORMS.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF
SAFETY.
LEBLANG
Special weather statement, Jun 30, 6:55 PM MDT, 2 hours 8 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
755 PM CDT MON JUN 30 1986

...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH WEST AND NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...

AT AT 745 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A 20 MILE WIDE BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS
EXTENDING FROM MINOT..SOUTHWEST ACROSS CENTRAL LAKE SAKAKAWEA NEAR
TWIN BUTTES..TO JUST NORTH OF DICKINSON. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING
EAST NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ALONG LAKE SAKAKAWEA AND ACROSS
MERCER COUNTY REACHING THE BEULAH AREA BETWEEN 815 AND 845 PM CDT.

VERY HEAVY RAIN WITH SOME URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING..DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING..SMALL HAIL..AND GUSTY WINDS MAY ACCOMPANY SOME OF THESE
STORMS.

BOATERS ON THE EASTERN THIRD OF LAKE SAKAKAWEA SHOULD SEEK THE SAFETY
OF SHORE IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.
LEBLANG
Special weather statement, Jun 30, 7:43 PM MDT, 1 hour 20 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
840 PM CDT MON JUN 30 1986

...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...

AT 835 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A 25 MILE WIDE BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS
EXTENDING FROM 20 MILES SOUTH OF BOTTINEAU..SOUTHWEST TO MINOT..ACROSS
EASTERN LAKE SAKAKAWEA..TO 20 MILES NORTHEAST OF DICKINSON. THE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE NORTHERN HALF OF
MCLEAN COUNTY..ALONG THE EASTERN THIRD OF LAKE SAKAKAWEA..AND ACROSS
MERCER AND OLIVER COUNTIES BETWEEN 845 PM AND 930 PM CDT. SOME TOWNS
IN THE PATH OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE GARRISON..BEULAH..HAZEN..AND
RIVERDALE.

VERY HEAVY RAIN WITH SOME STREET AND SMALL STREAM FLOODING..DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING..GUSTY WINDS..AND SMALL HAIL MAY ACCOMPANY SOME OF THESE
STORMS.

BOATERS ON THE EASTERN THIRD OF LAKE SAKAKAWEA AND OTHERS IN THE
PATH OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IF THRE ATENING
WEATHER APPROACHES.
LEBLANG
Special weather statement, Jun 30, 8:12 PM MDT, 51 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILLISTON ND
910 PM CDT MON JUN 30 1986

...THUNDERSTORMS REDEVELOP IN NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA...

AT 905 PM CDT WILLISTON RADAR LOCATED AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS
SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALLS AND SMALL HAIL IN WILLIAMS COUNTY OF
NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA.  PEA SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED 15 MILES NORTHEAST
OF WILLISTON.  AT 845 PM CDT A 49 MPH THUNDERSTORM WIND BLEW ACROSS THE
AIRPORT AT WILLISTON.4  THESE STORMS WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

REMEMBER THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE SMALL HAIL..OCCASIONAL STRONG WINDS
HEAVY RAINFALL AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.  PLEASE TAKE SAFE SHELTER WHEN
THESE STORMS APPROACH YOUR AREA.

VAN COR

The office that day

Everything else NWS Bismarck, ND issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 30, 8:30 PM MDTTornado WarningBISMorton30 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in North Dakota, 1986Every tornado warning in 1986Tornadoes in 1986

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.