Alert archive / Minnesota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1986

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 20, NWS Grand Forks, ND

June 17, 1986Clay County, Minnesota; Cass County, North Dakota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 17, 1986, 10:59 PM CDT for Clay County, Minnesota; Cass County, North Dakota. It was in force for 61 min. 2 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Jun 17, 1986, 10:59 PM CDT (03:59 UTC)
Expired
Jun 18, 1986, 12:00 AM CDT
In force
61 min
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND
Area
Whole counties

Counties Clay County, MN, Cass County, ND

The radar

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

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jun 17, 11:15 PM CDTHail 1.25Cass, ND
Jun 17, 11:35 PM CDTHail 2Clay, MN

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.

The nearest sounding before it

Aberdeen, SD (KHON), launched 00:00Z, 4.0 hours before the alert went out and 253 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, Aberdeen, SD at 00:00Z on 1986-06-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 3854 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, Aberdeen, SD at 00:00Z on 1986-06-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 115 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
3854 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-70 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1590 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
30 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
115 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
251 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.8
Supercell composite
14.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KFAR 180359
SVRFAR
NDC017-MNC027-180500-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
1059 PM CDT TUE JUN 17 1986

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1200 AM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING 
COUNTIES OF

EAST CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...EASTERN CASS AND THE CITIES OF 
 FARGO/MOORHEAD
NORTHWEST MINNESOTA...CLAY

AT 1055 PM CDT...SEVERAL SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER
EASTERN CASS COUNTY OF EAST CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA AND OVER
WESTERN CLAY COUNTY OF NORTHWEST MINNESOTA.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS
WERE MOVING TO THE EAST SOUTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.

AT 1051 PM CDT...3 INCH SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED AT 5 MILES WEST OF
PROSPER IN EAST CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA.

REMEMBER...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS
OF 58 MPH AND/OR HAIL 3/4 OF AN INCH OR LARGER...DEADLY LIGHTNING...
AND HEAVY RAINS THAT CAN QUICKLY FLOOD A LOW LYING AREA.

THESE STORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE A TORNADO WITH LITTLE
OR NO ADVANCE WARNING...SO YOU SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT AND BE
PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY.

IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES...YOU SHOULD GO TO A PLACE OF
SAFETY IMMEDIATELY.  REPORT ALL SEVERE WEATHER TO YOUR LOCAL LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY AFTER THE STORM PASSES.

MB/TT

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm 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 17, 5:42 PM CDT, 5 hours 17 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
535 PM CDT TUE JUN 17 1986

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA..
NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA AND CENTRAL MINNESOTA UNTIL 1100 PM...

AT 525 PM CDT...WIDELY SCATTERED INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER
A SMALL PART OF WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND HAD MOVED INTO EXTREME
NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA.

THE STRONGEST STORM WAS IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA 10 MILES SOUTH OF
ALEXANDRIA. THIS STORM WILL PASS NEAR THE GLENWOOD AREA BY 600 PM CDT.

ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER THE EXTREME NORTHEAST CORNER OF
SOUTH DAKOTA 50 MILES NORTHEAST OF ABERDEEN. THIS STORM WILL MOVE
THROUGH THE SISSETON AREA BY 630 PM CDT.

THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAIN...STRONG WINDS..
DANGEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES AND HAIL. PERSONS NEAR THESE STORMS SHOULD
BE ALERT AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER IF NECESSARY.

ELSEWHERE...WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER
PARTS OF THE SOUTHEAST QUARTER OF NORTH DAKOTA...EXTREME NORTHEAST
SOUTH DAKOTA...CENTRAL AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA.

MOVEMENT OF THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WAS SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAD BEEN REPORTED IN THE AREA SINCE 425 PM..HOWEVER
CONDITIONS REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR THE FORMATION OF SEVERE WEATHER IN AND
NEAR THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS IN THE WATCH AREA SHOULD STAY ALERT AND
LISTEN TO RADIO AND TV STATIONS FOR FURTHER S{TATEMENTS AND WARNINGS.
VOELKER
Special weather statement, Jun 17, 6:33 PM CDT, 4 hours 26 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
635 PM CDT TUE JUN 17 1986

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA..
NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA AND CENTRAL MINNESOTA UNTIL 1100 PM...

AT 625 PM CDT...AN ISOLATED STRONG THUNDERSTORM CONTINUED OVER CENTRAL
MINNESOTA 30 MILES NORTH OF ST CLOUD NEAR LITTLE FALLS.

ELSEWHERE...WIDELY SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSHOWERS CONTINUED OVER
THE SOUTHEAST QUARTER OF NORTH DAKOTA..EXTREME NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA..
WEST CENTRAL AND CENTRAL MINNESOTA.

MOVEMENT WAS SOUTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAD BEEN REPORTED IN THE AREA SINCE 525 PM..HOWEVER
CONDITIONS REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR THE FORMATION OF SEVERE WEATHER IN AND
NEAR THE WATCH AREA. PERSONS SHOULD LISTEN TO RADIO AND TV STATIONS FOR
FURTHER STATEMENTS AND WARNINGS.
VOELKER
Special weather statement, Jun 17, 7:37 PM CDT, 3 hours 22 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
735 PM CDT TUE JUN 17 1986

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA..
NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA AND CENTRAL MINNESOTA UNTIL 1100 PM...

AT 726 PM CDT...SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW WITH HEAVY
RAIN...WERE LOCATED OVER EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND
OVER WEST CENTRAL AND  CENTRAL MINNESOTA.

THE HEAVIEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED BETWEEN PARK RAPIDS AND
BRAINERD MINNESOTA.

MOVEMENT WAS SOUTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.

NO REPORTS OF SEVERE WEATHER HAD BEEN RECEIVED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER
SERVICE OFFICE IN FARGO AS OF 730 PM CDT...HOWEVER CONDITIONS REMAIN
FAVARABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO
THE WATCH AREA.  IF YOU LIVE IN OR NEAR THE WATCH AREA...YOU SHOULD
LISTEN TO TV..RADIO..OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST STATEMENTS
OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
MB
Local storm report, Jun 17, 10:22 PM CDT, 37 minutes before
STORM REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
 1017 PM CDT TUE JUN 17 1986

TIME      EVENT
 958 PM   CASSELTON ND 1 INCH HAIL REPORTED BY PUBLIC MR. LARRY ELISON

1007 PM   MAPLETON ND COOP OBSERVER REPORTED MARBLE TO A FEW GOLFBALL
          SIZE HAIL.

1010 PM   MAPLETON ND FIRE DEPT. REPORTED 1/2 - 1 INCH 5 MILES SOUTH
          OF MAPLETON ND.

1020 PM   I-94 SCALES NEAR MAPLETON ND EVAC REPORTED VERY HEAVY RAIN
          AND PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL

                                                                      z

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 17, 10:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFClay55 min
Jun 17, 11:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFOtter Tail, Wilkin54 min
Jun 18, 12:02 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFClay58 min
Jun 18, 12:18 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFDouglas57 min
Jun 18, 12:34 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFOtter Tail56 min
Jun 18, 12:58 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFBecker, Clay62 min
Jun 18, 1:17 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFDouglas43 min
Jun 18, 1:37 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFOtter Tail53 min
Jun 18, 2:13 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFBecker, Clay, Norman47 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Minnesota, 1986Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Dakota, 1986Every severe thunderstorm warning 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.