Alert archive / North Dakota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1986
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 55, NWS Grand Forks, ND
NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 30, 1986, 1:02 AM CDT for Richland County, Sargent County, North Dakota. It was in force for 58 min. 1 report 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
- Jul 30, 1986, 1:02 AM CDT (06:02 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 30, 1986, 2:00 AM CDT
- In force
- 58 min
- Issued by
- NWS Grand Forks, ND
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Richland County, ND, Sargent 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 30, 1:45 AM CDT | Thunderstorm Wind 0 | Richland, ND |
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, 6.0 hours before the alert went out and 167 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 3602 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -50 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1336 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 45 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 103 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 243 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 3.5
- Supercell composite
- 24.1
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KFAR 300603 SVRFAR NDC077-081-300700- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND 102 AM CDT WED JUL 30 1986 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 200 AM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES OF SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA...RICHLAND AND EASTERN SARGENT INCLUDING THE CITIES OF CAYUGA..LIDGERWOOD..WYNDMERE. AT 1250 AM CDT THE COOPERATIVE OBSERVER AT HAVANA NORTH DAKOTA REPORTED 50 TO 60 MPH WINDS WITH DAMAGE REPORTED TO HOUSE WINDOWS AND LARGE TREE LIMBS. AT 1250 AM CDT RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS FROM 30 MILES SOUTHWEST OF FARGO TO 40 MILES EAST OF ABERDEEN SOUTH 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. THIS STORM IS ACCOMPANIED BY INTENSE LIGHTNING. EWENS
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, Jul 29, 8:47 PM CDT, 4 hours 15 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND 840 PM CDT TUE JUL 29 1986 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF SOUTHERN NORTH DAKOTA..MUCH OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA..AND EXTREME SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA UNTIL 100 AM CDT WEDNESDAY MORNING... AT 833 PM CDT...A LINE OF RAPIDLY DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHED FROM THE INTERNATIONAL BORDER NORTH OF DEVILS LAKE SOUTHWEST INTO THE BISMARCK AREA OF NORTH DAKOTA. THE MOST INTENSE STORM WAS LOCATED ABOUT 10 MILES WEST OF SHEYENNE IN CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR. ALTHOUGH NO SEVERE WEATHER HAD OCCURRED IN THE EASTERN HALF OF NORTH DAKOTA..SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA. WEATHER CONDITIONS REMAIN QUITE FAVORABLE FOR THE RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF DANGEROUS THUNDERSTORMS THIS EVENING. IF YOU LIVE IN OR NEAR THE TORNADO WATCH AREA..STAY ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS TONIGHT..AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER APPROACH YOUR AREA. STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS..OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATEST STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS. NORDLAND
Special weather statement, Jul 29, 9:48 PM CDT, 3 hours 14 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND 945 PM CDT TUE JUL 29 1986 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF SOUTHERN NORTH DAKOTA..MUCH OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA..AND EXTREME SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA UNTIL 100 AM CDT WEDNESDAY MORNING... AT 933 PM CDT...A LINE OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM THE INTERNATIONAL BORDER NORTH OF DEVILS LAKE SOUTHWEST THROUGHT THE DEVILS LAKE AREA AND THEN INTO THE BISMARCK AREA. THE MOST INTENSE STORM WAS LOCATED ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF DEVILS LAKE. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR. INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALSO PRESENT OVER THE NORTHEAST PARTS OF SOUTH DAKOTA WITH SOME OF THESE MOVING INTO A SMALL PART OF WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA. IF YOU LIVE IN OR NEAR THE TORNADO WATCH AREA..STAY ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS TONIGHT..AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER APPROACH YOUR AREA. STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS..OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATEST STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS. NORDLAND
Special weather statement, Jul 29, 10:42 PM CDT, 2 hours 20 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND 1041 PM CDT TUE JUL 29 1986 ...TORNADO WATCH IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF SOUTHERN NORTH DAKOTA..MUCH OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA..AND EXTREME SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA UNTIL 100 AM CDT WEDNESDAY MORNING... AT 1030 PM CDT A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS..A FEW INTENSE..CONTINUED FROM NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA..SOUTHWEST ACROSS MUCH OF EAST CENTRAL AND PARTS OF SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS ABOUT 15 MILES EAST OF JAMESTOWN..APPROACHING VALLEY CITY NORTH DAKOTA. THIS THUNDERSTORM LIKELY CONTAINS GUSTY WINDS..HAIL..DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND TORRENTIAL RAINS. A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTOMS EXTENDED FROM NEAR THE INTERNATIONAL BORDER 65 MILES NORTH OF GRAND FORKS TO NEAR THE BALDHILL DAM..60 MILES WEST OF FARGO. MOVEMENT OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS WAS EAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR. AN INTENSE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED ABOUT HALFWAY BETWEEN ABERDEEN AND WATERTOWN SOUTH DAKOTA. THIS THUNDERSTORM WAS NEARLY STATIONARY. THE THUNDERSTORMS OVER EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA WILL MOVE INTO THE RED RIVER VALLEY BY 11 PM CDT AND AFFECT THE CITIES OF GRAND FORKS.. ANETA..VALLEY CITY AND TOWER CITY. IF YOU LIVE IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS YOU WILL LIKELY EXPERIENCE STRONG GUSTY WINDS..HAIL.. FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND TORRENTIAL RAINS. IF YOU LIVE IN THE WATCH AREA PLEASE STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO RADIO AND TV STATIONS..OR NOAA WEATHER RACDIO FOR LATEST STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS. EWENS
Local storm report, Jul 30, 12:21 AM CDT, 41 minutes before
STORM REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
1215 AM CDT WED JUL 30 1986
TIME EVENT
1050 PM CDT BALD HILL DAM..60 MILES WEST OF FARGO REPORTS 60 MPH WINDS
1215 AM CDT OAKES ND..ABOUT 60SE OF JAMESTOWN ND REPORTS VERY HEAVY
RAIN..NEAR ZERO VISIBILITY..WINDS OF 35 MPH..NO HAILSpecial weather statement, Jul 30, 12:40 AM CDT, 22 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND 1240 AM CDT WED JUL 30 1986 ...TORNADO WATCH EXPIRES AT 1 AM CDT FOR SOUTHERN NORTH DAKOTA... ...TORNADO WATCH FOR MUCH OF EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA UNTIL 6AM CDT... AT 1230 AM CDT...A LINE OF NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS..A FEW INTENSE WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN..CONTINUED FROM NORTHWEST MINNESOTA...SOUTH THROUGH MUCH OF THE RED RIVER VALLEY OF EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA..INTO NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED 60 TO 70 MILES SOUTHWEST OF FARGO NEAR THE CITIES OF VERONA..GWINNER AND FORMAN. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL AFFECT THE SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA CITIES OF LISBON..MC LEOD..CAYUGA..RUTLAND AND WYNDMERE THROUGH 130 AM CDT. STRONG GUSTY WINDS..INTENSE DANGEROUS LIGHTNING..HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS WILL LIKELY ACCOMPANY THESE STORMS AS THEY MOVES EAST. IN ADDITION...WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING INTO WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA OUT OF NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE 25 TO 35 MILES EAST OF WATERTOWN SOUTH DAKOTA. WIND GUSTS OF 41 MILES AN HOUR ACCOMPANIED THE THUNDERSTORMS AS THEY MOVED THROUGH THE FARGO/MOORHEAD AREA AROUND 1140 PM TUESDAY NIGHT. IF YOU LIVE IN THE WATCH AREAS PLEASE STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO RADIO AND TV STATIONS..OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATEST STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS. EWENS
Special weather statement, Jul 30, 12:44 AM CDT, 18 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY..CORRECTED 2ND PARA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND 1240 AM CDT WED JUL 30 1986 ...TORNADO WATCH EXPIRES AT 1 AM CDT FOR SOUTHERN NORTH DAKOTA... ...TORNADO WATCH FOR MUCH OF EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA UNTIL 6AM CDT... AT 1230 AM CDT...A LINE OF NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS..A FEW INTENSE WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN..CONTINUED FROM NORTHWEST MINNESOTA...SOUTH THROUGH MUCH OF THE RED RIVER VALLEY OF EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA..INTO NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED 60 TO 70 MILES SOUTHWEST OF FARGO NEAR THE CITIES OF VERONA..GWINNER AND FORMAN. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL AFFECT THE SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA CITIES OF LISBON..MC LEOD..CAYUGA..RUTLAND AND WYNDMERE THROUGH 130 AM CDT. STRONG GUSTY WINDS..INTENSE DANGEROUS LIGHTNING..HAIL AND HEAVY RAINS WILL LIKELY ACCOMPANY THESE STORMS AS THEY MOVE EAST. IN ADDITION...WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING INTO WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA OUT OF NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE 25 TO 35 MILES EAST OF WATERTOWN SOUTH DAKOTA. WIND GUSTS OF 41 MILES AN HOUR ACCOMPANIED THE THUNDERSTORMS AS THEY MOVED THROUGH THE FARGO/MOORHEAD AREA AROUND 1140 PM TUESDAY NIGHT. IF YOU LIVE IN THE WATCH AREAS PLEASE STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS..OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATEST STATEMENTS OR WARNINGS. EWENS
The office that day
Everything else NWS Grand Forks, ND issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 29, 10:55 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FGF | Barnes, Cass | 55 min |
Nearby
Severe 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.