Alert archive / North Dakota / Tornado Warnings in 1987
Tornado Warning 1, NWS Bismarck, ND
NWS Bismarck, ND issued this tornado warning at Jun 16, 1987, 9:21 PM CDT for McLean County, Ward County, North Dakota. It was in force for 24 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 16, 1987, 9:21 PM CDT (02:21 UTC)
- Expired
- Jun 16, 1987, 9:45 PM CDT
- In force
- 24 min
- Issued by
- NWS Bismarck, ND
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties McLean County, ND, Ward 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 16, 9:30 PM CDT | Tornado F0 | Ward, ND | |
| Jun 16, 9:45 PM CDT | Thunderstorm Wind 50 | Ward, 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
Bismarck Municip, ND (KBIS), launched 00:00Z, 2.4 hours before the alert went out and 139 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
- 2241 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -67 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 2129 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 22 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 57 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 73 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 1.4
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
000 TTAA00 KBIS 170221 TORBIS NDC055-101-170245- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED TORNADO WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND 921 PM CDT TUE JUN 16 1987 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 945 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES OF NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...WESTERN AND NORTHERN MCLEAN AND SOUTHERN WARD AT 912 PM CDT A TORNADO WAS SPOTTED NEAR ROSEGLEN IN NORTHWEST MCLEAN COUNTY. THE TORNADO WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH. THE TOWNS OF RYDER IN SOUTHERN WARD AND MAX IN NORTHERN MCLEAN COUNTIES LIE NEAR THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO...GO TO A BASEMENT SHELTER IF AVAILABLE...OTHERW2ISE TO A CENTRAL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR...STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES. THIS STORM IS ACCOMPANIED BY DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...LARGE HAIL... VERY HEAVY RAIN...AND DAMAGING STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. VAN ESS
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 16, 6:58 PM CDT, 2 hours 23 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND 700 PM CDT TUE JUN 16 1987 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT... AT 650 PM CDT WEATHER RADAR CONTINUED TO DETECTED THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHWESTERN NORTH DAKOTA INTO NORTHWEST SOUTH DAKOTA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED IN EASTERN SLOPE COUNTY...25 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DICKINSON. BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. AT 635 PM CDT AMIDON NORTH DAKOTA...30 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DICKINSON REPORTED PEA SIZE HAIL...HEAVY RAIN AND 50 MILE AN HOUR WINDS
Special weather statement, Jun 16, 7:46 PM CDT, 1 hour 35 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND 745 PM CDT TUE JUN 16 1987 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT... AT 740 PM CDT WEATHER RADAR DETECTED NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHWESTERN NORTH DAKOTA INTO NORTHWEST SOUTH DAKOTA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED IN EASTERN STARK COUNTY...15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF DICKINSON. BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...DANGEROUS LIGHTNING...AND HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. AT 720 PM CDT BEACH NORTH DAKOTA...50 MILES WEST OF DICKINSON REPORTED WINDS TO 40 MILES AN HOUR AND HEAVY RAIN. AT 735 PM CDT MOTT NORTH DAKOTA...30 MILES SOUTHEAST OF DICKINSON REPORTED 50 MPH WINDS.
Local storm report, Jun 16, 8:00 PM CDT, 1 hour 21 minutes before
STORM REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND 800 PM CDT TUES JUN 16 1987 635 PM CDT AMIDON IN SLOPE CO - PEA SIZE HAIL AND 45 TO 50 MPH WIND. 715 PM DICKINSON FSS REPORTS 71 MPH WIND GUST.
Special weather statement, Jun 16, 8:00 PM CDT, 1 hour 21 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILLISTON ND 758 PM CDT TUE JUN 16 1987 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 725 PM MDT FOR DUNN COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA... AT 750 PM CDT A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 30 MILES NORTH OF DICKINSEN NORTH DAKOTA. 71 M.PH. WINDS WERE REPORTED AT DICKINSEN BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL. A BROAD AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS COVERS MOST OF BILLINGS AND GOLDEN VALLEY COUNTIES IN WEST CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA. MOVEMENT OF THE STORMS WAS TO THE NORTH AT 25 MPH. AT 735 PM CDT 54 M.P.H. WINDS WERE REPORTED AT BEACH IN GOLDEN VALLEY COUNTY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE ENTERNING SOUTHERN MCKENZIE AND DUNN COUNTIES. PERSONS IN THESE COUNTIES SHOULD BE ON THE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER. BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY. HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG WINDS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE VICINITY OF THESE STORMS. ALSO... DO NOT OVERLOOK THE THREAT OF LIGHTNING.
Special weather statement, Jun 16, 8:03 PM CDT, 1 hour 18 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILLISTON ND 758 PM CDT TUE JUN 16 1987 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MOST OF WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 725 PM MDT FOR DUNN COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA... AT 750 PM CDT A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 30 MILES NORTH OF DICKINSEN NORTH DAKOTA. 71 M.PH. WINDS WERE REPORTED AT DICKINSEN BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL. A BROAD AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS COVERS MOST OF BILLINGS AND GOLDEN VALLEY COUNTIES IN WEST CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA. MOVEMENT OF THE STORMS WAS TO THE NORTH AT 25 MPH. AT 735 PM CDT 54 M.P.H. WINDS WERE REPORTED AT BEACH IN GOLDEN VALLEY COUNTY. THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE ENTERNING SOUTHERN MCKENZIE AND DUNN COUNTIES. PERSONS IN THESE COUNTIES SHOULD BE ON THE ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER. BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY. HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG WINDS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE VICINITY OF THESE STORMS. ALSO... DO NOT OVERLOOK THE THREAT OF LIGHTNING.
Local storm report, Jun 16, 9:07 PM CDT, 14 minutes before
STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
905 PM CDT TUES JUN 16 1987
815 PM CDT COOP OBSERVER IN TAYLOR...IN STARK CO ND REPORTED WIND GUST
TO 72 MPH.
853 PM CDT OBSERVER AT BEULAH AT TH E COAL GAS PLANT...IN MERCER CO
REPORTED WIND GUST TO 78 MPH.
ABELINGThe office that day
Everything else NWS Bismarck, ND issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 16, 7:29 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BIS | Stark | 61 min |
| Jun 16, 7:41 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BIS | Dunn | 44 min |
| Jun 16, 8:02 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BIS | McLean, Ward | 58 min |
| Jun 16, 8:02 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BIS | Mercer | 58 min |
| Jun 16, 8:23 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BIS | McKenzie | 47 min |
| Jun 16, 8:32 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BIS | Grant | 58 min |
| Jun 16, 9:08 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BIS | McLean | 37 min |
| Jun 16, 10:13 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BIS | Emmons | 57 min |
| Jun 16, 10:49 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | BIS | Bottineau | 41 min |
Nearby
Tornado Warnings in North Dakota, 1987Every tornado warning in 1987Tornadoes in 1987
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.