Alert archive / Minnesota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1987

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 47, NWS Grand Forks, ND

July 21, 1987Norman County, Minnesota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 21, 1987, 11:26 PM CDT for Norman County, Minnesota. It was in force for 49 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
Jul 21, 1987, 11:26 PM CDT (04:26 UTC)
Expired
Jul 22, 1987, 12:15 AM CDT
In force
49 min
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND
Area
Whole counties

County Norman County, MN

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
Jul 21, 11:35 PM CDTHail 0.75Norman, MN
Jul 22, 12:02 AM CDTHail 0.75Norman, 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

International Fa, MN (KINL), launched 00:00Z, 4.4 hours before the alert went out and 273 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, International Fa, MN at 00:00Z on 1987-07-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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, International Fa, MN at 00:00Z on 1987-07-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 54 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1603 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
45 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
54 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
161 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

The text of this product is not in the archive. The NWS text archive before 2002 is incomplete.

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

Local storm report, Jul 21, 8:18 PM CDT, 3 hours 8 minutes before
STORM REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
800PM CDT WED JUL 21 1987

TIME      EVENT
502 PM CDT   SPOTTER IN HOPE NORTH DAKOTA IN STEELE COUNTY REPORTED HEAVY
             RAIN AND HAIL UP TO 2 INCHES.

505 PM CDT   SPOTTER REPORTED FUNNEL CLOUD 10 MILES WEST OF HOPE NORTH
             DAKOTA IN STEELE COUNTY.

505 PM CDT   SPOTTER REPORTED MARBLE-GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL 4 AND 9 MILES
             WEST OF COOPERSTOWN NORTH DAKOTA IN GRIGGS COUNTY.

530 PM CDT   GOLFBALL TO BASEBALL SIZE HAIL AT CLIFFORD NORTH DAKOTA
             IN TRAILL COUNTY BY LAW ENFORCEMENT.

555 PM CDT   STATE RADIO RELAYS LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORT OF TORNADO
             TOUCHDOWN AT BLANCHARD NORTH DAKOTA IN TRAIL COUNTY.
.
620 PM CDT   1 MILES WEST, 11/2 MILES NORTH OF PILLSBURY NORTH DAKOTA
             SPOTTER REPORTED 1 INCH OF RAIN IN 15 MINUTES AND GOLFBALL
             SIZE HAIL...BARNES COUNTY
VOELKER
Local storm report, Jul 21, 8:31 PM CDT, 2 hours 55 minutes before
STORM REPORTS...CORRECTED FOR DAY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
800PM CDT TUE JUL 21 1987

TIME      EVENT
502 PM CDT   SPOTTER IN HOPE NORTH DAKOTA IN STEELE COUNTY REPORTED HEAVY
             RAIN AND HAIL UP TO 2 INCHES.

505 PM CDT   SPOTTER REPORTED FUNNEL CLOUD 10 MILES WEST OF HOPE NORTH
             DAKOTA IN STEELE COUNTY.

505 PM CDT   SPOTTER REPORTED MARBLE-GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL 4 AND 9 MILES
             WEST OF COOPERSTOWN NORTH DAKOTA IN GRIGGS COUNTY.

530 PM CDT   GOLFBALL TO BASEBALL SIZE HAIL AT CLIFFORD NORTH DAKOTA
             IN TRAILL COUNTY BY LAW ENFORCEMENT.

555 PM CDT   STATE RADIO RELAYS LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORT OF TORNADO
             TOUCHDOWN AT BLANCHARD NORTH DAKOTA IN TRAIL COUNTY.
.
620 PM CDT   1 MILES WEST, 11/2 MILES NORTH OF PILLSBURY NORTH DAKOTA
             SPOTTER REPORTED 1 INCH OF RAIN IN 15 MINUTES AND GOLFBALL
             SIZE HAIL...BARNES COUNTY
VOELKER
Local storm report, Jul 21, 9:26 PM CDT, 2 hours before
STORM REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
930 PM CDT TUE JUL 21 1987

TIME      EVENT
615 PM CDT   WEATHER MODIFICATION UNIT REPORTS GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL AND
             LARGER 10 SOUTHEAST OF COOPERSTOWN NORTH DAKOTA IN GRIGGS
             COUNTY
650 PM CDT   TORNADO 2 WEST AND 7 NORTH OF ARGUSVILLE NORTH DAKOTA IN
             CASS COUNTY BY LAW ENFORCEMENT.
705 PM CDT   GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL AND LARGER 2 MILES SOUTHWEST OF COLGATE
             NORTH DAKOTA IN STEELE COUNTY.
730 PM CDT   LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORT TORNADO AT ANETA NORTH DAKOTA IN
             NELSON COUNTY.
736 PM CDT   LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORT OF POSSIBLE TORNADO 10 MILES NORTH
             AND 5 MILES WEST OF COOPERSTOWN NORTH DAKOTA IN GRIGGS
             COUNTY.
740 PM CDT   1.55 INCHES OF RAIN AND PEA SIZED HAIL IN WEST FARGO BY
             OFF DUTY MET TECH
745 PM CDT   MINNKOTA POWER REPORT TORNADO SOUTH OF ANETA NORTH DAKOTA.
             4 MILES SOUTH OF ANETA A HOUSE MOVED OFF OF THE FOUNDATION.
745 PM CDT   WEATHER MODIFICATION REPORT UPROOTED TREES 8 MILES NORTH OF
             COOPERSTOWN.
745 PM CDT   AMBULANCE PERSONEL REPORT TREE AND BUILDING DAMAGE AT
             FINLEY NORTH DAKOTA IN STEELE COUNTY. POSSIBLE TORNADO.
755 PM CDT   TORNADO REPORT RELAYED BY STATE RADIO 3 MILES WEST 1/2 MILE
             SOUTH OF SHARON NORTH DAKOTA IN STEELE COUNTY. 3 GRAINERY
             BUILDINGS DESTROYED.
800 PM CDT   WEATHER MODIFICATION REPORTED A TORNADO 4 MILES EAST AND 5
             MILES NORTH OF COOPERSTOWN NORTH DAKOTA IN GRIGGS COUNTY
             DESTROYED A GRAINERY.
726 PM CDT   FUNNEL CLOUDS REPORTED BY CLAY COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICE OVER
             GLYNDON MINNESOTA.
813 PM CDT   CLAY COUNTY SHERIFF REPORTED FUNNEL CLOUDS SOUTHEAST OF
             BARNESVILLE MINNESOTA.
VOELKER
Local storm report, Jul 21, 10:24 PM CDT, 1 hour 2 minutes before
STORM REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
1020 PM CDT TUE JUL 21 1987

TIME      EVENT
830 PM CDT   10 WEST OF BAGELY MINNESOTA 1/2 INCH HAIL VERY STRONG
             WINDS AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.
840 PM CDT   3/4 INCH HAIL...VERY HIGH WINDS AT LENGBY MINNESOTA IN
             POLK COUNTY MINNESOTA.
907 PM CDT   FINLEY IN STEELE COUNTY NORTH DAKOTA...70-80 FT TOWERS AT
             730 PM WERE BLOWN DOWN BY STRONG WINDS. REPORTED BY
             MINKOTA POWER.
1000 PM CDT  RED WILLOW RESORT IN BINFORD/JESSIE NORTH DAKOTA AREA IN
             GRIGGS COUNTY REPORTED CABINS DAMAGED AND BOATS TURNED
             OVER. OCCURRED AT ABOUT 730 PM CDT.
VOELKER

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 21, 7:02 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFClay, Norman58 min
Jul 21, 7:58 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFBecker, Clay, Mahnomen, Otter Tail62 min
Jul 21, 8:38 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFNorman, Polk62 min
Jul 21, 8:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFBeltrami, Clearwater60 min
Jul 21, 9:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFBecker, Hubbard, Wadena60 min
Jul 22, 12:15 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFMahnomen, Norman50 min
Jul 22, 1:21 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFBecker, Mahnomen, Norman54 min
Jul 22, 1:30 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFClearwater75 min
Jul 22, 1:53 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFNorman52 min
Jul 22, 1:53 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFClay52 min
Jul 21, 7:14 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFNelson61 min
Jul 21, 7:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFGrand Forks, Steele49 min
Jul 21, 7:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFGriggs49 min
Jul 21, 8:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFNelson56 min
Jul 21, 9:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFGriggs, Nelson, Steele55 min
Jul 21, 9:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFGrand Forks, Traill55 min
Jul 21, 10:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFGriggs, Steele, Traill61 min
Jul 21, 11:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFSteele, Traill52 min
Jul 21, 11:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFGriggs52 min
Jul 22, 12:47 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFSteele, Traill58 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Minnesota, 1987Every severe thunderstorm warning 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.