Alert archive / Minnesota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1987

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 87, NWS Twin Cities, MN

July 25, 1987McLeod County, Meeker County, Renville County, Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 25, 1987, 11:13 PM CDT for McLeod County, Meeker County, Renville County, Minnesota. It was in force for 47 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 25, 1987, 11:13 PM CDT (04:13 UTC)
Expired
Jul 26, 1987, 12:00 AM CDT
In force
47 min
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
Area
Whole counties

Counties McLeod County, MN, Meeker County, MN, Renville County, MN

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

Minneapolis, MN (KSTC), launched 00:00Z, 4.2 hours before the alert went out and 78 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, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 1987-07-26Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2406 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, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 1987-07-26The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 50 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
2406 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-45 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1047 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
50 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
50 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
217 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
3.3
Supercell composite
13.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KMSP 260413
SVRMSP
MNC129-085-093-260500-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS MN
1113 PM CDT SAT JUL 25 1987

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

CENTRAL MINNESOTA...
 EASTERN RENVILLE...MCLEOD AND SOUTHERN MEEKER


AT..1107 PM CDT..RADAR WAS INDICATING SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE
ATWATER AND LITCHFIELD AREAS OF SOUTHERN MEEKER COUNTY FROM 10 TO
20 MILES EAST OF WILLMAR.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 TO 40 MILES AN
HOUR AND WILL BE AFFECTING AREAS NEAR HECTOR..STEWART..COSMOS..
HUTCHINSON AND GLENCOE.

REMEMBER SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 60
MPH..DESTRUCTIVE HAIL..DEADLY LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY RAIN. ALSO
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE A TORNADO WITH
LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING..SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT AND BE PREPARED
TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF ONE IS SPOTTED.

COLEMAN

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 25, 7:28 PM CDT, 3 hours 45 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST. CLOUD MN
725 PM CDT SAT JUL 25 1987

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR CENTRAL MINNESOTA UNTIL 10PM CDT...

AT 7 23PM CDT RADAR SHOWED VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS  FROM NEAR
MILACA TO LITTLE FALLS. THESE STORMS ARE MOVING EAST AT 45 MILES AN
HOUR. SOME CITIES IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM ARE MILACA AND FORESTON
IN MILLE LACS COUNTY..AND MORA AND BRAHAN IN SOUTHERN KANABEC COUNTY.
PEOPLE IN THOSE COcMMUNITIES SHOULD BE READY TO MOVE TO SAFETY IF
THESE STORMS BECOME SEVERE.

DE VOE
Special weather statement, Jul 25, 7:36 PM CDT, 3 hours 37 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL MN
730 PM CDT THU JUL 23 1987

   ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF WEST CENTRAL
      AND CENTRAL MINNESOTA UNTIL 10 PM CDT...

AT 730 PM CDT..WEATHER RADAR WAS SHOWING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM ABOUT
25 MILES NORTHEAST OF ST CLOUD NEAR MILACA OF EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA.

THIS STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING RAPIDLY TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 55
MILES AN HOUR AND WILL BE AFFECTING AREAS NEAR CAMBRIDGE..RUSH CITY
..ST CROIX FALLS AND NORTH BRANCH OF ISANTI AND CHISAGO COUNTIES
THROUGH 830 PM.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM BUT ITS
FORWARD SPEED HAS INCREASED MARKEDLY SINCE ABOUT 630 PM AND IT
MAY PRODUCE SOME STRONG GUSTY WINDS..SMALL HAIL AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING
STRIKES AS IT MOVES THROUGH PARTS OF EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA.
<
PERSONS IN ISANTI AND CHISAGO COUNTIES AS WELL AS NEIGHBORING AREAS
SHOULD KEEP ABREAST OF THIS WEATHjER SITUATION AND LISTEN FOR LATER
STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
SWANBERG
Special weather statement, Jul 25, 7:41 PM CDT, 3 hours 32 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT                        ..CORRECTION..
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL MN
730 PM CDT THU JUL 23 1987

   ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF WEST CENTRAL
      AND CENTRAL MINNESOTA UNTIL 10 PM CDT...

AT 730 PM CDT..WEATHER RADAR WAS SHOWING A STRONG THUNDERSTORM ABOUT
25 MILES NORTHEAST OF ST CLOUD NEAR MILACA OF EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA.

THIS STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING RAPIDLY TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 55
MILES AN HOUR AND WILL BE AFFECTING AREAS NEAR CAMBRIDGE..RUSH CITY
..TAYLORS FALLS AND NORTH BRANCH OF ISANTI AND CHISAGO COUNTIES
THROUGH 830 PM.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM BUT ITS
FORWARD SPEED HAS INCREASED MARKEDLY SINCE ABOUT 630 PM AND IT
MAY PRODUCE SOME STRONG GUSTY WINDS..SMALL HAIL AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING
STRIKES AS IT MOVES THROUGH PARTS OF EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA.
<
PERSONS IN ISANTI AND CHISAGO COUNTIES AS WELL AS NEIGHBORING AREnAS
SHOULD KEEP ABREAST OF THIS WEATHER SITUATION AND LISTEN FOR LATER
STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
SWANBERG
Special weather statement, Jul 25, 9:38 PM CDT, 1 hour 35 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST. CLOUD MN
935 PM CDT SAT JUL 25 1987

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR CENTRAL MINNESOTA UNTIL 10PM CDT...

AT 932 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED AN VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORM IN WESTERN
STEARNS COUNTY NEAR ELROSA...35 MILES WEST OF ST. CLOUD. THIS STORM
HAD BEEN INCREASING IN INTENSITY AND MAY PRODUCE STRONG WINDS...HAIL
AND WILL HAVE FREQUENT AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING WITH IT AS IT MOVES
SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH. SOME COMMUNITIES IN THIS STORMS PATH ARE
ROSCOE...PAYNESVILLE...SPRING HILL AND ST. MARTIN. PEOPLE IN THESE
TOWNS SHOULD BE READY TO MOVE TO SAFETY IF THIS STORM BECOMES SEVERE.

DE VOE
Special weather statement, Jul 25, 9:59 PM CDT, 1 hour 14 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL MN
950 PM CDT SAT JUL 25 1987

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN AFFECT FOR MUCH OF WEST CENTRAL
     AND CENTRAL MINNESOTA WILL EXPIRE AT 10 PM CDT...

AT 940 PM CDT..AN AREA OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED ACROSS
PARTS OF WESTERN AND CENTRAL STEARNS COUNTY TO THE WEST OF ST CLOUD FROM
NEAR ELROSA TO ALBANY OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS BUT BRIEF
HEAVY RAINS..FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLE SMALL HAIL ARE LIKELY WITH
THESE STORMS AS THEY MOVE TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 40 TO 45 MILES AN HOUR.

OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS .A FEW OF THEM STRONG..WERE OCCURRING
OVER PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST WISCONSIN MAINLY IN AREAS
NORTH AND NORTHEAST OF EAU CLAIRE FROM NEAR BLOOMER TO THORP.

MOVEMENT WAS SOUTHEAST AT 50 TO 55 MILES AN HOUR.
SWANBERG
Special weather statement, Jul 25, 10:59 PM CDT, 14 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL MN
1050 PM CDT SAT JUL 25 1987

AT 1055 PM CDT..AN AREA OF VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED ACROSS
PARTS OF WESTERN..CENTRAL AND EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA AS WELL AS
WESTERN WISCONSIN.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS BUT BRIEF
HEAVY RAINS..FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND POSSIBLE SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS
ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS AS THEY MOVE TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 40
MILES AN HOUR.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE APPROACHING THE TWIN CITY
METRO AREA ABOUT 1130 PM CDT.

OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS .A FEW OF THEM STRONG..WERE OCCURRING
FROM EAST OF EAU CLAIRE TO NEAR WESTBORO IN WISCONSIN.

MOVEMENT WAS SOUTHEAST AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.
KME
SWANBERG

The office that day

Everything else NWS Twin Cities, MN issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 26, 12:17 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXStearns58 min
Jul 26, 2:14 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXMcLeod26 min
Jul 26, 2:14 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXCarver46 min
Jul 26, 3:09 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXWabasha, Winona21 min
Jul 26, 3:31 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXWabasha, Winona29 min
Jul 26, 6:17 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXMorrison, Stearns, Todd58 min
Jul 26, 9:24 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXWright36 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.