Alert archive / Minnesota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1988

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 57, NWS Twin Cities, MN

August 11, 1988Mille Lacs County, Morrison County, Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 11, 1988, 6:00 PM CDT for Mille Lacs County, Morrison County, Minnesota. It was in force for 60 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 11, 1988, 6:00 PM CDT (23:00 UTC)
Expired
Aug 11, 1988, 7:00 PM CDT
In force
60 min
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
Area
Whole counties

Counties Mille Lacs County, MN, Morrison 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 12:00Z, 11.0 hours before the alert went out and 128 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 12:00Z on 1988-08-11Temperature 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, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 1988-08-11The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -56 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
2519 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
45 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-56 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-18 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KSTC 112303
SVRSTC
MNC095-097-120000-

BULLETIN-IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST CLOUD MN
600 PM CDT THU AUG 11 1988

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 700 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES OF

CENTRAL  MINNESOTA...EASTERN MORRISON AND NORTH MILLE LACS INCLUDING
MILLE LACS LAKE AND THE CITIES OF LASTRUP...ONAMIA AND IASLE.

AT 558 PM CDT RADAR SHOWED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IN CENTRAL MORRISON
COUNTY 35 MILES NORTHEAST OF ST. CLOUD MOVING NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

REMEMBER SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 58
MPH...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY RAIN
THAT CAN QUICKLY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS...SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT AND BE
PREPARED TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY...A BASEMENT...OR A REINFORCED
ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR...LEAVE MOBILE HOMES. BE READY TO ACT
IMMEDIATELY.

FRASER/YOUNG

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, Aug 11, 1:20 PM CDT, 4 hours 40 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST. CLOUD MN
120 PM CDT THU AUG 11 1988

...ATTN SELS...PRELIMINARY STORM REPORT FROM AUG 11 1988.

1215 PM CDT   LIGHTNING STRIKE FATALITY.  ONE PERSON IN AI BOAT
              ON SAUK LAKE...3 MILES NORTH OF SAUK CENTRE MINNESOTA..
              38 MILES WEST-NORTHWEST OF ST. CLOUD.  RELAYED REPORT
              FROM STEARNS COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT.

FRASER
Special weather statement, Aug 11, 2:07 PM CDT, 3 hours 53 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST CLOUD MN
200 PM CDT THU AUG 11 1988

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

AT 200 PM CDT A BAND OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM LONG
PRAIRIE...25 MILES NORTHEAST OF ALEXANDRIA...TO JUST NORTHWEST OF THE
TWIN CITIES. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED ABOUT 20 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF LONG PRAIRIE AND ANOTHER STRONG STORM ABOUT 10 MILES
WEST OF ST CLOUD.

AT 155 PM CDT THE LONG PRAIRIE SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT REPORTED PEA SIZE
HAIL NEARLY COVERING THE GROUND ALONG WITH BRIEF HEAVY RAIN.
PERSONS IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA CAN EXPECT SMALL HAIL...BRIEF HEAVY RAIN
AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AS THESE STORMS MOVE EAST AT 15 MPH.

YOUNG
Local storm report, Aug 11, 4:56 PM CDT, 1 hour 4 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST. CLOUD MN
455 PM CDT THU AUG 11 1988

...ATTN SELS...PRELIMINARY STORM REPORT FROM AUG 11 1988.

310 PM CDT   PRINCETON MINNESOTA IN MILLE LACS COUNTY...28 MILES
             EAST OF ST. CLOUD.  TORRENTIAL RAIN ESTIMATED 3 INCHS
             IN 15 MINUTES.  WIND GUSTS TO 65 MPH.  1 INCH HAIL.
             WATER BUMPER DEEP ON CITY MAIN STREET.

FOLLOW UP ON LIGHTNING FATALITY REPORT THIS DATE 1215 PM...
             FATALITY..65 YEAR OLD MALE IN BOAT WITH ONE OTHER
             PERSON. OTHER PERSON RECEIVED NO INJURIES.

FRASER
Special weather statement, Aug 11, 5:49 PM CDT, 11 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST CLOUD MN
545 PM CDT THU AUG 11 1988

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS AGAIN MOVING ACROSS CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

AT 545 PM CDT A BAND OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM JUST EAST
OF LONG PRAIRIE...25 MILES NORTHEAST OF ALEXANDRIA...TO NEAR
NEW LONDON...15 MILES NORTHEAST OF WILLMAR. STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS
WERE LOCATED NEAR GREY EAGLE IN EXTREME SOUTHEAST TODD COUNTY AND
BETWEEN BELGRADE AND PAYNESVILLE IN SOUTHWEST STEARNS COUNTY.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS...
HOWEVER...BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING
CAN BE EXPECTED AS THE STORMS MOVE EAST AT 15 MPH.

YOUNG
Special weather statement, Aug 11, 5:52 PM CDT, 8 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST CLOUD MN
545 PM CDT THU AUG 11 1988

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS AGAIN MOVING ACROSS CENTRAL MINNESOTA...
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT...

AT 545 PM CDT A BAND OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM JUST EAST
OF LONG PRAIRIE...25 MILES NORTHEAST OF ALEXANDRIA...TO NEAR
NEW LONDON...15 MILES NORTHEAST OF WILLMAR. STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS
WERE LOCATED NEAR GREY EAGLE IN EXTREME SOUTHEAST TODD COUNTY AND
BETWEEN BELGRADE AND PAYNESVILLE IN SOUTHWEST STEARNS COUNTY.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS BEEN REPORTED WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS...
HOWEVER...BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING
CAN BE EXPECTED AS THE STORMS MOVE EAST AT 15 MPH.

YOUNG
Special weather statement, Aug 11, 5:55 PM CDT, 5 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL MN
545 PM CDT THU AUG 11 1988

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR CENTRAL MINNESOTA INCLUDING THE
   TWIN CITIES UNTIL 1000 PM...

AT 530 PM RADAR INDICATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH SMALL HAIL AND HEAVY RAIN
10 MILES NORTHWEST OF MENOMONIE WISCONSIN IN DUNN COUNTY.  THESE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE THE STRONGEST ON THE TWIN CITIES WEATHER RADAR
AT 530 THIS AFTERNOON AND WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PART OF AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDRSTORMS
THAT EXTENDED NORTH TO BARRON COUNTY TO THE WEST OF RICE LAKE AND
BACK INTO EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA ACROSS THE ST CROIX RIVER AND THROUGH
THE CITIES OF CAMBRIDGE..PINE CITY AND HINCKLEY.

ELSEWHERE THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALSO LOCATED WEST OF ST CLOUD IN WEST
CENTRAL MINNESOTA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ACROSS WESTERN
STEARNS COUNTY FROM JUST NORTH OF NEW LONDON TO LONG PRAIRIE.
WJH

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 11, 2:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXMille Lacs, Sherburne48 min
Aug 11, 3:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXIsanti46 min
Aug 11, 3:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXSherburne55 min
Aug 11, 4:04 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXAnoka, Isanti41 min
Aug 11, 4:31 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXAnoka, Ramsey, Washington59 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Minnesota, 1988Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1988

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.