Alert archive / North Dakota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1989

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 3, NWS Grand Forks, ND

May 29, 1989Richland County, North Dakota; Wilkin County, Minnesota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 29, 1989, 12:36 PM CDT for Richland County, North Dakota; Wilkin County, Minnesota. It was in force for 69 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
May 29, 1989, 12:36 PM CDT (17:36 UTC)
Expired
May 29, 1989, 1:45 PM CDT
In force
69 min
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND
Area
Whole counties

Counties Wilkin County, MN, Richland 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 29, 12:45 PM CDTThunderstorm Wind 0Richland, 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 12:00Z, 5.6 hours before the alert went out and 205 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, Aberdeen, SD at 12:00Z on 1989-05-29Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Aberdeen, SD at 12:00Z on 1989-05-29The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 150 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
630 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
54 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
150 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
257 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
2.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KFAR 291736
SVRFAR
NDC077-MNC167-291845-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
1236 PM CDT MON MAY 29 1989

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 145 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING 
COUNTIES

   IN THE SOUTHEAST PART OF NORTH DAKOTA
      SOUTHERN RICHLAND...THE CITIES OF WAHPETON/BRECKENRIDGE...

   IN THE WEST CENTRAL PART OF MINNESOTA
      SOUTHERN WILKIN...

AT 1230 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OVER SOUTHWEST
RICHLAND COUNTY OF NORTH DAKOTA. THIS THUNDERSTORM HAD PRODUCED
1/2 TO ONE INCH HAIL AS IT CROSSED SARGENT COUNTY OF NORTH
DAKOTA.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 55
MPH...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.
FOR YOUR PROTECTION MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR
OF YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS.  HEAVY RAIN MAY FLOOD ROADWAYS QUICKLY
...AVOID DRIVING INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.

REMEMBER...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE
A TORNADO WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING...SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT.

ANDERSEN

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, May 29, 6:40 AM CDT, 5 hours 56 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
640 AM CDT MON MAY 29 1989

AT 630 AM CDT AN INTENSE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 10 MILES NORTHWEST
OF FARGO NEAR HARWOOD NORTH DAKOTA.  THIS STORM WAS MOVING EAST AT 45
MILES AN HOUR AND LIKELY CONTAINS HAIL...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...DANGEROUS
LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY RAINS.  THIS STORM WILL CROSS INTO MINNESOTA
AND AFFECT CLAY...NORMAN AND NORTHERN BECKER COUNTIES BY 730 AM CDT.
SOME CITIES IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM ARE GEORGETOWN...FELTON AND ULEN
MINNESOTA.

OTHERWISE...NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW WITH HEAVY RAIN..
CONTINUED IN A LARGE AREA OF LIGHT RAIN OVER EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND
NORTHWEST MINNESOTA.  SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING INTO WEST
CENTRAL MINNESOTA.  THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE FROM THE FARGO AREA TO
50 MILES NORTHEAST OF FARGO NEAR TWIN VALLEY MINNESOTA.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.
.
CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO CONTINUE
ACROSS THE REGION THIS MORNING.  STAY TUNED TO RADIO AND T.V. AS WELL
AS NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS.
EWENS
Special weather statement, May 29, 9:45 AM CDT, 2 hours 51 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
945 AM CDT MON MAY 29 1989

AT 930 AM CDT A STRONG THUNDERSTORM HAD DEVELOPED QUITE RAPIDLY NEAR
FERGUS FALLS...IN
Local storm report, May 29, 11:36 AM CDT, 1 hour before
STORM REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
1125 AM CDT MON MAY 29 1989

TIME      EVENT
1025 AM   SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT OF OTTER TAIL COUNTY MINNESOTA REPORTED
          1/2 INCH HAIL NORTH OF FERGUS FALLS MINNESOTA.
1042 AM   LAW ENFORCEMENT FROM RICHLAND COUNTY NORTH DAKOTA REPORTED
          POSSIBLE TORNADO NORTHWEST OF WAHPETON NORTH DAKOTA..NEAR
          MOORETON NORTH DAKOTA.
1053 AM   CO-OPERATIVE OBSERVER IN MANTADOR NORTH DAKOTA..RICHLAND
          COUNTY REPORTED .80 INCHES OF RAIN IN 15 MINUTES..1/4 TO 1/2
          HAIL AND VERY STRONG WINDS.
1105 AM   CO-OPERATIVE OBSERVER IN OTTER TAIL MINNESOTA..OTTER TAIL
          COUNTY REPORTED PEA TO MARBLE SIZED HAIL.
1115 AM   WADENA COUNTY SHERIFFS DEPARTMENT IN WADENA MINNESOTA
          REPORTED PEA TO MARBLE SIZED HAIL.
1125 AM   CO-OPERATIVE OBSERVER IN BRECKENRIDGE MINNESOTA..WILKIN
          COUNTY REPORTED VERY STRONG WINDS..PEA SIZED HAIL COVERING
          GROUND: AND 1.20 INCHES OF RAIN IN SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.
Special weather statement, May 29, 11:47 AM CDT, 49 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
1145 AM CDT MON MAY 29 1989

AT 1132 AM CDT...A DANGEROUS THUNDERSTORM WAS APPROACHING THE TOWN OF
FERGUS FALLS...IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA.  A TORNADO WAS SPAWNED BY
THIS STORM NEAR WAHPETON EARLIER THIS MORNING.  NO SEVERE WEATHER WAS
OCCURRING AT 1130 AM.  HOWEVER...PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL HAS BEEN
REPORTED WITH THIS STORM.

THIS STORM WAS MOVING EAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR...AND WILL PASS OVER
THE TOWN OF BATTLE LAKE BY 12 NOON.

ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 65 MILES SOUTHWEST OF FARGO...
NEAR THE SOUTH DAKOTA BORDER...SOUTHWEST OF LISBON.  THIS THUNDERSTORM
MAY PRODUCE BRIEF PERIODS OF VERY HEAVY RAIN...PEA TO MARBLE SIZE
HAIL AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AS IT ALSO MOVES EAST AT 45 MILES AN HOUR.

OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSHOWERS CONTINUED OVER PARTS OF NORTHWEST...
WEST CENTRAL AND CENTRAL MINNESOTA...AND OVER SMALL PARTS OF SOUTHEAST
AND EAST CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA.

CONDITIONS REMAIN FAVORABLE FOR STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHEAST
NORTH DAKOTA AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA TODAY.  REMAIN IN TOUCH WITH
YOUR LOCAL RADIO AND TELEVISION STATIONS...OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO...
FOR LATER TSTATEMENTS OR WARNINGS.
Local storm report, May 29, 12:21 PM CDT, 15 minutes before
STORM REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
1215 PM CDT MON MAY 29 1989

TIME      EVENT
1130 AM   FORMAN NORTH DAKOTA..SARGENT COUNTY..REPORTED 1/2 INCH
          HAIL WITH A FEW TO 11/2 INCH. COVERING GROUND.
1200 PM   FERGUS FALLS MINNESOTA..OTTER TAIL COUNTY..REPORTED ONE
          INCH OF RAIN IN HALF HOUR..PEA SIZED HAIL AND WINDS TO
          38 MILES AN HOUR.
1210 PM   HAVANA NORTH DAKOTA..SARGENT COUNTY..REPORTED PEA SIZED
          {HAIL WITH A FEW STONES TO ONE INCH.
1213 PM   ALEXANDRIA MINNESOTA..DOUGLAS COUNTY..HEAVY RAIN AND SMALL
          HAIL..NOT MUCH WIND.
ANDERSEN

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 29, 10:26 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFRichland64 min
May 29, 11:15 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFOtter Tail60 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Dakota, 1989Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Minnesota, 1989Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1989

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.