Alert archive / Minnesota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1989

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 18, NWS Twin Cities, MN

May 24, 1989Redwood County, Renville County, Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 24, 1989, 11:28 AM CDT for Redwood County, Renville County, Minnesota. It was in force for 47 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 24, 1989, 11:28 AM CDT (16:28 UTC)
Expired
May 24, 1989, 12:15 PM CDT
In force
47 min
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
Area
Whole counties

Counties Redwood 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.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 24, 11:55 AM CDTHail 1.75Renville, 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

Minneapolis, MN (KSTC), launched 12:00Z, 4.5 hours before the alert went out and 123 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 1989-05-24Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 134 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 12:00Z on 1989-05-24The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 189 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
134 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-631 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1132 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
49 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
189 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
211 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 KMSP 241625
SVRMSP
MNC129-127-241715-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS MN
1125 AM CDT WED MAY 24 1989

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1215 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING 
COUNTIES

   IN THE CENTRAL PART OF MINNESOTA
      RENVILLE...

   IN THE SOUTHWEST PART OF MINNESOTA
      NORTHERN REDWOOD...

AT 1120 AM CDT..RADAR WAS INDICATING A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM NEAR
THE TOWN OF VESTA OR ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF REDWOOD FALLS.

THIS THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING TO THE EAST NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH
AND WILL BE AFFECTING AREAS NEAR REDWOOD FALLS..DELHI AND ACROSS
THE MINNESOTA RIVER TOWARD OLIVIA AND BIRD ISLAND.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND 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 RAINS FLOOD ROADS QUICKLY SO DON`T DRIVE
INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. ALSO REMEMBER SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH
LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.

PAULSON

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 24, 8:09 AM CDT, 3 hours 19 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL MN
810 AM CDT WED MAY 24  1989

      ..... SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 312 CANCELLED .....

THE NATIONAL SEVERE STORMS FORECAST CENTER HAS CANCELLED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 312 ISSUED AT 341  AM CDT  FOR
     PORTIONS OF EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA
     PORTIONS OF NORTHERN AND WESTERN MINNESOTA

THUNDERSTORMS HAVE MOVED SOUTH OF THE POSTED WATCH AREA. THESE
THUNDERSTORMS REMAIN VERY INTENSE AND MAY YET PRODUCE LARGE HAIL
STRONG WINDS AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALLS.

..ANTHONY/RND...
Special weather statement, May 24, 8:16 AM CDT, 3 hours 12 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST CLOUD MN
815 AM CDT WED MAY 24 1989

AT 815 AM CDT THIS WEDNESDAY MORNING THUNDERSTORMS...SOME CONTAINING
SMALL HAIL...MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN AND GUSTY WINDS TO 40 MPH WERE
MOVING THROUGH CENTRAL MINNESOTA.  THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE
ENTERING WESTERN STEARNS...NORTHERN SWIFT AND EXTREME NORTHERN
KANDIYOHI COUNTIES AROUND 830 TO 900 AM THIS WEDNESAY MORNING.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE SOUTHEAST AT 20 TO 30 MPH.

TRIPLETT
Special weather statement, May 24, 8:41 AM CDT, 2 hours 47 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL MN
840 AM CDT WED MAY 24 1989

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN
   MINNESOTA UNTIL 200 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON...

A THUNDERSTORM WAS PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN AND QUARTER INCH SIZED HAIL
AT ALEXANDRIA FLIGHT SERVICE STATION. THIS THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED
BETWWN ELBOW LAKE AND GLENWOOD IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

AN AREA OF SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS HAD INCREASED IN AREAL COVERAGE
AND INTENSITY ACROSS WEST CENTRAL AND CENTRAL MINNESOTA.

THIS AREA WAS LOCATED FROM PARK RAPIDS IN NORTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA
TO ELBOW LAKE AND MORRIS IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA..TO JUST NORTH OF
MADISON AND JUST NORTHWEST OF WILLMAR..THEN TO PEQUOT LAKES TO NEAR
GRAND RAPIDS MINNESOTA.
>
MOVEMENT OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS WAS EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.
SJC
Local storm report, May 24, 9:54 AM CDT, 1 hour 34 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST. CLOUD MN
955 AM CDT WED MAY 24 1989

...ATTN SELS...

STORM DATA FOR STEARNS COUNTY OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA:

5/24/89...0850 AM CDT...MARBLE TO 3/4 INCH HAIL IN THE CITY OF SAUK
CENTRE MINNESOTA...38 MILES NORTHWEST OF ST CLOUD MINNESOTA.

5/24/89...0903 AM CDT...GOLF BALL HAIL REPORTED IN THE CITY OF
MELROSA...30 MILES NORTHWEST OF ST CLOUD MINNES3OTA.

NO REPORTS OF DAMAGING WINDS WERE RECEIVED.

ALL REPORTS OF HAIL WERE RECEIVED FROM THE STEARNS COUNTY SHERIFFS
OFFICE.

TRIPLETT/RUBIN
Local storm report, May 24, 9:55 AM CDT, 1 hour 33 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST. CLOUD MN
955 AM CDT WED MAY 24 1989

...ATTN SELS...

STORM DATA FOR STEARNS COUNTY OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA:

5/24/89...0850 AM CDT...MARBLE TO 3/4 INCH HAIL IN THE CITY OF SAUK
CENTRE MINNESOTA...38 MILES NORTHWEST OF ST CLOUD MINNESOTA.

5/24/89...0903 AM CDT...GOLF BALL HAIL REPORTED IN THE CITY OF
MELROSA...30 MILES NORTHWEST OF ST CLOUD MINNESOTA.

NO REPORTS OF DAMAGING WINDS WERE RECEIVED.
8
ALL REPORTS OF HAIL WERE RECEIVED FROM THE STEARNS COUNTY SHERIFFS
OFFICE.

TRIPLETT/RUBIN
Special weather statement, May 24, 10:34 AM CDT, 54 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL MN
1035 AM CDT WED MAY 24 1989

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN
   MINNESOTA UNTIL 200 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON...

AT 1025 AM CDT...AN AREA OF SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS..SOME WITH HEAVY
RAIN..WERE LOCATED ACROSS SECTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL..NORTHWEST..NORTH
CENTRAL.EAST CENTRAL..AND A SMALL PART OF SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA.
INTENSITY HAD DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE 925 AM.

THIS AREA WAS LOCATED FROM DETROIT LAKES IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA TO
SOUTH OF GRAND RAPIDS..NEAR THE TOWN OF HILL CITY IN EAST CENTRAL
MINNESOTA..TO REDWOOD FALLS THROUGH ELBOW LAKE IN WEST CENTRAL
MINNESOTpA..AND BACK TO NEAR DETROIT LAKES MINNESOTA.

MOVEMENT WAS TO THE EAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.
SJC
RND

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 23, 7:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXDodge, Olmsted42 min
May 23, 7:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXFaribault, Martin38 min
May 23, 8:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXCarver, Hennepin, Wright51 min
May 23, 9:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXCarver, Hennepin49 min
May 24, 8:58 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXStearns47 min
May 24, 11:25 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXRedwood, Renville50 min
May 24, 2:32 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXBenton, Morrison43 min
May 24, 4:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXDodge, Mower, Olmsted27 min
May 24, 4:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXWinona36 min
May 24, 5:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXCarver, McLeod51 min
May 24, 5:17 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXSibley58 min
May 24, 5:23 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXCarver67 min
May 24, 5:23 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXScott52 min
May 24, 5:33 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXLe Sueur, Nicollet42 min
May 24, 6:08 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXLe Sueur, Rice, Waseca37 min
May 24, 6:30 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXBlue Earth, Faribault, Waseca30 min
May 24, 6:30 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXFreeborn30 min
May 24, 6:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXGoodhue38 min

Nearby

Severe 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.