Alert archive / Minnesota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1989

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 47, NWS Twin Cities, MN

May 29, 1989Wabasha County, Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 29, 1989, 10:35 PM CDT for Wabasha County, Minnesota. It was in force for 40 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, 10:35 PM CDT (03:35 UTC)
Expired
May 29, 1989, 11:15 PM CDT
In force
40 min
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
Area
Whole counties

County Wabasha 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 29, 11:08 PM CDTHail 0.75Wabasha, 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 00:00Z, 3.6 hours before the alert went out and 125 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 1989-05-30Temperature 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 00:00Z on 1989-05-30The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 203 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
667 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
59 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
203 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
368 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KRST 300339
SVRRST
MNC157-300415-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ROCHESTER MN
1035 PM CDT MON MAY 29 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ROCHESTER HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1115 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTY...
 
IN SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA
          ...NORTHERN WABASHA
 
THIS WARNING INCLUDES THE TOWNS OF LAKE CITY AND WABASHA.
 
AT 1035 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 20 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF RED WING BETWEEN LAKE CITY AND READS LANDING NEAR
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.  THIS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING
EAST AT 35 MPH.
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM.  IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH YOU SHOULD
PREPARE FOR DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55 MPH...LARGE HAIL...AND
DEADLY LIGHTNING.  PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER...
PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.
 
IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...SEEK SHELTER FROM THE WEATHE_R IN A
STRONG BUILDING.  DAMAGING WIND...LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN...
AND DEADLY LIGHTNING ARE ALL POSSIBLE IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.
STAY INSIDE AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.

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, 6:53 PM CDT, 3 hours 42 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL MN
650 PM CDT MON MAY 29 1989

...THUNDERSTORMS REDEVELOP IN PIERCE COUNTY OF WEST WISCONSIN...

AT 650 PM...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM HAD DEVELOPED OVER PIERCE COUNTY
OF EXTREME WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN...IN THE ELLSWORTH...REDWING AREA.
THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINFALL...HAIL
...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES.  PERSONS
ENGAGED IN OUTDCOOR ACTIVITIES SHOULD BE ESPECIALLY CAUTIOUS
AND SEEK SAFE SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.

MOVEMENT WAS TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.
KRAFT
Special weather statement, May 29, 7:08 PM CDT, 3 hours 27 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL MN
705 PM CDT MON MAY 29 1989

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 352 NO LONGER IN EFFECT IN MINNESOTA

THE THREAT FOR SEVERE WEATHER HAS DIMINISHED DURING THE PAST SEVERAL
HOURS OVER MINNESOTA. THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH WHICH HAD BEEN
POSTED FOR EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA HAS BEEN CANCELLED. ALTHOUGH THE
WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED THERE STILL REMAINS A GOOD CHANCE FOR SHOWERSY
AND THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH OUT THE NIGHT.
RND
Special weather statement, May 29, 7:17 PM CDT, 3 hours 18 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL MN
715 PM CDT MON MAY 29 1989

...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO REDEVELOP IN WESTERN WISCONSIN...

AT 715 PM RADAR SHOWED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING IN WESTERN
WISCONSIN.  THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM NEAR THE RED WING
AREA OF GOODHUE COUNTY OF MINNESOTA WHICH IS ABOUT 35 MILES SOUTHEAST
OF MINNEAPOLIS TO JUST NORTH OF EAU CLAIRE.  THE STRONGEST THUNDER
STORMS WERE IN PIERCE COUNTY OF WISCONSIN FROM JUST EAST OF RED WING
THEN TO PLUM CITY.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH.  THEY HAVE THE
POTENTIAL OF PRODUCING HAIL UP TO MARBLE SIZE...GUSTY WINDS..AND
LIGHTNING STRIKES.  THEY WILL` BE MOVING INTO PEPIN AND SOUTHERN
DUNN COUNTIES OF WESTERN WISCONSIN BY 730PM.  SOME CITIES IN THE
PATH OF THESE COUNTIES ARE PEPIN IN PEPIN COUNTY AND EAU GALLE IN
SOUTHERN DUNN COUNTY.
PAULSON
Special weather statement, May 29, 7:41 PM CDT, 2 hours 54 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL MN
740 PM CDT MON MAY 29 1989

...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER WESTERN WISCONSIN...

AT 726 PM CDT...THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN CONTINUE TO DEVELOP IN
WESTERN WISCONSIN.  THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM ALONG THE
MISSISSIPPI RIVER NEAR LAKE CITY TO DURAND TO JUST SOUTHWEST OF EAU CLAIRE.
THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED NEAR DURAND...WHICH IS ABOUT
20 MILES SOUTHWEST OF EAU CLAIRE.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH.  THEY HAVE THE
POTENTIAL OF PRODUCING HAIL UP TO MARBLE SIZE...GUSTY WINDS..AND
LIGHTNING STRIKES.  THEY WILL BE MOVING INTO EAU CLAIRE AND TREMPALEAU
AND BUFFALzO COUNTIES OF WESTERN WISCONSIN BY 830PM.  SOME CITIES IN THE
PATH OF THESE COUNTIES ARE ALMA...STRUM...AND OSSEO IN WISCONSIN.
ERICKSEN
Special weather statement, May 29, 8:42 PM CDT, 1 hour 53 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL MN
840 PM CDT MON MAY 29 1989

...POWERFUL THUNDERSTORMS LASH WEST WISCONSIN...

AT 830 PM...A POWERFUL THUNDERSTORM WAS OCCURRING NEAR STRUM IN EXTREME
NORTHERN TREMPEALEAU COUNTY OF WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN....ABOUT 30 MILES
SOUTHEAST OF THE CITY OF EAU CLAIRE.  THIS STORM WAS MOVING TO THE EAST
AT 35 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR.  ALTHOUGH THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
THAT HAD BEEN IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHWEST EAU CLAIRE COUNTY EXPIRED AT 830 PM
THIS IS STILL A DANGEROUS THUNDERSTORM.  PERSONS IN THE TOWNS OF STRUM
...LEVIS...OSSEO...AND PRICE SHOULD BE ALERT TO THREATENING WEATHER
AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SAFE SHELTER.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...HAIL...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...
AND DEADLY LIGHTNING STRIKES WERE OCCURRING IN A 30 MILE WIDE AREA
FROM NELSON TO GREENWOOD IN WEST AND CENTRAL WISCONSIN.
Special weather statement, May 29, 9:37 PM CDT, 58 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL MN
940 PM CDT MON MAY 29 1989

...POWERFUL THUNDERSTORMS LASH SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND WEST WISCONSIN...

AT 926 PM...THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WERE OCCURRING IN A 20
MILE WIDE BAND FROM KENYON IN SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA TO JUST SOUTH
OF EAU CLAIRE IN WEST WISCONSIN...AND NEAR LA CROSSE AND BLACK RIVER
FALLS.  SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY PRODUCE HAIL...STRONG GUSTY WIND
...FREQUENT LIGHTNING STRIKES...AS WELL AS VERY HEAVY RAINFALL.
PERSONS IN THE VICINITY OF THESE STORMS SHOULD BE READY TO SEEK SAFE
SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.

MOVEMENT WAS TO THE EAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 29, 9:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXGoodhue, Wabasha40 min
May 30, 7:22 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXFaribault, Martin53 min
May 30, 8:09 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXFaribault, Freeborn66 min
May 30, 8:09 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXMower66 min
May 30, 8:51 AM CDTTornado WarningMPXHouston39 min
May 30, 9:07 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXFillmore, Mower53 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.