Alert archive / Minnesota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1989

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 90, NWS Twin Cities, MN

August 31, 1989Anoka County, Hennepin County, Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 31, 1989, 3:35 PM CDT for Anoka County, Hennepin County, Minnesota. It was in force for 55 min. 2 reports 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
Aug 31, 1989, 3:35 PM CDT (20:35 UTC)
Expired
Aug 31, 1989, 4:30 PM CDT
In force
55 min
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
Area
Whole counties

Counties Anoka County, MN, Hennepin 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
Aug 31, 4:15 PM CDTHail 1.75Hennepin, MN
Aug 31, 4:32 PM CDTHail 1.5Hennepin, 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, 8.6 hours before the alert went out and 37 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 1989-08-31Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 856 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 1989-08-31The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 248 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
856 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-162 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
599 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
46 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
248 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
247 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
3.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KMSP 312038
SVRMSP
MNC003-053-312130-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS MN
335 PM CDT THU AUG 31 1989
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MINNEAPOLIS HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  430 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA
          ...ANOKA...NORTHERN HENNEPIN
 
AT 330 PM RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM FROM ISANTI SOUTHWEST
TO NEAR BUFFALO IN WRIGHT COUNTY MOVING EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.
THESE STORMS CAN PRODUCE A TORNADO WITH LITTLE ADVANCE WARNING. TOWNS
IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM ARE ANOKA..CHAMPLIN..ROGERS..MAPLE GROVE .
 
 
 
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.
 
JHM

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, Aug 31, 10:02 AM CDT, 5 hours 33 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL MN
950 AM CDT THU AUG 31 1989

..STRONG THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HIGH WINDS ACROSS EASTERN MINNESOTA
  AND WESTERN WISCONSIN..

AT 945 AM CDT..THE LEADING EDGE OF A BAND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
WITH HIGH WINDS WAS LOCATED ACROSS SCOTT..DAKOTA AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES
OF THE TWIN CITIES METRO AREA AS WELL AS POLK AND BARRON COUNTIES OF
NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN.

THIS LINE OF ACTIVITY PRODUCED A 47 MPH WIND GUST AT TWIN CITIES
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AT 936 AM. SIMILAR WIND GUSTS HAVE BEEN REPORTED
ACROSS OTHER AREAS OF THE TWIN CITIES.

THIS ACTIVITY WAS MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 45 MPH AND WILL BE MOVING
THROUGH SCOTT..DAKOTA AND SOUTHERN WASHINGTON COUNTIES OF THE SOUTHERN
TWIN CITIES AREA AS WELL AS PIERCE..ST CROIX..BARRON AND DUNN COUNTIES
OF WISCONSIN BY AROUND 1030 AM.
<
PERSONS LIVING IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE PREPAREDi FOR WINDS IN THE
40 TO 50 MPH RANGE AS THIS STORM FRONT MOVES THROUGH.
Special weather statement, Aug 31, 11:00 AM CDT, 4 hours 35 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL MN
1050 AM CDT THU AUG 31 1989

..SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA
  UNTIL 1115 AM CDT..

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHERN STEARNS..
SOUTHWEST MORRISON AND SOUTHEAST TODD COUNTIES UNTIL 1115 AM IN AREAS
JUST NORTHWEST OF ST CLOUD.

AT 1035 AM CDT..WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CENTERED
JUST NORTHWEST OF ALBANY IN EXTREME NORTHERN STEARNS COUNTY. EARLIER
THIS STORM PRODUCED GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL IN NORTHERN STEARNS AND SOUTHERN
TODD COUNTIES.

THIS STORM WAS MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

ELSEWHERE..SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS REMAINED IN A BAND ACROSS SOUTHEAST
MINNESOTA INTO WEST CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST WISCONSIN FROM NEAR HAYWARD..
TO EAU CLAIRE..TO SOUTH OF MINNEAPOLIS NEAR NEW PRAGUE AND NORTHFIELD.

AN OVERALL WEAKENING TREND HAD OCCURRED ON THIS ACTIVITY BUT SOME GUSTY
WINDS ARE STILL LIKELY AS THIS BAND MOVES TO THE EAST SOUTHEAST AT
40 MILES AN HOUR.

FURTHER SOUTH ANOTHER BAND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING
THROUGH FAR SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA INTO WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN FROM ALONG
THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER AT ALMA WISCONSIN TO BETWEEN ROCHESTER AND
LA CROSSE.

THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN
HOUR.
Special weather statement, Aug 31, 11:45 AM CDT, 3 hours 50 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST CLOUD MN
1143 AM CDT THU AUG 31 1989

...THUNDERSTORMS INCREASING IN INTENSITY IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA WILL
MOVE INTO POPE COUNTY...

AT 1135AM CDT THUNDERSTORMS WERE INCREASING IN INTENSITY FROM JUST
SOUTH OF ALEXANDRIA TO JUST NORTH OF MORRIS...30 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
ALEXANDRIA. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH AND WIL
ENTER POPE COUNTY NEAR CYRUS BY 12 NOON. HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN AND
STRONG WINDS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS.

WDV
Local storm report, Aug 31, 2:03 PM CDT, 1 hour 32 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST CLOUD MN
200 PM CDT THU AUG 31 1989

...ATTN SELS...

PRELIMINARY STORM DATA REPORT FOR CENTRAL MINNESOTA FOR AUG 31:

1015 AM CDT    GOLF BALL HAIL     SOUTHERN TODD COUNTY...6 MILES
                                  NORTH OF SAUK CENTRE...40 MILES
                                  NORTHWEST OF ST CLOUD.

1034 AM CDT    ONE INCH HAIL      STEARNS COUNTY...ST ROSA...
                                  25 MILES NORTHWEST OF ST CLOUD.

1213 PM CDT    3/4 INCH HAIL      POPE COUNTY...LOWRY...12 MILES
                                  SOUTH OF ALEXANDRIA.

NISTLER
Special weather statement, Aug 31, 3:00 PM CDT, 35 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL MN
250 PM CDT THU AUG 31 1989

STRONG AND IN SOME CASES SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE REGENERATED FROM
NEAR ST CLOUD TO JUST NORTH OF ANNANDALE ACROSS EASTERN STEARNS AND
FAR NORTHERN WRIGHT COUNTY.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF STEARNS..
SHERBURNE AND BENTON COUNTIES UNTIL 330 PM.

AT 245 PM..THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM NEAR LITCHFIELD AND ANNANDALE TO
ST CLOUD AND ON FURTHER EAST TOWARD CAMBRIDGE.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR BUT THE MOST RECENT
DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN ALONG THE SOUTHWEST PORTION OF THE AREA ACROSS
WRIGHT AND MEEKER COUNTIES OR IN ARE[AS NORTHWEST OF MINNEAPOLIS.

PERSONS IN EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA SHOULD KEEP ABREAST OF THIS DEVELOPING
WEATHER SITUATION AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 31, 10:21 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXMorrison, Todd39 min
Aug 31, 10:21 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXStearns54 min
Aug 31, 11:53 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXPope37 min
Aug 31, 2:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXBenton, Stearns21 min
Aug 31, 2:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXSherburne51 min
Aug 31, 3:18 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXWright42 min
Aug 31, 3:55 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXHennepin35 min
Aug 31, 4:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXChisago, Washington67 min
Aug 31, 4:27 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXHennepin33 min
Aug 31, 4:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXHennepin31 min
Aug 31, 4:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXRamsey36 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.