Alert archive / Wisconsin / Tornado Warnings in 1990

Tornado Warning 4, NWS Duluth, MN

September 11, 1990Sawyer County, Washburn County, Wisconsin

NWS Duluth, MN issued this tornado warning at Sep 11, 1990, 7:59 PM CDT for Sawyer County, Washburn County, Wisconsin. It was in force for 61 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
Sep 11, 1990, 7:59 PM CDT (00:59 UTC)
Expired
Sep 11, 1990, 9:00 PM CDT
In force
61 min
Issued by
NWS Duluth, MN
Area
Whole counties

Counties Sawyer County, WI, Washburn County, WI

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
Sep 11, 8:35 PM CDTHail 1Washburn, WI

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, 1.0 hours before the alert went out and 203 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 1990-09-12Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2675 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 00:00Z on 1990-09-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 159 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
2675 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-22 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1580 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
35 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
159 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
278 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.2
Supercell composite
18.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KDLH 120058
TORDLH
WIC113-129-120200-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
759 PM CDT TUE SEP 11 1990
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DULUTH HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  900 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...
 
IN NORTHWEST WISCONSIN
          ...SOUTHWESTERN SAWYER...SOUTHEASTERN WASHBURN
 
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR THE TOWN OF HAUGEN IN EXTREME
NORTHERN BARRON COUNTY MOVING EAST NORTHEAST AT 10 TO 15 MILES AN
HOUR. A TORNADO WAS REPORTED SOUTHWEST OF HAUGEN MOVING EAST NORTHEAST
AT 15 TO 20 MILES AN HOUR. TOWNS IN THE PATH OF THIS SEVERE STORM WITH
NUMEROUS REPORTS OF FUNNEL CLOUDS AND TORNADOS...INCLUDE BIRCHWOOD IN
THE EXTREME SOUTHEAST CORNER OF WASHBURN COUNTY.
 
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A
BASEMENT.  GET UNDER A WORKBENCH OR PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE.
IF NO BASEMENT IS AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER IN AN INTERIOR ROOM
SUCH AS A CLOSET ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.  USE BLANKETS...PILLOWS...
OR CUSHIONS TO COVER YOUR BODY.  AVOID WINDOWS.
 
THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM SITUATION.  ACT QUICKLY.  IF YOU ARE
IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO MOVE TO A SHELTER BELOW GROUND IF
AVAILABLE.  OTHERWISE...GO TO A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST
FLOOR POSSIBLE.  AVOID WINDOWS.  ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES
FOR A REINFORCED BUILDING OR GET INTO A DITCH OR CULVERT.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado 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, Sep 11, 5:48 PM CDT, 2 hours 11 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INTERNATIONAL FALLS MN
545 PM CDT TUE SEP 11 1990

AT 530 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED SEVERAL HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE
MINNESOTA/CANADIAN BORDER NEAR INTERNATIONAL FALLS AND EXTENDING
SOUTHWEST TOWARD FARGO. THESE STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 30 MPH
AND WILL MOVE OVER RAINY LAKE AREA...CLEAR WATER AND SOUTHWEST
BELTRAMI COUNTIES BY 630 PM CDT.

THESE STORMS MAY CONTAIN HEAVY RAIN...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...SMALL
HAIL... AND DANGEROUS LIGHTENING.

BOATERS AND OTHER OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS...SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IF
THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH. KEEP TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...YOUR
FAVORITE AM/FM RADIO OR TV STATION IN THE EVENT FURTHER STAT9EMENTS
ARE REQUIRED.

CARROLL
Special weather statement, Sep 11, 5:50 PM CDT, 2 hours 9 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INTERNATIONAL FALLS MN
545 PM CDT TUE SEP 11 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PORTION OF CENTRAL
AND NORTHERN MINNESOTA UNTIL 1100 PM CDT...

AT 530 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED SEVERAL HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS ALONG THE
MINNESOTA/CANADIAN BORDER NEAR INTERNATIONAL FALLS AND EXTENDING
SOUTHWEST TOWARD FARGO. THESE STORMS ARE MOVING TO THE EAST AT 30 MPH
AND WILL MOVE OVER RAINY LAKE AREA...CLEAR WATER AND SOUTHWEST
BELTRAMI COUNTIES BY 630 PM CDT.

THESE STORMS MAY CONTAIN HEAVY RAIN...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...SMALL
HAIL... AND DANGEROUS LIGHTENING.

BOATERS AND OTHER OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS...SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IF
THUNDERSTO<RMS APPROACH. KEEP TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...YOUR
FAVORITE AM/FM RADIO OR TV STATION IN THE EVENT FURTHER STATEMENTS
ARE REQUIRED.

CARROLL
Special weather statement, Sep 11, 7:13 PM CDT, 46 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH, MN
705 PM CDT TUE SEP 11 1990

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL WISCONSIN
UNTIL 11 PM CDT...

AT 7 OCLOCK THIS EVENING THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN AND SMALL HAIL
WERE OCURRING IN EAST CENTRAL WASHBURN COUNTY AND WEST CENTRAL SAWYER
COUNTY OF NORTHWEST WISCONSIN. NO MOVEMENT WAS EVIDENT AS THESE STORMS
HAD DEVELOPED SINCE 640 PM THIS EVENING. THESE STORMS WERE 10 MILES
SOUTHWEST AND 15 MILES SOUTHEAST OF HAYWARD.

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING TORNADO WINDS
WERE 20 TO 30 MILES SOUTH OF THIS AREA FROM CUMBERLAND TO EAST OF RICE
LAKE IN NORTHEAST BARRON AND NORTHWEST RUSK COUNTIES.

THUNDERSTORMS IN THIS AREA OF WISCONSIN HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE
SEVERE WEATHER.
CHRISTENSON
Special weather statement, Sep 11, 7:28 PM CDT, 31 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INTERNATIONAL FALLS MN
725 PM CDT TUE SEP 11 1990

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PORTION OF CENTRAL
AND NORTHERN MINNESOTA UNTIL 1100 PM CDT...

AT 720 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS JUST
EAST OF INTERNATIONAL FALLS TO BEMIDJI. THESE STORMS ARE MOVING TO
THE EAST AT 25 MPH AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH KOOCHICING COUNTY OVER
THE NEXT FEW HOURS.

THESE STORMS MAY CONTAIN HEAVY RAIN...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...SMALL
HAIL... AND DANGEROUS LIGHTENING.

BOATERS AND OTHER OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS...SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IF
THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH. KEEP TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...YOUR
FAVORITE AM/FM RADIO OR TV STATION IN THE EVENT FURTHER STATEMENTS
ARE REQUIRED.
SCW
Special weather statement, Sep 11, 7:38 PM CDT, 21 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH, MN
735 PM CDT TUE SEP 11 1990

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PARTS OF NORTH AND CENTRAL WISCONSIN
UNTIL 11 PM CDT...
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR PART OF NORTH AND NORTHEAST MINNESOTA
UNTIL 11 PM CDT THIS EVENING...
AT 730 PM CDT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING IN A TRIANGLE
BETWEEN BEMIDJI..BLACKDUCK AND WINNIBIGOSHISH IN NORTHCENTRAL MINNESOTA.
THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS TO 40 MILES AN HOUR
ALONG WITH SMALL HAIL AND LIGHTNING AS THEY MOVE EAST INTO ITASCA
COUNTY AND EXTREME NORTH CASS COUNTY...CROSSING LAKE WINNIBIGOSHISH.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND HEAVY RAIN WERE FROM THE
NORTHERN EDGE OF CRANE LAKE NEAR THE CANADIAN BORDER BACK WEST NORTHWEST
INTO INTERNATIONAL FALLS. THESE STORMS WERE SAGGING SOUTHEAST AS THEY
CONTINUED TO DIE OFF AND REDEVELOP...WITH INDIVIDUAL STORMS MOVING EAST
AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.
..J.CHRISTENSON..
Local storm report, Sep 11, 7:54 PM CDT, 5 minutes before
LOCAL STORM REPORT SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INTERNATIONAL FALLS MN
755 PM CDT TUE SEP 11 1990

608 PM CDT...3/4 INCH HAIL REPORTED AT INTERNATIONAL FALLS, MN
             ...DOWNTOWN.

CARROLL

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 11, 8:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDLHSawyer, Washburn55 min
Sep 11, 9:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDLHBayfield, Douglas, Sawyer, Washburn55 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Wisconsin, 1990Every tornado warning in 1990Tornadoes in 1990

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.