Alert archive / Minnesota / Tornado Warnings in 1991

Tornado Warning 9, NWS Grand Forks, ND

July 5, 1991Koochiching County, Minnesota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this tornado warning at Jul 5, 1991, 7:41 PM CDT for Koochiching County, Minnesota. It was in force for 34 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 5, 1991, 7:41 PM CDT (00:41 UTC)
Expired
Jul 5, 1991, 8:15 PM CDT
In force
34 min
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND
Area
Whole counties

County Koochiching County, MN

The nearest sounding before it

International Fa, MN (KINL), launched 00:00Z, 0.7 hours before the alert went out and 51 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, International Fa, MN at 00:00Z on 1991-07-06Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 785 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, International Fa, MN at 00:00Z on 1991-07-06The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 254 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
785 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-21 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
734 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
49 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
254 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
319 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
1.1
Supercell composite
6.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KINL 060041
TORINL
MNC071-060115-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INTERNATIONAL FALLS MN
741 PM CDT FRI JUL 5 1991
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN INTERNATIONAL FALLS HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  815 PM CDT
FOR PERSONS IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA
 
   ...NORTHEASTERN KOOCHICHING COUNTY
 
AT 738 PM CDT...A FUNNEL WAS SIGHTED 10 MILES WEST OF INTERNATIONAL
FALLS MOVING EAST SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
 
THIS CITY OF INTERNATIONAL FALLS IS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM.
OTHER CITES IN THE PATH ARE RANIER...RAY...AND ERICSBURG.
 
 
 
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.
 
NNNN

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, Jul 5, 4:31 PM CDT, 3 hours 10 minutes before
NDZ012-013-014-015-016-017-018-MNZ001-006-007-010-011-013-052230-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
425 PM CDT FRI JUL 5 1991

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF NORTHERN AND WESTERN
MINNESOTA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA UNTIL 11 PM CDT...

AT 425 PM CDT A THUNDERSTORM...WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WAS LOCATED OVER
NORTHWEST MINNESOTA...40 MILES NORTH NORTHEAST OF GRAND FORKS NORTH
DAKOTA...15 MILES WEST OF LAKE BRONSON IN KITTSON COUNTY OF NORTHWEST
MINNESOTA. THIS THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH AND WILL
MOVE ACROSS KITTSON AND INTO MARSHALL COUNTY OF NORTHWEST MINNESOTA
BY 530 PM.

OTHER WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE STARTING TO DEVELOP
ACORSS NORTHWEST MINNESOTA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD ALSO MOVE
SOUTHEAST AT 20 TO 30 MPH.

PERSONS IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR RAPIDLY
CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

PLEASE STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO AND |TV STATIONS FOR LATEST
INFORMATION ON THESE THUNDERSTORMS.
ANDERSEN
Special weather statement, Jul 5, 5:34 PM CDT, 2 hours 7 minutes before
NDZ012-013-014-015-016-017-018-MNZ001-006-007-010-011-013-052330-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
525 PM CDT FRI JUL 5 1991

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF NORTHERN AND WESTERN
MINNESOTA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA UNTIL 11 PM CDT...

AT 525 PM CDT A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER NORTH CENTRAL
MINNESOTA...JUST WEST OF NORTHOME MINNESOTA...50 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
INTERNATIONAL FALLS MINNESOTA. THIS THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING EAST AT
30 TO 35 MPH. THIS THUNDERSTORM COULD PRODUCE BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN...
HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS AS IT CONTINUES EAST ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL
MINNESOTA.

ANOTHER THUNDERSTORM...WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WAS LOCATED OVER NORTHERN
HUBBARD COUNTY OF NORTHWEST MINNESOTA AND WAS ALSO MOVING EAST AT 35
MPH AND WILL MOVE INTO THE LEECH LAKE AREA BY 630 PM CDT.

OTHER WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER NORTHWEST AND
NORTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALSO MOVING
EAST AT 35 MPH.

PERSONS IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR
CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

PLEASE STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS FOR LATEST
INFORMATION ON THESE THUNDERSTORMS.
ANDERSEN
Special weather statement, Jul 5, 6:35 PM CDT, 1 hour 6 minutes before
NDZ012-013-014-015-016-017-018-MNZ001-006-007-010-011-013-060030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
630 PM CDT FRI JUL 5 1991

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF NORTHERN AND WESTERN
MINNESOTA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA UNTIL 11 PM CDT...

AT 630 PM CDT SEVERAL STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER NORTH
CENTRAL MINNESOTA EXTENDING FROM JUST EAST OF BEMIDJI MINNESOTA
SOUTHWEST TO 30 MILES WEST OF BRAINERD MINNESOTA WITH THE STROGEST
THUNDERSTSORM NEAR WADENA MINNESOTA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING
EAST AT 35 MPH AND COULD PRODUCE BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAIN...HAIL AND
DAMAGING WINDS AS THEY CROSS CASS AND WADENA COUNTIES OF NORTH
CENTRAL MINNESOTA.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH HEAVY RAIN CONTINUED OVER NORTHWEST
AND NORTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA. THESE THUNDERSTSRMS WERE MOVING EAST AT
30 TO 35 MPH.
PERSONS IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR RAPIDLY
CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

PLEASE STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS FOR LATEST
INFORMATION ON THESE THUNDERSTORMS.
ANDERSEN
Special weather statement, Jul 5, 7:32 PM CDT, 9 minutes before
NDZ012-013-014-015-016-017-018-MNZ001-006-007-010-011-013-060130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
730 PM CDT FRI JUL 5 1991

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST
MINNESOTA UNTIL 1 AM CDT SATURDAY MORNING...

AT 730 PM CDT SEVERAL STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER NORTH
CENTRAL MINNESOTA EXTENDING FROM JUST WEST OF GRAND RAPIDS MINNESOTA
SOUTHWEST TO JUST WEST OF BRAINERD MINNESOTA. THE STRONGEST OF THESE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED 5 TO 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF BRAINERD
MINNESOTA MOVING EAST AT 30 TO 35 MPH. THESE THUNDERSTORMS COULD
PRODUCE BRIDF VERY HEAVY RAIN...HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS AS THEY MOVE
EAST ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH HEAVY RAIN CONTINUED OVER NORTH
CENTRAL AND CENTRAL MINNESOTA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST
AT 30 TO 35 MPH.
PERSONS IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR RAPIDLY
CHANGtING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

PLEASE STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS FOR LATEST
INFORMATION ON THESE THUNDERSTORMS.
ANDERSEN

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Minnesota, 1991Every tornado warning in 1991Tornadoes in 1991

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.