Alert archive / Minnesota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1992

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 83, NWS Twin Cities, MN

September 15, 1992Rice County, Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Sep 15, 1992, 9:16 PM CDT for Rice County, Minnesota. It was in force for 29 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Sep 15, 1992, 9:16 PM CDT (02:16 UTC)
Expired
Sep 15, 1992, 9:45 PM CDT
In force
29 min
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
Area
Whole counties

County Rice County, MN

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KSTC), launched 00:00Z, 2.3 hours before the alert went out and 60 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 1992-09-16Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1883 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 1992-09-16The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 350 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
1883 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-88 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
717 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
45 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
350 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
456 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
2.8
Supercell composite
8.7

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KRST 160216
SVRRST
MNC131-160245-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ROCHESTER MN
916 PM CDT TUE SEP 15 1992
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ROCHESTER MN HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING     EFFECTIVE UNTIL  945 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA
 
   ...NORTHERN RICE COUNTY
 
AT 915 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM NEAR LITTLE
CHICAGO...42 MILES NORTHEAST OF MANKATO. MOVEMENT WAS TO THE EAST.
 
SOME TOWNS IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM WERE WEBSTER...DUNDAS...AND
NORTHFIELD.
 
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 60
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.

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, Sep 15, 6:19 PM CDT, 2 hours 57 minutes before
MNZ012-014-015-016-017-018-019-WIZ003-006-150100-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS MN
618 PM CDT TUE SEP 15 1992

...THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING MOVING ACROSS
   PARTS OF SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...SOME PRODUCING BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...WERE MOVING
THROUGH PARTS OF SOUTHERN MINNESOTA. AT 615 PM...THE 25 MILE WIDE LINE
OF THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING THE HEAVIEST RAIN...WAS LOCATED FROM ST PETER
...ACROSS THE SOUTHERN COUNTIES OF THE TWIN CITIES METRO AREA FROM JORDAN
TO FARMINGTON AND THEN SOUTHEAST TO CANNON FALLS AND ZUMBRO FALLS.

PRESENT MOVEMENT OF NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH WILL BRING THE THUNDERSTORMS TO
THE HEART OF THE DOWNTOWN TWIN CITIES AREA BETWEEN 630 AND 645 PM. ALONG
WITH THE HEAVY RAIN...FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES WERE ALSO
OCCURRING WITH THE STORMS. ANYONE ON AREA LAKES OR PERSONS ENGAGED IN
OTHER OUTDOOR ACTVITIES SHOULD MOVE INDOORS WHEN THE STORMS APPROACH
YOUR AREA.
<
PERSONS IN WESTERN WISCOSNIN WILL SEE SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS MOVING
INTO THE ST CROIX FALLS...RIVER FALLS AND ELLSWORTH AREAS BY 7 PM
THIS EVENING.
 DWE
Special weather statement, Sep 15, 6:24 PM CDT, 2 hours 52 minutes before
MNZ012-014-015-016-017-018-019-WIZ003-006-150100-
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED THIRD PARAGRAPH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS MN
618 PM CDT TUE SEP 15 1992

...THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING MOVING ACROSS
   PARTS OF SOUTHERN AND CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...SOME PRODUCING BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...WERE MOVING
THROUGH PARTS OF SOUTHERN MINNESOTA. AT 615 PM...THE 25 MILE WIDE LINE
OF THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING THE HEAVIEST RAIN...WAS LOCATED FROM ST PETER
...ACROSS THE SOUTHERN COUNTIES OF THE TWIN CITIES METRO AREA FROM JORDAN
TO FARMINGTON AND THEN SOUTHEAST TO CANNON FALLS AND ZUMBRO FALLS.

PRESENT MOVEMENT OF NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH WILL BRING THE THUNDERSTORMS TO
THE HEART OF THE DOWNTOWN TWIN CITIES AREA BETWEEN 630 AND 645 PM. ALONG
WITH THE HEAVY RAIN...FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES WERE ALSO
OCCURRING WITH THE STORMS. ANYONE ON AREA LAKES OR PERSONS ENGAGED IN
OTHER OUTDOOR ACTVITIES SHOULD MOVE INDOORS WHEN THE STORMS APPROACH
YOUR AREA.
<
PERSONS IN WESTERN WISCONSIN WILL SEE SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS MOVING
INTO THE ST CROIX FALLS...RIVER FALLS AND ELLSWORTH AREAS BY 7 PM
THIS EVENING.
 DWE
Special weather statement, Sep 15, 7:32 PM CDT, 1 hour 44 minutes before
MNZ014-015-016-017-018-019-160130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS MN
733 PM CDT TUE SEP 15 1992

...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING THROUGH REDWOOD COUNTY...

AT 733 PM...RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM ABOUT 10 MILES
SOUTH OF REDWOOD FALLS NEAR ROWENA. THE STORM WAS MOVING EAST
AT 25 TO 30 MPH AND WILL BE AFFECTING THE MORGAN AND CLEMENTS
AREA OF EASTERN REDWOOD COUNTY THROUGH 745 PM.

AT 715 PM...PEA TO MARhBLE SIZE HAIL AND MINOR STREET FLOODING
WAS REPORTED IN WABASSO. PERSONS IN EASTERN REDWOOD COUNTY SHOULD
MOVE INDOORS WHEN THESE STROMS APPROACH. MOTORISTS SHOULD NEVER
DRIVE THROUGH ROADWAYS COVERED WITH WATER.
 DWE/MBM
Special weather statement, Sep 15, 8:04 PM CDT, 1 hour 12 minutes before
MNZ014-015-016-017-018-019-160130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS MN
800 PM CDT TUE SEP 15 1992

...THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL MOVING ACROSS SOUTHERN
MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN...

AT 730 PM...RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY
HEAVY RAINFALL THAT EXTENDED FROM REDWOOD FALLS...THROUGH LE SUEUR
AND NEW PRAGUE...AND INTO WISCONSIN NEAR ELLSWORTH. THESE THUNDERSTORMS
WERE MOVING TO THE EAST NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR AND SHOULD
CONTINUE TO PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAINS...FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING...
GUSTY WINDS AND POSSIBLY SOME HAIL. THESE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD CONTINUE
OVER THE SAME GENERAL AREA THROUGH 10 PM. FLOODING OF STREETS AND LOW
LYING AREAS IS POSSIBLE. DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH A WATER COVERED STREET.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE PART OF AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS
THAT EXTENDED ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL
WISCONSIN. ALL OF THE PRECIPITATION WAS MOVING TO THE EAST NORTHEAST
AT 35 MILES AN HOUR.

MBM
Special weather statement, Sep 15, 9:00 PM CDT, 16 minutes before
MNZ014-015-016-017-018-019-WIZ03-06-160130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS MN
900 PM CDT TUE SEP 15 1992

...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR PARTS OF EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA
UNTIL 4 AM WEDNESDAY MORNING...

A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING TORRENTIAL RAINFALL CONTINUED MOVING
ACROSS PARTS OF CENTRAL AND EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA INTO WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN.
AT 830 PM...THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM REDWOOD FALLS MINNESOTA...THROUGH
GAYLORD AND WACONIA...ACROSS THE SOUTHERN SUBURBS OF THE TWIN CITIES...
AND INTO WISCONSIN NEAR MENOMONIE.

BETWEEN 730 PM AND 8 PM THIS EVENING...ABOUT ONE AND A HALF INCHES OF RAIN
/1.65/ FELL IN SAVAGE MINNESOTA...OR ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTH OF MINNEAPOLIS.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD CONTINUE OVER THE SAME GENERAL AREA THROUGH
11 PM AND WILL CONTINUE TO PRODUCE TORRENTIAL RAINS...FREQUENT DEADLY LIGHTNING
...GUSTY WINDS AND SOME HAIL.

FLOODING OF STREETS AND SMALL STREAMS IS A POTENTIAL PROBLEM TONIGHT.
PERSONS WHO LIVE NEAR SMALL RIVERS OR STREAMS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOK-
OUT FOR FLOODING. MOTORISTS ARE URGED NOT TO DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED ROADS.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ALSO CONTINUED ACROSS PARTS OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA
AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. THEY WERE LOCATED SOUTH OF A LINE FROM
LONG PRAIRIE MINNESOTA...TO PINE CITY...TO HAYWARD WISCONSIN.

ALL OF THE PRECIPITATION WAS MOVING TO THE EAST NORTHEAST AT 35 MILES AN
HOUR.

MBM

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 15, 7:22 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXRice38 min
Sep 15, 10:11 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMPXDakota, Hennepin, Scott4 hr
Sep 16, 2:04 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningMPXDakota, Hennepin, Scott116 min
Sep 16, 3:22 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningMPXGoodhue38 min
Sep 16, 3:47 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXOlmsted43 min
Sep 16, 5:09 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXMille Lacs18 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Minnesota, 1992Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1992

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.