Alert archive / North Dakota / Flash Flood Warnings in 1993

Flash Flood Warning 4, NWS Grand Forks, ND

July 24, 1993Cass County, North Dakota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this flash flood warning at Jul 24, 1993, 1:11 PM CDT for Cass County, North Dakota. It was in force for 3 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 24, 1993, 1:11 PM CDT (18:11 UTC)
Expired
Jul 24, 1993, 4:15 PM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND
Area
Whole counties

County Cass County, ND

The nearest sounding before it

Aberdeen, SD (KHON), launched 12:00Z, 6.2 hours before the alert went out and 243 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, Aberdeen, SD at 12:00Z on 1993-07-24Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1475 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, Aberdeen, SD at 12:00Z on 1993-07-24The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 75 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
1475 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-46 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
790 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
17 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
75 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
77 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KFAR 241814
FFWFAR
NDC017-242115-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
111 PM CDT SAT JUL 24 1993
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FARGO HAS ISSUED A
FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  415 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN EAST CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA
 
   ...CASS COUNTY
 
AT 108 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS DUMPING 1 TO 2 INCHES
OF RAIN PER HOURS MOVING ACROSS CENTRAL CASS COUNTY...WITH THE CASS
COUNTY SHERIFF IN CASSELTON REPORTING 1.5 INCHES OF RAIN BETWEEN
NOON AND 100 PM. IN ADDITION...FLOODING WAS IMMENENT ALONG COUNTY ROAD
10 JUST WEST OF WEST FARGO ND ALONG THE SHEYENNE DIVERSION.
 
PERSONS IN THE NORTH AND WEST OF WEST FARGO AND IN THE HARWOOD AREA
SHOULD BE ALERT FOR RAPID RISES IN WATER LEVELS IN THEIR AREA.
ALSO...THOSE ALONG THE RUSH AND MAPLE RIVERS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR RAPID
RISES IN WATER LEVELS.
 
A FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS IMMINENT.  IT'S
IMPORTANT TO KNOW WHERE YOU ARE RELATIVE TO STREAMS...RIVERS...OR
CREEKS WHICH CAN BECOME KILLERS IN HEAVY RAINS.  CAMPERS SHOULD
AVOID CAMPING ALONG STREAMS OR CREEKS DURING THREATENING RAINS.
EWENS

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood 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 24, 7:39 AM CDT, 5 hours 32 minutes before
NDZ012-013-014-015-016-017-018-MNZ001-006-007-010-011-013-241345-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
740 AM CDT SAT JUL 24 1993

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST AND SOUTH CENTRAL
NORTH DAKOTA TODAY AND TONIGHT...

AT 725 AM CDT...AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN CONTINUED
OVER EAST CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA. THE HEAVIEST RAIN WAS
LOCATED FROM 40 MILES NORTH OF VALLEY CITY IN GRIGGS COUNTY NEAR THE
COMMUNITY OF COOPERSTOWN...NORTHEAST TO GRAND FORKS IN NORTHEAST NORTH
DAKOTA. THE HEAVY RAINS ARE OVER AREAS WITH SOIL ALREADY SATURATED FROM
PREVIOUS STORMS. MOTORISTS SHOULD BE ALERT FOR CHANGING CONDITIONS. DO NOT
CROSS FLOODED ROADWAYS.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 20 MPH. SOME COMMUNITIES IN
PATH OF THE HEAVY RAIN INCLUDE HOPE..FINLEY...SHARON...HATTON AND GRAND
FORKS.
<
ELSEWHERE...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH HEAVY RAIN CONTINLUED
OVER NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA...FROM 25 MILES EAST OF DEVILS LAKE NORTHEAST
TO THE INTERNATIONAL BORDER NEAR PEMBINA. THIS PRECIPITATION WAS ALSO
MOVING NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 20 MPH.
HW
Special weather statement, Jul 24, 9:00 AM CDT, 4 hours 11 minutes before
NDZ012-013-014-015-016-017-018-MNZ001-006-007-010-011-013-241450-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
900 AM CDT SAT JUL 24 1993

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST AND SOUTH CENTRAL
   NORTH DAKOTA TODAY AND TONIGHT...

...HEAVY RAINS PERSIST OVER EXTREME NORTHERN BARNES AND SOUTHERN GRIGGS
   COUNTIES OVERNIGHT...

HEAVY RAIN HAVE PERSISTED OVER EXTREME NORTHERN BARNES AND SOUTHERN GRIGGS
COUNTIES OVER EAST CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA FOR THE LAST 4 TO 6 HOURS.  AT
830 AM CDT RAINFALL HAD TOTALED OVER 3 INCHES AT WALUM NORTH DAKOTA...
JUST SOUTH OF COOPERSTOWN.

THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO DEVELOP BETWEEN JAMESTOWN AND COOPERSTOWN AND
MOVE OVER NORTHERN BARNES AND SOUTHERN GRIGGS COUNTIES THIS MORNING.
THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN WERE ALSO MOVING OVER STEEL AND
GRAND FORKS COUNTIES...HOWEVER THESE STORMS HAVE ONLY BECOME PERSISTANT
DURING THE PAST 2 TO 3 HOURS AND WERE NOT AS HEAVY.

IF YOU LIVE IN GRIGGS...STEELE...OR NORTHERN BARNES COUNTIES KEEP AN
EYE OUT FOR RAPIDLY RISING WATER LEVELS.  LOW LAND FLOODING AND RAPID
RISES IN RIVERS OR STREAMS COULD OCCUR WITHOUT ADVANCE NOTICE.  IF
YOU ARE IN AN AREA THAT IS FLOOD PRONE YOU SHOULD MOVE NOW TO HIGHER
GROUND.  CAMPERS SHOULD BE PARTICULARLY ALERT THIS MORNING AND GET TO
A SAFE PLACE...DO NOT WAIT FOR WATER TO BEGIN RISING.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH HEAVY RAIN EXTENDED FROM 25 MILES
NORTHEAST OF JAMESTOWN NORTH DAKOTA TO JUST NORTH OF THIEF RIVER FALLS
MINNESOTA.  MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR.

D MORIN
Special weather statement, Jul 24, 9:53 AM CDT, 3 hours 18 minutes before
NDZ012-013-014-015-016-017-018-MNZ001-006-007-010-011-013-241550-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
950 AM CDT SAT JUL 24 1993

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST AND SOUTH CENTRAL
   NORTH DAKOTA TODAY AND TONIGHT...

...FLASH FLOOD POTENTIAL IS HIGH OVER GRIGGS COUNTY OF EAST CENTRAL
   NORTH DAKOTA THIS MORNING...

A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WAS MOVING OVER SOUTHERN GRIGGS
COUNTY AT 928 AM CDT...IN A AREA WHICH HAS ALREADY RECIEVED HEAVY RAINS
OVERNIGHT.

THE LIKELYHOOD OF RAPID FLOODING OF LOW AREAS...STREAMS AND RIVERS IS HIGH
OVER THE SOUTHERN PART OF GRIGGS COUNTY AND POINTS SOUTHWARD INTO NORTHERN
BARNES COUNTY.  AS OF 945 AM CDT NO REPORTS OF FLOODING HAVE BEEN RECIEVED
BY THIS OFFICE...
.
HOWEVER...IF YOU LIVE IN SOUTHERN GRIGGS OR NORTHERN BARNES COUNTIES
KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR RAPIDLY RISING WATER LEVELS. RAPID RISES IN RIVERS
OR STREAMS COULD OCCUR WITHOUT ADVANCE NOTICE.  YOU SHOULD MOVE NOW TO
HIGHER GROUND.  CAMPERS SHOULD BE PARTICULARLY ALERT AND GET TO A SAFE
PLACE...DO NOT WAIT FOR WATER TO BEGIN RISING.

OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH HEAVY RAIN...CONTINUED OVER
MUCH OF NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...AND WERE DEVELOPING
OVER SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA.

MOVEMENT OF ALL THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WAS NORTHEAST AT 15 TO
20 MILES AN HOUR.

D MORIN
Special weather statement, Jul 24, 10:52 AM CDT, 2 hours 19 minutes before
NDZ012-013-014-015-016-017-018-MNZ001-006-007-010-011-013-241650-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
1050 AM CDT SAT JUL 24 1993

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING UNTIL 200 PM CDT FOR GRIGGS...STEELE AND
   NORTHERN BARNES COUNTIES OF EAST CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA..

...VERY HEAVY RAIN CONTINUES OVER THE WARNED AREA...

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN REMAIN OVER GRIGGS AND STEELE
COUNTIES AND FLOODING IS LIKELY IN THOSE COUNTIES AND COMMUNITIES
DOWN STREAM.

AT 1040 AM CDT AN UNCONFIRMED READING OF OVER 10 INCHES OF RAINFALL IN THE
FINLEY NORTH DAKOTA AREA WAS RECIEVED BY THIS OFFICE.

THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION...MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IF YOU AREA IN THE
AFFECTED AREA.  PERSONS IN THE TRAILL AND  GRAND FORKS COUNTIES SHOULD
BE MAKING PREPARATIONS TO ALSO MOVE TO SAFETY.
.
THE STORMS ARE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 15 TO 20 MPH AND WILL REACH
TRAILL AND GRAND FORKS  COUNTIES OVER THE NEXT ONE TO TWO HOURS.

OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH HEAVY RAIN...CONTINUED OVER
MUCH OF NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...AND WERE DEVELOPING
OVER SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA.

MOVEMENT OF ALL THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WAS NORTHEAST ATL 15 TO
20 MILES AN HOUR.

D MORIN

The office that day

Everything else NWS Grand Forks, ND issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 24, 10:25 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningFGFBarnes, Griggs, Steele4 hr
Jul 24, 11:00 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningFGFGrand Forks, Steele, Traill4 hr
Jul 24, 11:00 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningFGFBarnes, Griggs4 hr
Jul 24, 4:30 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFGFSargent3 hr
Jul 24, 6:30 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFGFCass, Richland4 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in North Dakota, 1993Every flash flood warning in 1993

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.