Alert archive / North Dakota / Flash Flood Warnings in 1993

Flash Flood Warning 7, NWS Grand Forks, ND

July 24, 1993Cass County, Richland County, North Dakota; Clay County, Minnesota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this flash flood warning at Jul 24, 1993, 6:30 PM CDT for Cass County, Richland County, North Dakota; Clay County, Minnesota. It was in force for 4 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 24, 1993, 6:30 PM CDT (23:30 UTC)
Expired
Jul 24, 1993, 10:00 PM CDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND
Area
Whole counties

Counties Clay County, MN, Cass County, ND, Richland County, ND

The nearest sounding before it

Aberdeen, SD (KHON), launched 12:00Z, 11.5 hours before the alert went out and 231 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 242336
FFWFAR
MNC005-027-111-NDC017-000-077-250300-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
630 PM CDT SAT JUL 24 1993
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN FARGO HAS ISSUED A
FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 1000 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA
 
   ...WESTERN BECKER COUNTY...CLAY COUNTY
 
IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA
 
   ...NORTHWESTERN OTTER TAIL COUNTY
 
 
IN EAST CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA
 
   ...CASS COUNTY...
...CITY OF FARGO-MOORHEAD
 
IN SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA
 
   ...RICHLAND COUNTY
 
AT 630 PM CDT RADAR SHOWED WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAIN WITH EMBEDDED STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AS WELL AS WEST
CENTRAL MINNESOTA. SATELLITE...RADAR AND SURFACE REPORTS INDICATE THE
HEAVIEST RAINFALLS EXTENDED FROM SOUTHWEST RICHLAND COUNTY...THROUGH THE
FARGO/MOORHEAD AREA...THEN EASTWARD TO NEAR DETROIT LAKES MINNESOTA. THE
OVERALL MOVEMENT OF THE HEAVY RAIN...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IS SLOWLY
NORTHEAST.
 
REPORTS OF FLOODING ARE COMMON IN THE FARGO/MOORHEAD AREA AS A RESULT OF
THE HEAVY RAINS.  DUE TO SATURATED SOILS...ADDITIONAL RAINFALLS WILL RUN
OFF INTO RIVERS AND STREAMS AND POND IN LOWLYING AREAS.
 
ROLLAG MINNESOTA IN EXTREME EASTERN CLAY COUNTY MINNESOTA RECIEVED 3.5
INCHES OF RAIN IN 1/2 HOUR BETWEEN 530 AMD 600 PM CDT.  NUMEROUS 1 TO 2
INCH REPORTS HAVE ALSO BEEN REPORTED.
 
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, 3:11 PM CDT, 3 hours 19 minutes before
NDZ015-016-017-018-MNZ001-006-007-010-250000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR FLOODING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
310 PM CDT SAT JUL 24 1993

...FLOOD WARNING ENDED AT 300 PM CDT GRIGGS...STEELE...TRAILL AND GRAND
FORKS COUNTIES...

...FLOOD WARNING EXPIRES AT 415 PM CDT FOR CASS COUNTY...

HEAVY RAINS HAVE MOVED INTO NORTHWEST MINNESOTA AS OF 300 PM CDT...
HOWEVER MORE INTENSE THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING OVER SOUTHEAST NORTH
DAKOTA AND NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA.  ALTHOUGH THE FLOODING RAINS HAVE
TEMPORARLY ENDED...FLOODING WAS REPORTED WIDESPREAD ACROSS GRIGGS..
STEELE AND PART OF CASS COUNTIES ESPECIALLY IN OPEN COUNTY AND LOW SPOTS
NEAR RIVERS AND STREAMS.

FLOODING WILL CONTINUE ESPECIALLY OVER EASTERN GRIGGS...MUCH OF STEELE
AND PARTS OF CASS COUNTY.  IN THE WEST FARGO AREA AND HARWOOD AREA OF
CASS COUNTY FLOODING IS REPORTED WITH SOME EVACUATIONS UNDERWAY.

THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING OVER NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA AND
SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA ARE FORECAST TO MOVE INTO PARTS OF EAST CENTRAL
NORTH DAKOTA BY LATE AFTERNOON AND THROUGH THE EVENING.  ANY RAINFALL
WILL CAUSE ADDITIONAL FLOODING ESPECIALLY IN RURAL CASS COUNTY...
HOWEVER URBAN FLOODING IS ALSO A POSSIBILITY.

STAY TUNED TO RADIO AND T.V. AS WELL AS NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER
STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
EWENS
Special weather statement, Jul 24, 3:46 PM CDT, 2 hours 44 minutes before
NDZ012-013-014-015-016-017-018-MNZ001-006-007-010-011-013-242150-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
350 PM CDT SAT JUL 24 1993

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR CASS COUNTY EXPIRES AT 415 PM CDT...

...ATMOSPHERE SETTING UP FOR NEXT ROUND OF HEAVY RAIN...

AT 326 PM CDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WERE DEVELOPING
OVER NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA AND BEGINNING TO CROSS INTO SOUTHEAST
NORTH DAKOTA.

STORMS EXTENDED FROM ABERDEEN SOUTH DAKOTA TO THE LIDGERWOOD AREA OF
EXTREME SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA.

MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN WAS REPORTED NEAR LIDGERWOOD IN THE NEARBY TOWNS
OF MILNOR AND RUTLAND.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTH AT 15 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL
MOVE TOWARD ALREADY FLOODED AREAS OF SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA OVER THE
NEXT ONE TO TWO HOURS.  THE STORMS WILL REACH THE FARGO/MOORHEAD AREA
BETWEEN 600 AND 630 PM CDT.  THE INFLUENCE OF THE THESE STORMS...THE
VERY HEAVY RAIN IN PARTICILAR...WILL BE FELT AS FAR WEST OF AS
VALLEY CITY NORTH DAKOTA AT THAT TIME.

MANY ROADWAYS IN OUR AREA ARE UNDER WATER.  DO NOT VENTURE OUT UNLESS
THERE IS AN EMERGENCY.

STAY ALERT FOR THE POSSIBLITY OF RAPIDLY RISING WATER IF YOU ARE IN (A
LOW LYING AREA OR NEAR A STREAM OR RIVER.  YOU SHOULD GO TO A SAFE
PLACE NOW.  CHECK YOUR BASEMENT SUMP PUMPS AND DRAINAGE AROUND YOUR
HOME TO BE SURE IT IS IN GOOD WORKING ORDER.

D MORIN
Special weather statement, Jul 24, 4:45 PM CDT, 1 hour 45 minutes before
NDZ012-013-014-015-016-017-018-MNZ001-006-007-010-011-013-242240-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
440 PM CDT SAT JUL 24 1993

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA
   AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA FOR TONIGHT...

AT 425 PM CDT...HEAVY RAINS WERE OCCURRING OVER PARTS OF EASTERN CLAY
AND WESTERN BECKER COUNTIES OF NORTHWEST MINNESOTA. THIS RAIN WAS MOVING
SLOWLY NORTHEAST AND MAY CAUSE FLOODING IN LOW LYING AREAS AND ALONG
STREAMS AND RIVERS.

ALSO...HEAVY RAINS WERE MOVING INTO SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA...ESPECIALLY
OVER DICKEY AND SARGENT COUNTIES WHERE THE GROUND IS ALREADY HEAVILY
SATURATED.

PERSONS OVER DICKEY AND SARGENT COUNTIES OF SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND
CLAY AND WESTERN BECKER COUNTIES OF NORTHWEST MINNESOTA SHOULD PREPARE
FOR FLOODING CONDITIONS OVER THE NEXT FEW HOURS AND BE READY TO MOVE
TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IF FLOODING OCCURS.

OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE INCREASING IN AREAL COVERAGE OVER
NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA AND MOVING NORTH INTO SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA.
THESE THUNDERSTORMS ALSO CONTAINED HEAVY RAIN AND COULD CAUSE FLOODING
OVER LOW LYING AREAS AND ALONG STREAMS AND RIVERS.

MANY ROADWAYS IN OUR AREA ARE UNDER WATER.  DO NOT VENTURE OUT UNLESS
THERE IS AN EMERGENCY.

STAY ALERT FOR THE POSSIBLITY OF RAPIDLY RISING WATER IF YOU ARE IN A
LOW LYING AREA OR NEAR A STREAM OR RIVER.  YOU SHOULD BE PREPARED TO
MOVE TO SAFE PLACE. CHECK YOUR BASEMENT SUMP PUMPS AND DRAINAGE AROUND
YOUR HOME TO BE SURE IT IS IN GOOD WORKING ORDER.

SPIES
Special weather statement, Jul 24, 5:46 PM CDT, 44 minutes before
NDZ012-013-014-015-016-017-018-MNZ001-006-007-010-011-013-242340-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
540 PM CDT SAT JUL 24 1993

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA
   AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA FOR TONIGHT...

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND
   NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA UNTIL 11 PM CDT...

AT 527 PM CDT...SHOWERS AND NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WHICH CONTAIN VERY
HEAVY RAIN WERE OCCURRING OVER SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA...NORTHEAST SOUTH
DAKOTA AND A PORTION OF NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WITH THE HEAVIEST RAIN APPEAR TO BE MOVING INTO SOUTH-
EAST NORTH DAKOTA...MAINLY OVER DICKEY...LA MOURE...SARGENT...MCINTOSH
AND SOUTHERN BARNES COUNTIES. IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA BOTH CLAY AND BECKER
COUNTIES WERE EXPERIENCING VERY HEAVY RAINS.
.
SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALSO OCCURRING OVER NORTH-
EAST NORTH DAKOTA BETWEEN GRAND FORKS AND DEVILS LAKE...NORTHWARD TO
THE CANADIAN LINE.

MANY ROADWAYS ARE ALREADY UNDER WATER IN MANY AREAS. REMEMEMBER...
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH ROADS THAT ARE SUBMERGED IN WATER.

STAY ALERT FOR THE POSSIBVLITY OF RAPIDLY RISING WATER IF YOU ARE IN A
LOW LYING AREA OR NEAR A STREAM OR RIVER.  YOU SHOULD BE PREPARED TO
MOVE TO SAFE PLACE. CHECK YOUR BASEMENT SUMP PUMPS AND DRAINAGE AROUND
YOUR HOME TO BE SURE IT IS IN GOOD WORKING ORDER.

SPIES

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, 1:11 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFGFCass3 hr
Jul 24, 4:30 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFGFSargent3 hr
Jul 24, 4:30 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFGFClay3 hr
Jul 24, 6:30 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFGFBecker, Otter Tail4 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in North Dakota, 1993Flash Flood Warnings in Minnesota, 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.