Alert archive / Minnesota / Tornado Warnings in 1993

Tornado Warning 11, NWS Grand Forks, ND

August 9, 1993Clearwater County, Minnesota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this tornado warning at Aug 9, 1993, 1:03 AM CDT for Clearwater County, Minnesota. It was in force for 27 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 9, 1993, 1:03 AM CDT (06:03 UTC)
Expired
Aug 9, 1993, 1:30 AM CDT
In force
27 min
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND
Area
Whole counties

County Clearwater County, MN

The nearest sounding before it

International Fa, MN (KINL), launched 00:00Z, 6.1 hours before the alert went out and 190 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 1993-08-09Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 828 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 1993-08-09The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 85 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
828 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-9 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1048 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
26 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
85 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
167 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.3
Supercell composite
1.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KINL 090603
TORINL
MNC029-090630-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INTERNATIONAL FALLS MN
103 AM CDT MON AUG 9 1993
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN INTERNATIONAL FALLS HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  130 AM CDT
FOR PERSONS IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA
 
   ...NORTHERN CLEARWATER COUNTY
 
A POSSIBLE TORNADO WAS REPORTED AT 1255 AM CDT NEAR GULLY IN POLK
COUNTY MOVING TO THE EAST INTO CLEARWATER COUNTY. PERSONS IN THE
VICINITIES OF GONVICK...BERNER AND CLEARBROOK SHOULD SEEK SHELTER
IMMEDIATELY. GULLY IS 30 SOUTHEAST OF THIEF RIVER FALLS.
 
 
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A
BASEMENT.  GET UND?ER 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.
 
RJD/TH
 
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, Aug 8, 10:42 PM CDT, 2 hours 21 minutes before
NDZ012-013-014-015-016-017-018-MNZ001-006-007-010-011-013-090430-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
1030 PM CDT SUN AUG 8 1993

...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA
UNTIL 11 PM CDT...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA UNTIL
4 AM CDT MONDAY MORNING...

AT 1030 PM CDT A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 20 MILES NORTH OF
DETROIT LAKES MINNESOTA IN MAHNOMEN COUNTY OF NORTHWEST MINNESOTA. THIS
STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR AND HAD
PRODUCED VERY HEAVY RAIN AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING STRIKES. THIS STRONG
THUNDERSTORM WILL MOVE INTO CLEARWATER COUNTY OF NORTHWEST MINNESOTA
BY 11 PM CDT.

ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 35 MILES NORTHWEST OF GRAND
FORKS NORTH DAKOTA. THIS THUNDERSTORM WAS ALSO PRODUCING VERY HEAVY
RAIN. MOVEMENT WAS TO THE EAST NORTHEAST AT 25 TO 30 MILES AN HOUR.
^
OTHER WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...MANY WITH HEAVY RAIN
CONTINUED OVER EAST CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND WEST
CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA AND WERE MOVING EAST AT 20 TO 25
MILES AN HOUR.

PERSONS IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREAS AND NEAR ANY OF THESE
THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER
CONDITIONS AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SHELTER IF NECESSARY.

PLEASE STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS AS WELL AS
NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATEST INFORMATION ON THESE THUNDERSTORMS.
ANDERSZEN
Special weather statement, Aug 8, 11:44 PM CDT, 1 hour 19 minutes before
NDZ012-013-014-015-016-017-018-MNZ001-006-007-010-011-013-090530-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
1130 PM CDT SUN AUG 8 1993

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTWEST CORNER OF
MINNESOTA UNTIL 4 AM CDT MONDAY MORNING...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA UNTIL
4 AM CDT MONDAY MORNING...

AT 1130 PM CDT A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 40 MILES NORTH OF
FARGO NORTH DAKOTA IN TRAILL COUNTY MOVING EAST AT 25 MILES AN AREA.
ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 40 MILES EAST OF FARGO NORTH
DAKOTA NEAR DETROIT LAKES MINNESOTA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING
EAST AT 25 TO 30 MILES AN HOUR AND HAD PRODUCED BRIEF HEAVY RAIN.

MANY SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER MUCH OF NORTHEAST NORTH
DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA EXPECIALLY IN THE KARLSTAD AREA OF
KITTSON COUNTY MINNESOTA. REPORTS OF RAINFALL IN EXCESS OF 4 INCHES
HAD BEEN RECEIVED FROM KARLSTAD MINNESOTA. THE GOLF COURSE WAS UNDER
WATER AND IT WAS STILL RAINING. LOW LYING AREAS AND SOME URBAN
FLOODING OF STREETS AND UNDERPASSES CAN BE EXPECTED. THE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOURS.

PERSONS IN AND NEAR THE FLASH FLOOD AREAS SHOULD BE READY FOR
QUICK ACTION IN THE EVENT FLOODING DOES HAPPEN.

PLEASE STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS AS WELL AS
NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATEST INFORMATION ON THESE THUNDERSTORMS.
ANDERSEN
Special weather statement, Aug 8, 11:45 PM CDT, 1 hour 18 minutes before
NDZ012-013-014-015-016-017-018-MNZ001-006-007-010-011-013-090530-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
1130 PM CDT SUN AUG 8 1993

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF
MINNESOTA UNTIL 4 AM CDT MONDAY MORNING...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA UNTIL
4 AM CDT MONDAY MORNING...

AT 1130 PM CDT A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 40 MILES NORTH OF
FARGO NORTH DAKOTA IN TRAILL COUNTY MOVING EAST AT 25 MILES AN AREA.
ANOTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 40 MILES EAST OF FARGO NORTH
DAKOTA NEAR DETROIT LAKES MINNESOTA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING
EAST AT 25 TO 30 MILES AN HOUR AND HAD PRODUCED BRIEF HEAVY RAIN.

MANY SLOW MOVING THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER MUCH OF NORTHEAST NORTH
DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA EXPECIALLY IN THE KARLSTAD AREA OF
KITTSON COUNTY MINNESOTA. REPORTS OF RAINFALL IN EXCESS OF 4 INCHES
HAD BEEN RECEIVED FROM KARLSTAD MINNESOTA. THE GOLF COURSE WAS UNDER
WATER AND IT WAS STILL RAINING. LOW LYING AREAS AND SOME URBAN
FLOODING OF STREETS AND UNDERPASSES CAN BE EXPECTED. THE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOURS.

PERSONS IN AND NEAR THE FLASH FLOOD AREAS SHOULD BE READY FOR
QUICK ACTION IN THE EVENT FLOODING DOES HAPPEN.

PLEASE STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS AS WELL AS
NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATEST INFORMATION ON THESE THUNDERSTORMS.
ANDERSEN
Local storm report, Aug 9, 12:00 AM CDT, 1 hour 3 minutes before
STORM REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
1200 AM CDT SUN AUG 9 1993

OBSERVATIONS TAKEN JUST PRIOR TO MIDNIGHT...

TIME          EVENT
1150 PM CDT   2.50 INCHES OF RAINFALL AT DRAYTON ND...BY COOP OBSERVER.

1155 PM CDT   5.40 INCHES OF RAINFALL AT KARLSTAD MN...BY HAM OPERATOR.

1145 PM CDT   1.44 INCHES OF RAINFALL IN GRAND FORKS ND...BY UNIVERSITY.

DM
Local storm report, Aug 9, 12:00 AM CDT, 1 hour 3 minutes before
STORM REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
1200 AM CDT SUN AUG 9 1993

OBSERVATIONS TAKEN JUST PRIOR TO MIDNIGHT...

TIME          EVENT
1150 PM CDT   2.50 INCHES OF RAINFALL AT DRAYTON ND...BY COOP OBSERVER.

1155 PM CDT   5.40 INCHES OF RAINFALL AT KARLSTAD MN...BY HAM OPERATOR.

1145 PM CDT   1.44 INCHES OF RAINFALL IN GRAND FORKS ND...BY UNIVERSITY.

DM
Special weather statement, Aug 9, 12:47 AM CDT, 16 minutes before
NDZ012-013-014-015-016-017-018-MNZ001-006-007-010-011-013-090645-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
1240 AM CDT MON AUG 9 1993

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF
MINNESOTA UNTIL 4 AM CDT MONDAY MORNING...
...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA UNTIL
4 AM CDT MONDAY MORNING...

AT 1234 AM CDT A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 55 MILES NORTHEAST
OF FARGO NORTH DAKOTA...IN EXTREME EAST MAHNOMEN COUNTY MINNESOTA.
THIS STORM WAS MOVING EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR AND IS LIKELY PRODUCING
TORRENTIAL RAINFALL AND GUSTY WINDS.

OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WERE SCATTERED
ACROSS MUCH OF THE NORTHWEST QUARTER OF MINNESOTA. THE AREA OF THUNDER
STORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN REACHED FROM THE INTERNATIONAL BORDER IN
NORTH CENTRAL ROSEAU COUNTY MINNESOTA SOUTH THROUGH THIEF RIVER FALLS
AND ON TO ALEXANDRIA.

THIS AREA WILL LIKELY RECEIVE TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS THAT WILL
QUICKLY FLOOD LOW LYING AREAS.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR.

PERSONS IN AND NEAR THE FLASH FLOOD AREAS SHOULD BE READY FOR
QUICK ACTION IN THE EVENT FLOODING OCCURS.

PLEASE STAY TUNED TO YOUR LO|CAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS AS WELL AS
NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATEST INFORMATION ON THESE THUNDERSTORMS.
BENNETT

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 9, 1:22 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFBeltrami68 min
Aug 9, 1:43 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFHubbard62 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Minnesota, 1993Every tornado warning in 1993Tornadoes 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.