Alert archive / North Dakota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1994

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 13, NWS Bismarck, ND

May 21, 1994McLean County, Oliver County, North Dakota

NWS Bismarck, ND issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 21, 1994, 4:59 PM CDT for McLean County, Oliver County, North Dakota. It was in force for 61 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 21, 1994, 4:59 PM CDT (21:59 UTC)
Expired
May 21, 1994, 6:00 PM CDT
In force
61 min
Issued by
NWS Bismarck, ND
Area
Whole counties

Counties McLean County, ND, Oliver County, ND

The nearest sounding before it

Bismarck Municip, ND (KBIS), launched 12:00Z, 10.0 hours before the alert went out and 81 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, Bismarck Municip, ND at 12:00Z on 1994-05-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 7 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, Bismarck Municip, ND at 12:00Z on 1994-05-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -41 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
7 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-175 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1041 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
48 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-41 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-5 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 KBIS 212200 RRA
SVRBIS
NDC055-065-212300-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
459 PM CDT SAT MAY 21 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BISMARCK HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  600 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...
 
IN CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA
 
   ...SOUTHERN MCLEAN COUNTY...EASTERN OLIVER COUNTY
 
AT 455 PM CDT RADAR DETECTED AT SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 50 MILES NORTHWEST
OF BISMARCK OR 6 MILES NORTH OF STANTON. MOVEMENT WAS EAST SOUTHEAST AT
25 MPH. LARGE HAIL AND VERY HEAVY RAINS ARE LIKELY WITH THIS STORM.
 
IF YOU LIVE IN HENSLER OR WASHBURN THEN YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM.
 
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 55
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.
 
 
NOAH

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, May 21, 11:37 AM CDT, 5 hours 22 minutes before
NDZ019>023-034>036-042>047-050-211730-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
1135 AM CDT SAT MAY 21 1994

...THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN DEVELOPING IN SOUTH CENTRAL
NORTH DAKOTA...

AT 1130 AM CDT RADAR DETECTED DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS 20 MILES WEST
OF MANDAN AND 35 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BISMARCK NEAR FLASHER. VERY HEAVY
RAIN WAS DETECTED IN THESE STORMS. MOVEMENT WAS NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE OVER THE BISMARCK/MANDAN AREA UNTIL ABOUT
1 PM CDT. STREET FLOODING AND FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS IS POSSIBLE.
WHEN THESE STORMS APPROACH...SEEK SHELTER FROM THE LIGHTNING AND HEAVY
RAIN.

NOAH
Special weather statement, May 21, 12:28 PM CDT, 4 hours 31 minutes before
NDZ019>023-034>036-042>047-050-211930-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
1225 PM CDT SAT MAY 21 1994

...THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN NEAR BISMARCK...

AT 1220 PM CDT RADAR LOCATED THUNDERSTORMS 25 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
BISMARCK. VERY HEAVY RAIN WAS DETECTED IN THESE STORMS AS THEY
CONTINUED TO MOVE NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

SOME STREET FLOODING AND FLOODING OF LOW LYING AREAS IS POSSIBLE.
WHEN THESE STORMS APPROACH..(.SEEK SHELTER FROM THE LIGHTNING AND HEAVY
RAIN.

RR
Special weather statement, May 21, 2:07 PM CDT, 2 hours 52 minutes before
NDZ001>053-212100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
205 PM CDT SAT MAY 21 1994

...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUING OVER CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...

AT 205 PM CDT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING OVER CENTRAL NORTH
DAKOTA. THE STRONGEST STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR WASHBURN...30 MILES NORTH OF
BISMARCK. THIS THUNDERSTORM DROPPED MARBLE SIZE HAIL AROUND 1 PM CDT.

ALL OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTH NORTHEAST AT 30 TO 35 HMILES
AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, May 21, 2:09 PM CDT, 2 hours 50 minutes before
NDZ001>053-212100-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT   ...CORRECTION...TIME OF HAIL...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
205 PM CDT SAT MAY 21 1994

...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUING OVER CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...

AT 205 PM CDT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING OVER CENTRAL NORTH
DAKOTA. THE STRONGEST STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR WASHBURN...30 MILES NORTH OF
BISMARCK. THIS THUNDERSTORM DROPPED MARBLE SIZE HAIL AROUND 2 PM CDT.

ALL OF THE THUNDERSTORMS WELRE MOVING NORTH NORTHEAST AT 30 TO 35 MILES
AN HOUR.
Special weather statement, May 21, 2:21 PM CDT, 2 hours 38 minutes before
NDZ002-010-212020-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILLISTON   ND
217 PM CDT SAT MAY 21 1994

...DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTHWEST ORTH DAKOTA...

AT 210 PM CDT WILLISTON RADAR INDICATED TWO RAPIDLY DEVELOPING
THUNDERSTORMS. THE FIRST THUNDERSTORM WAS 40 MILES NORHEAST OF
WILLISTON...OR 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF POWERS LAKE IN MOUNTRAIL COUNTY.
CURRENT MOVEMENT OF THE STORM WILL PLACE POWERS LAKE AND BATTLEVIEW
IN THE PATH OF THE STORM.

THE SECOND THUNDERSTORM WAS 65 MILS NORTHEAST OF WILLISTON...15
MILES SOUTHWEST OF BOWBELL IN BURKE COUNTY. THIS STORM WILL BE
PASSING IN OR NEAR THE TOWNS OF LIGNIGHT...BOWBELLS...FLAXTON AND
COTEAU.

STRONG GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENXT LIGHTNING...VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND
SMALL HAIL MAY ACCOMPANY THESE STORMS.

IN OPEN AREAS...GO TO A LOW PLACE SUCH AS A RAVINE OR VALLEY.

LEWIS
Special weather statement, May 21, 2:31 PM CDT, 2 hours 28 minutes before
NDZ002-010-212020-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENTSPELLING...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILLISTON   ND
217 PM CDT SAT MAY 21 1994

...DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA...

AT 210 PM CDT WILLISTON RADAR INDICATED TWO RAPIDLY DEVELOPING
THUNDERSTORMS. THE FIRST THUNDERSTORM WAS 40 MILES NORHEAST OF
WILLISTON...OR 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF POWERS LAKE IN MOUNTRAIL COUNTY.
CURRENT MOVEMENT OF THE STORM WILL PLACE POWERS LAKE AND BATTLEVIEW
IN THE PATH OF THE STORM.

THE SECOND THUNDERSTORM WAS 65 MILS NORTHEAST OF WILLISTON...15
MILES SOUTHWEST OF BOWBELL IN BURKE COUNTY. THIS STORM WILL BE
PASSING IN OR NEAR THE TOWNS OF LIGNIGHT...BOWBELLS...FLAXTON AND
COTEAU.

STRONG GUSTY WhINDS...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...VERY HEAVY RAINFALL AND
SMALL HAIL MAY ACCOMPANY THESE STORMS.

IN OPEN AREAS...GO TO A LOW PLACE SUCH AS A RAVINE OR VALLEY.

LEWIS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 21, 2:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBISMcLean, Sheridan52 min
May 21, 3:10 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBISLogan65 min
May 21, 3:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBISSheridan22 min
May 21, 3:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBISRenville47 min
May 21, 4:33 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBISRenville42 min
May 21, 5:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBISWard63 min
May 21, 6:02 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBISMcLean28 min
May 21, 6:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBISMcHenry59 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Dakota, 1994Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1994

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.