Alert archive / North Dakota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1994

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 49, NWS Bismarck, ND

July 10, 1994Divide County, North Dakota

NWS Bismarck, ND issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 10, 1994, 8:15 PM CDT for Divide County, North Dakota. It was in force for 60 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 10, 1994, 8:15 PM CDT (01:15 UTC)
Expired
Jul 10, 1994, 9:15 PM CDT
In force
60 min
Issued by
NWS Bismarck, ND
Area
Whole counties

County Divide County, ND

The nearest sounding before it

Glasgow Intl Airport, MT (KGGW), launched 00:00Z, 1.3 hours before the alert went out and 239 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, Glasgow Intl Airport, MT at 00:00Z on 1994-07-11Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 355 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, Glasgow Intl Airport, MT at 00:00Z on 1994-07-11The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 16 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
355 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-145 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2196 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
60 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
16 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
212 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WUUS1 KISN 110115 RRA
SVRISN
NDC023-110215-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILLISTON ND
815 PM CDT SUN JUL 10 1994

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 915 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING 
COUNTY

   IN THE NORTHWEST PART OF NORTH DAKOTA
      DIVIDE

AT 810 PM CDT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR IN WILLISTON INDICATED
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 43 MILES NORTH OF WILLISTON...IN NORTHERN
DIVIDE COUNTY.  THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS 4 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
AMBROSE.

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 15 MILES AN HOUR.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS 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 ROADWAYS QUICKLY...
AVOID DRIVING INTO AREAS WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROAD.

 JP MARTIN

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, Jul 10, 4:22 PM CDT, 3 hours 53 minutes before
NDZ010-102225-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILLISTON  ND
420 PM CDT SUN JUL 10 1994

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

AT 415 CDT A VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS DEVELOPING 70 MILE EAST OF
WILLISTON IN EASTERN MOUNTRAIL COUNTY...10 MILES NORTH OF PLAZA...
MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH.

DUE TO THE FAST MOVEMENT OF THE STORM...STRONG WINDS WILL LIKELY OCCUR
AS THE STORM MOVES EASTWARD.

AT SIGNS OF AN IMPENDING STORM...TOWERING THUNDERHEADS...DARKENING
SKIES...LIGHTNING AND INCREASING WINDS...MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY.
TUNE IN NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TV STATION FOR
THE LATEST WEATHER INFORMATION.

BLOWING DUST CAN QUICKLY REDUCE VISIBILITY...CAUSING ACCIDENTS
THAT MAY INVOLVE CHAIN COLLISIONS AND CREATING MASSIVE PILEUPS.

LEWIS
Special weather statement, Jul 10, 4:30 PM CDT, 3 hours 45 minutes before
NDZ003>006-011>015-019>025-033>037-040>047-050-102235-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT|
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
430 PM CDT (330 PM MDT) SUN JUL 10 1994

...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...

AT 425 PM CDT THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED 30 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MINOT TO
50 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MINOT. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE DEVELOPING RAPIDLY
AND WILL PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAIN...HAIL AND STRONG WINDS. THE
THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

THE ATMOSPHERE OVER SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA WILL BE VERY
WARM AND UNSTABLE THIS EVENING. THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP
AND SOME MAY BECOME SEVERE. PERSONS IN SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL NORTH
DAKOTA SHOULD MONITOR WEAfTHER CONDITIONS AND TAKE SHELTER AS
THUNDERSTORMS APPROACH.

VAN ESS
Special weather statement, Jul 10, 5:29 PM CDT, 2 hours 46 minutes before
NDZ003>006-011>015-019>025-033>037-040>047-050-110245-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
528 PM CDT (428 PM MDT) SUN JUL 10 1994

...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL MIDNIGHT CENTRAL PARTS OF NORTH DAKOTA...

AT 520 PM CDT (420 PM MDT) RADAR DETECTED ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS FROM
MINOT TO 50 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BISMARCK. THE STRONGEST STORM WAS 5
MILES NORTH OF WASHBURN OR 40 MILES NORTH OF BISMARCK. MOVEMENT WAS
EAST AT 30 MPH.

A COLD FRONT IN WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA THIS AFTERNOON WILL MOVE EAST THIS
EVENING INTO VERY UNSTABLE AIR. ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE
FOR THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH LARGE HAIL...STRONG WIND AND POSSIBLY
TORNADOES.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER R(ADIO...RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR THE
LATEST UPDATES AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS CONCERNING THIS DANGEROUS
WEATHER SITUATION.

NOAH
Special weather statement, Jul 10, 6:29 PM CDT, 1 hour 46 minutes before
NDZ003>006-011>015-019>025-033>037-040>047-050-110045-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
630 PM CDT (530 PM MDT) SUN JUL 10 1994

...TORNADO WATCH UNTIL MIDNIGHT FOR CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...

AT 625 PM CDT RADAR DETECTED A THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN AND
SMALL HAIL 45 MILES NORTH OF BISMARCK OR 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MERCER.
MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 30 MPH. THIS THUNDERSTORM WILL PASS THROUGH MERCER
SHORTLY THEN ON TO MCCLUSKY BY 730 PM CDT.

NO SEVERE WEATHER HAS YET BEEN REPORTED ACROSS THE WATCH AREA BUT RAPID
DEVELOPMENT IS POSSIBLE AS A COLD FRONT PUSHES INTO VERY UNSTABLE AIR.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR THE
LATEST UPDATES CONCERNING THIS DEVELOPING WEATHER SITUATION.

NOAH
Special weather statement, Jul 10, 7:21 PM CDT, 54 minutes before
NDZ033-034-040>045-120120-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
720 PM CDT (620 PM MDT) MON JUL 11 1994

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING IN PARTS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST
NORTH DAKOTA...

AT 720 PM CDT (620 PM MDT) THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY ACROSS WESTERN AND
CENTRAL PARTS OF THE STATE WERE STARTING TO INCREASE. THE STRONGEST
STORM WAS LOCATED 12 MILES NORTH OF ZAP OR 57 MILES NORTHEAST OF
DICKINSON. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED 50 MILES NORTH OF BISMARCK
NEAR MCCLUSKY AND ALSO IN THE BOWMAN AREA. MOVEMENT OF ALL STORMS WERE
EAST AT 30 MPH.

AN INCREASE IN THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IS EXPECTED ACROSS CENTRAL NORTH
DAKOTA THIS EVENING AS A COLD FRONT MOVES INTO VERY UNSTABLE AIR. IF
THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES SEED SHELTER.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL AND PARTS OF SOUTHWEST
NORTH DAKOTA UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...RADIO OR TELEVISION FOR MORE
INFORMATITON ON THIS SEVERE WEATHER SITUATION.

NOAH
Special weather statement, Jul 10, 7:40 PM CDT, 35 minutes before
NDZ031-032-110145-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILLISTON ND
735 PM CDT (635 PM MDT) SUN JUL 10 1994

...THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING INTO SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA...

AT 630 PM MDT A CLUSTER OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS 70 MILES WEST OF
DICKINSON NORTH DAKOTA.  THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN WIBAUX COUNTY
OF MONTANA.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT ABOUT 25 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL MOVE
MOVE INTO GOLDEN VALLEY COUNTY OF NORTH DAKOTA BY 645 PM MDT AND THEN
INTO BILLINGS COUNTY.  THE TOWN OF GOLVA IS IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS.

IF YOU ARE IN GOLDEN VALLEY OR BILLINGS COUNTY...ALONG OR SOUTH OF I-94
...EXPECT DEADLY LIGHTNING...VERY HEAVY RAIN...AND WIND GUSTS TO 40
MILES AN HOUR FROM THESE THUNDERSTORMS.  SMALL HAIL IS ALSO POSSIBLE.

JP MARTIN

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 10, 7:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBISAdams, Hettinger67 min
Jul 10, 8:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBISGrant62 min
Jul 10, 8:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBISBurke62 min
Jul 10, 9:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBISMorton55 min
Jul 10, 9:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBISBottineau, Renville49 min
Jul 10, 9:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBISOliver55 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.