Alert archive / Minnesota / Tornado Warnings in 1994

Tornado Warning 3, NWS Duluth, MN

June 30, 1994Aitkin County, Minnesota

NWS Duluth, MN issued this tornado warning at Jun 30, 1994, 8:18 PM CDT for Aitkin County, Minnesota. It was in force for 27 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Jun 30, 1994, 8:18 PM CDT (01:18 UTC)
Expired
Jun 30, 1994, 8:45 PM CDT
In force
27 min
Issued by
NWS Duluth, MN
Area
Whole counties

County Aitkin County, MN

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jun 30, 8:22 PM CDTTornado F0Mcgregor, MNA small tornado touched down near McGregor downing trees.

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KSTC), launched 00:00Z, 1.3 hours before the alert went out and 196 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, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 1994-07-01Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 2237 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, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 1994-07-01The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 266 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
2237 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-42 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1140 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
53 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
266 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
383 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
4.4
Supercell composite
12.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KDLH 010118
TORDLH
MNC001-010145-
 
BULLETIN - EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
818 PM CDT THU JUN 30 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DULUTH HAS ISSUED A
TORNADO WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  845 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTHEAST MINNESOTA
 
   ...EASTERN AITKIN COUNTY
 
AT 815 PM THE AITKIN COUNTY SHERIFF"S OFFICE REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD 8
MILES WEST OF MCGREGOR...40 MILES NORTHWEST OF HINCKLEY.
 
THE THUNDERSTORM WITH THE FUNNEL CLOUD WAS MOVING TO THE EAST SOUTHEAST
AT 30 MILES AN HOUR. CITIES IN THE PATH OF THIS THUNDERSTORM INCLUDE
MCGREGOR...LAWLER...GRAYLING...AND EAST LAKE.
 
 
 
IN A TORNADO...THE SAFEST PLACE IS A BASEMENT.  GET UNDER 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.
 
BRAMER/CUR!RIER

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, Jun 30, 6:11 PM CDT, 2 hours 7 minutes before
MNZ005-006-010-011-010000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INTERNATIONAL FALLS MN
611 PM CDT THU JUN 30 1994

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR NORTHERN ST. LOUIS COUNTY UNTIL
11 PM THIS EVENING...

THIS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH INCLUDES THE COMMUNITIES OF CRANE
LAKE...ORR...GHEEN...BUYCK...ELY AND WINTON. VOYAGEURS NATIONAL
PARK AND THE BOUNDARY WATERS CANOE AREA IN ST. LOUIS COUNTY ARE ALSO
INCLUDED.

AS OF 6 PM CDT...DULUTH RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS
ACROSS KOOCHICHING AND NORTHERN ST. LOUIS COUNTIES OF NORTH CENTRAL
MINNESOTA. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MAINLY CONFINED TO AN AREA FROM
VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK...THROUGH RAY AND CRANE LAKE...AND SOUTH
TO NEAR NETT LAKE AND ORR.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE A HISTORY OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL...WITH
PEA SIZE HAIL REPORTED NEAR THE TOWN OF NORTHOME. MOVEMENT OF THE
THUNDERSTORMS WAS TO THE EAST AT 40 MPH.

PERSONS ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...ESPECIALLY NORTHERN
ST. LOUIS COUNTY SHOULD BE PREPARED TO HEAD TO SAFE SHELTER AS
THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES...AND STAY AWAY FROM ELECTRICAL
APPLIANCES.

PACKINGHAM
Special weather statement, Jun 30, 6:11 PM CDT, 2 hours 7 minutes before
MNZ005-006-010-011-010000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INTERNATIONAL FALLS MN
611 PM CDT THU JUN 30 1994

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR NORTHERN ST. LOUIS COUNTY UNTIL
11 PM THIS EVENING...

THIS SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH INCLUDES THE COMMUNITIES OF CRANE
LAKE...ORR...GHEEN...BUYCK...ELY AND WINTON. VOYAGEURS NATIONAL
PARK AND THE BOUNDARY WATERS CANOE AREA IN ST. LOUIS COUNTY ARE ALSO
INCLUDED.

AS OF 6 PM CDT...DULUTH RADAR INDICATED AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS
ACROSS KOOCHICHING AND NORTHERN ST. LOUIS COUNTIES OF NORTH CENTRAL
MINNESOTA. THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MAINLY CONFINED TO AN AREA FROM
VOYAGEURS NATIONAL PARK...THROUGH RAY AND CRANE LAKE...AND SOUTH
TO NEAR NETT LAKE AND ORR.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS HAVE A HISTORY OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL...WITH
PEA SIZE HAIL REPORTED NEAR THE TOWN OF NORTHOME. MOVEMENT OF THE
THUNDERSTORMS WAS TO THE EAST AT 40 MPH.

PERSONS ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...ESPECIALLY NORTHERN
ST. LOUIS COUNTY SHOULD BE PREPARED TO HEAD TO SAFE SHELTER AS
THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES...AND STAY AWAY FROM ELECTRICAL
APPLIANCES.

PACKINGHAM
Special weather statement, Jun 30, 6:44 PM CDT, 1 hour 34 minutes before
MNZ018-019-026-010045-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
644 PM CDT THU JUN 30 1994

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH TIL 11 PM...
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN ITASCA COUNTY...

AT 6 35 PM DULUTH RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH
HEAVY RAINSHOWERS IN NORTHERN ITASCA COUNTY.  THE STRONGEST STORM WAS
5 MILES NORTHEAST OF DEER RIVER MOVING TO THE EAST AT 35 MPH.  THIS
STORM WILL PRODUCE SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AS IT MOVES
TOWARD COHASSET.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF NORTHERN MINNESOTA
INCLUDING ITASCA COUNTY TIL 11 PM.  IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES
YOUR LOCATION TAKE SHELTER INDOORS.

DFM

x

&
Special weather statement, Jun 30, 7:53 PM CDT, 25 minutes before
MNZ037-010200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
753 PM CDT THU JUN 30 1994

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH TIL 11 PM...
...THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINSHOWERS APPROACHING THE TWIN PORTS...

AT 7 47 PM CDT AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINSHOWERS WAS
APPROACHING THE TWIN PORTS FROM THE WEST.  THESE STORMS PRODUCED
TORRENTIAL RAINS NEAR GRAND RAPIDS WHEN THEY MOVED THROUGH AROUND
7 PM...AS WELL AS MARBLE-~SIZE HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS.

IF YOU'RE OUTDOORS NOW'S THE TIME TO HEAD INSIDE.  COME IN OFF THE LAKE
OR THE GOLF COURSE.  LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS FROM YOUR NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE.

DFM

&
Special weather statement, Jun 30, 7:53 PM CDT, 25 minutes before
MNZ011-010200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INTERNATIONAL FALLS MN
800 PM CDT THU JUN 30 1994

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR NORTHERN ST. LOUIS COUNTY UNTIL
11 PM THIS EVENING...

AT 745 PM CDT...SHOWERS WERE CONTINUING OVER NORTHEAST ST. LOUIS
COUNTY. ELY AND AREAS ALONG THE ECHO TRAIL SHOULD EXPECT SHOWERS
OR THUNDERSHOWERS THROUGH 900 PM.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ST. LOUIS COUNTY..
SO BE ALErRT TO POSSIBLE RAPID CHANGES IN WEATHER CONDITIONS. SHOULD
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS REDEVELOP OVER THE AREA...SEEK SHELTER IN A
REINFORCED BUILDING IMMEDIATELY.

DAVIS
Special weather statement, Jun 30, 8:00 PM CDT, 18 minutes before
MNZ011-010200-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE INTERNATIONAL FALLS MN
800 PM CDT THU JUN 30 1994

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR NORTHERN ST. LOUIS COUNTY UNTIL
11 PM THIS EVENING...

AT 745 PM CDT...SHOWERS WERE CONTINUING OVER NORTHEAST ST. LOUIS
COUNTY. ELY AND AREAS ALONG THE ECHO TRAIL SHOULD EXPECT SHOWERS
OR THUNDERSHOWERS THROUGH 900 PM.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ST. LOUIS COUNTY..
SO BE ALERT TO POSSIBLE RAPID CHANGES IN WEATHER CONDITIONS. SHOULD
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS REDEVELOP OVER THE AREA...SEEK SHELTER IN A
REINFORCED BUILDING IMMEDIATELY.

DAVIS

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Minnesota, 1994Every tornado warning in 1994Tornadoes 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; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.