Alert archive / Minnesota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1994

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 55, NWS Grand Forks, ND

August 13, 1994Becker County, Otter Tail County, Minnesota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 13, 1994, 1:59 AM CDT for Becker County, Otter Tail County, Minnesota. It was in force for 61 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued: Aug 13, 1994, 1:59 AM CDT (06:59 UTC)
Expired: Aug 13, 1994, 3:00 AM CDT
In force: 61 min
Issued by: NWS Grand Forks, ND
Area: Whole counties

Counties Becker County, MN, Otter Tail County, MN

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KSTC), launched 00:00Z, 7.0 hours before the alert went out and 260 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 100 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -216 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 577 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 17 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 31 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 31 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 
WUUS1 KFAR 130659 RRA
SVRFAR
MNC005-111-130800-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
159 AM CDT SAT AUG 13 1994

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 300 AM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING 
COUNTIES

   IN THE NORTHWEST PART OF MINNESOTA
      BECKER...THE CITY OF DETROIT LAKES...

   IN THE WEST CENTRAL PART OF MINNESOTA
      NORTHERN OTTER TAIL...

AT 250 AM CDT...FARGO WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
NEAR HAWLEY IN EASTERN CLAY COUNTY OF WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA.  THIS
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM IS MOVING TO THE EAST-SOUTHEAST NEAR 60 MILES
PER HOUR AND WILL PASS NEAR THE CITIES OF LAKE PARK...DETROIT LAKES
...FRAZEE...AND PERHAM.

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.

INTENSE LIGHTNING IS REPORTED WITH THIS STORM.  IF OUTDOORS...STAY
AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS.  MOVE INDOORS IF POSSIBLE.  WHEN INDOORS...
STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS AND DOORS AND AVOID USING TELEPHONES AND
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT.

JEURISSEN

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

Local storm report, Aug 12, 9:31 PM CDT, 4 hours 28 minutes before

STORM REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
930 PM CDT FRI AUG 12 1994

TIME          EVENT
730 PM CDT    OBSERVER AT MONTPELIER ND...STUTSMAN COUNTY REPORTED
              GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.
745 PM CDT    OBSERVER AT LITCHVILLE ND...BARNES COUNTY REPORTED
              PEA SIZED HAIL...CONTINOUS LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY
              RAIN.
810 PM CDT    BARNES COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE REPORTED PEA SIZED HAIL
              AND VERY HEAVY RAIN...6 MILES SOUTH OF VALLEY CITY ND.
820 PM CDT    STATE RADIO REPORTED GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL 12 MILES SOUTH
              OF VALLEY CITY ND...BARNES COUNTY.
ANDERSEN

Local storm report, Aug 12, 10:05 PM CDT, 3 hours 54 minutes before

STORM REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
1005 PM CDT FRI AUG 12 1994

TIME          EVENT
730 PM CDT    LATE REPORT...REPORT FROM 3 MILES WEST OF GWINNER NORTH
              DAKOTA...SARGENT COUNTY...1/2 INCH HAIL...30-40 MPH WIND
              AND 0 VISIBILITY IN TORRENTIAL RAIN.
ANDERSEN

Special weather statement, Aug 12, 10:35 PM CDT, 3 hours 24 minutes before

NDZ007-008-016-026>030-038-039-048-049-051>053-MNZ001>004-
007>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-039>041-047-130435-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
1035 PM CDT FRI AUG 12 1994

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING INTO NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND
   NORTHWEST MINNESOTA...

AT 1025 PM CDT...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN
WERE PUSHING INTO PARTS OF NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST
MINNESOTA. MOST OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM NEAR THE CANADIAN
BORDER IN EXTREME NORTHWEST MINNESOTA...SOUTHWEST INTO NORTHEAST NORTH
DAKOTA NORTH OF DEVILS LAKE.

ANOTHER THUNDERSTORM WHICH CONTAINED VERY HEAVY RAIN WAS BETWEEN DETROIT
LAKES AND MAHNOMEN IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE
BETWEEN BEMIDJI AND FOSSTON OVER NORTHWEST MINNESOTA.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING RAPIDLY SOUTHEAST AT 40 TO 45 MILES AN
HOUR AND WILL LIKELY CONTINUE TO PUSH SOUTHEAST ACROSS NORTHEAST
NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA THROUGH MIDNIGHT.

ALONG WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY ALSO PRODUCE
SMALL HAIL...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...ALONG WITH DEADLY LIGHTNING.

PERSONS OVER NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA SHOULD
REMAIN ALERT AND STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.
SPIES

Special weather statement, Aug 12, 10:38 PM CDT, 3 hours 21 minutes before

NDZ007-008-016-026>030-038-039-048-049-051>053-MNZ001>004-
007>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-039>041-047-130435-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
1035 PM CDT FRI AUG 12 1994

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING INTO NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND
   NORTHWEST MINNESOTA...

AT 1025 PM CDT...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN
WERE PUSHING INTO PARTS OF NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST
MINNESOTA. MOST OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM NEAR THE CANADIAN
BORDER IN EXTREME NORTHWEST MINNESOTA...SOUTHWEST INTO NORTHEAST NORTH
DAKOTA NORTH OF DEVILS LAKE.

ANOTHER THUNDERSTORM WHICH CONTAINED VERY HEAVY RAIN WAS BETWEEN DETROIT
LAKES AND MAHNOMEN IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE
BETWEEN BEMIDJI AND FOSSTON OVER NORTHWEST MINNESOTA.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING RAPIDLY SOUTHEAST AT 40 TO 45 MILES AN
HOUR AND WILL LIKELY CONTINUE TO PUSH SOUTHEAST ACROSS NORTHEAST
NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA THROUGH MIDNIGHT.

ALONG WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY ALSO PRODUCE
SMALL HAIL...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...ALONG WITH DEADLY LIGHTNING.

PERSONS OVER NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA SHOULD
REMAIN ALERT AND STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.
SPIES

Special weather statement, Aug 12, 11:40 PM CDT, 2 hours 19 minutes before

NDZ007-008-016-026>030-038-039-048-049-051>053-MNZ001>004-
007>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-039>041-047-130545-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SEVICE FARGO ND
1140 PM CDT FRI AUG 12 1994

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING ACROSS NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND
   NORTWEST MINNESOTA...

AT 1130 PM CDT...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME OF THEM STRONG...WAS
MOVING ACROSS NORTHWEST MINNESOTA AND NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA.  THIS 20
MILE WIDE LINE EXTENDED FROM 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF THIEF RIVER FALLS
MINNESOTA NEAR ARGYLE...TO 70 MILES NORTH OF JAMESTOWN NORTH DAKOTA
NEAR NEW ROCKFORD.  THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE 40 MILES WEST OF
GRAND FORKS. OTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN THE BEMIDJI AND
CASS LAKE AREAS AND JUST WEST OF PARK RAPIDS.  THE THUNDERSTORM IN THE
BEMIDJI AREA HAD PRODUCED TORRENTIAL RAINS ALONG WITH 46 MILE PER HOUR
WIND GUSTS IN BEMIDJI.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST-SOUTHEAST AT 50 MILES AN HOUR.  THE
THUNDERSTORMS WEST OF GRAND FORKS WILL MOVE JUST SOUTH OF GRAND FORKS
TO NEAR CROOKSTON MINNESOTA BY 1230 AM CDT SATURDAY.  THE STORMS IN THE
BEMIDJI/CASS LAKE AREAS WILL AFFECT THE LEECH LAKE AREA WHILE THE STORM
IN THE PARK RAPIDS WILL AFFECT THE MEHNAGA AND SEBAKA AREAS.

ALONG WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY ALSO PRODUCE
SMALL HAIL...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...ALONG WITH DEADLY LIGHTNING.

BOATERS...CAMPERS AND OTHER OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS SHOULD BE ALERT TO
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND SEEK SAFE SHELTER OR PORT AS
NEEDED.

PERSONS OVER NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA SHOULD
REMAIN ALERT AND STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.
EWENS

Special weather statement, Aug 12, 11:41 PM CDT, 2 hours 18 minutes before

NDZ007-008-016-026>030-038-039-048-049-051>053-MNZ001>004-
007>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-039>041-047-130545-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SEVICE FARGO ND
1140 PM CDT FRI AUG 12 1994

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING ACROSS NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND
   NORTWEST MINNESOTA...

AT 1130 PM CDT...A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS...SOME OF THEM STRONG...WAS
MOVING ACROSS NORTHWEST MINNESOTA AND NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA.  THIS 20
MILE WIDE LINE EXTENDED FROM 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF THIEF RIVER FALLS
MINNESOTA NEAR ARGYLE...TO 70 MILES NORTH OF JAMESTOWN NORTH DAKOTA
NEAR NEW ROCKFORD.  THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE 40 MILES WEST OF
GRAND FORKS. OTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED IN THE BEMIDJI AND
CASS LAKE AREAS AND JUST WEST OF PARK RAPIDS.  THE THUNDERSTORM IN THE
BEMIDJI AREA HAD PRODUCED TORRENTIAL RAINS ALONG WITH 46 MILE PER HOUR
WIND GUSTS IN BEMIDJI.

THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING EAST-SOUTHEAST AT 50 MILES AN HOUR.  THE
THUNDERSTORMS WEST OF GRAND FORKS WILL MOVE JUST SOUTH OF GRAND FORKS
TO NEAR CROOKSTON MINNESOTA BY 1230 AM CDT SATURDAY.  THE STORMS IN THE
BEMIDJI/CASS LAKE AREAS WILL AFFECT THE LEECH LAKE AREA WHILE THE STORM
IN THE PARK RAPIDS WILL AFFECT THE MEHNAGA AND SEBAKA AREAS.

ALONG WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN...THESE THUNDERSTORMS MAY ALSO PRODUCE
SMALL HAIL...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...ALONG WITH DEADLY LIGHTNING.

BOATERS...CAMPERS AND OTHER OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS SHOULD* BE ALERT TO
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND SEEK SAFE SHELTER OR PORT AS
NEEDED.

PERSONS OVER NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA SHOULD
REMAIN ALERT AND STAY TUNED FOR FURTHER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE
WARNINGS.
EWENS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Aug 12, 11:08 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Lake of the Woods, Roseau	37 min
Aug 13, 12:02 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Polk	58 min
Aug 13, 12:54 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Clay, Norman	66 min
Aug 13, 3:54 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Grant, Otter Tail	41 min
Aug 13, 3:54 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Douglas	66 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Minnesota, 1994 Every 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.