Alert archive / Minnesota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1994

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 83, NWS Grand Forks, ND

September 12, 1994Douglas County, Grant County, Minnesota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Sep 12, 1994, 1:31 PM CDT for Douglas County, Grant County, Minnesota. It was in force for 39 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Sep 12, 1994, 1:31 PM CDT (18:31 UTC)
Expired
Sep 12, 1994, 2:10 PM CDT
In force
39 min
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND
Area
Whole counties

Counties Douglas County, MN, Grant County, MN

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KSTC), launched 12:00Z, 6.5 hours before the alert went out and 206 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 12:00Z on 1994-09-12Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 199 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 12:00Z on 1994-09-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 54 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
199 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-238 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
828 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
35 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
54 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
109 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 121831 RRA
SVRFAR
MNC041-051-121930-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
131 PM CDT MON SEP 12 1994

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 230 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING 
COUNTIES

   IN THE WEST CENTRAL PART OF MINNESOTA
      WESTERN DOUGLAS...EASTERN GRANT

AT 126 PM CDT A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR HOFFMAN IN
SOUTHEAST GRANT COUNTY OF WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA.  THIS STORM WAS
MOVING NORTHEAST AND WILL LIKELY MOVE INTO WESTERN DOUGLAS COUNTY M
INNESOTA BY 2PM CDT.  THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE LARGE
HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN AND DEADLY LIGHTNING STRIKES.

IF YOU ARE CAUGHT OUTSIDE...FIND SHELTER FROM THE WEATHER IN A
STRONG BUILDING.  DAMAGING WIND...LARGE HAIL...VERY HEAVY RAIN...
AND DEADLY LIGHTNING ARE POSSSIBLE IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS.
STAY INSIDE AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.

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.

BENNETT

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, Sep 12, 10:50 AM CDT, 2 hours 41 minutes before
NDZ007-008-016-026>030-038-039-048-049-051>053-MNZ001>004-
007>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-039>041-047-121650-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
1050 AM CDT MON SEP 12 1994

...THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING RAPIDLY ACROSS THE RED RIVER VALLEY AREA...

AT 1025 AM CDT NUMEROUS STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAD DEVELOPED ACROSS PARTS
OF NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA...NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA.

THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE JUST NORTHWEST OF THOMPSON AND OVER NORTHWOOD
IN GRAND FORKS COUNTY OF NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA.  THESE STORMS WERE MOVING
EAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR AND SHOULD MOVE INTO NORTHERN POLK COUNTY OF
MINNESOTA BY 1115 AM.

OTHER STRONG STORMS WERE SCATTERED ACROSS SOUTHERN TRAVERSE AND STEVENS
COUNTIES OF WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA.  THESE STORMS WILL LIKELY MOVE INTO
POPE AND DOUGLAS COUNTIES BY MIDDAY.
THESE STRONG STORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING
AND GUSTY WINDS..ALONG WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN.

ANYONE IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD BE ALERT AND READY TO MOVE TO
SAFE SHELTER..IF THE NEED ARISES.

STAY TUNED TO YOUR FAVORITE SOURCE OF WEATHER INFORMATION FOR THE LATEST
INFORMATION ABOUT THESE STORMS.
BENNETT
Special weather statement, Sep 12, 11:01 AM CDT, 2 hours 30 minutes before
NDZ007-008-016-026>030-038-039-048-049-051>053-MNZ001>004-
007>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-039>041-047-121650-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
1050 AM CDT MON SEP 12 1994

...THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPING RAPIDLY ACROSS THE RED RIVER VALLEY AREA...

AT 1025 AM CDT NUMEROUS STRONG THUNDERSTORMS HAD DEVELOPED ACROSS PARTS
OF NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA...NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA.

THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE JUST NORTHWEST OF THOMPSON AND OVER NORTHWOOD
IN GRAND FORKS COUNTY OF NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA.  THESE STORMS WERE MOVING
EAST AT 35 MILES AN HOUR AND SHOULD MOVE INTO NORTHERN POLK COUNTY OF
MINNESOTA BY 1115 AM.

OTHER STRONG STORMS WERE SCATTERED ACROSS SOUTHERN TRAVERSE AND STEVENS
COUNTIES OF WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA.  THESE STORMS WILL LIKELY MOVE INTO
POPE AND DOUGLAS COUNTIES BY MIDDAY.
THESE STRONG STORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING
AND GUSTY WINDS..ALONG WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN.

ANYONE IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD BE ALERT AND READY TO MOVE TO
SAFE SHELTER..IF THE NEED ARISES.

STAY TUNED TO YOUR FAVORITE SOURCE OF WEATHER INFORMATION FOR THE LATEST
INFORMATION ABOUT THESE STORMS.
BENNETT
Special weather statement, Sep 12, 12:50 PM CDT, 41 minutes before
NDZ007-008-016-026>030-038-039-048-049-051>053-MNZ001>004-
007>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-039>041-047-121850-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
1250 PM CDT MON SEP 12 1994

...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL AND WEST CENTRAL
MINNESOTA...
AT 1225 PM CDT NUMEROUS STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER NORTH
CENTRAL AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA.

IN NORTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA..THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED JUST
NORTHEAST OF FOSSTON IN EASTERN POLK COUNTY...NEAR CLEARBROOK AND
ON ACROSS BELTRAMI COUNTY TO KELLIHOR WHERE 1.54 INCHES OF RAIN FELL
IN A ONE HOUR PERIOD DURING THE 1100-100PM TIMEFRAME.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR AND STILL HAVE
THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE HAIL AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.

OTHER STRONG STORMS WERE OVER WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA THROUGH TRAVERSE..
GRANT...STEVENS AND DOUGLAS COUNTIES.  ONLY THUNDER/LIGHTNING AND
HEAVY RAIN HAVE BEEN REPORTED FROM THESE STORMS.  HOWEVER..THEY STILL
HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO DEVELOPE SEVERE WEATHER.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 10-12 MILES AN HOUR.

OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSHOWERS WERE REDEVELOPING ACROSS NORTHEAST
NORTH DAKOTA FROM DEVILS LAKE TO GRAND FORKS.

ANYONE IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD BE ALERT AND READY TO MOVE TO
SAFE SHELTER..IF THE NEED ARISES.

STAY TUNED TO YOUR FAVORITE SOURCE OF WEATHER INFORMATION FOR THE LATEST
INFORMATION ABOUT THESE STORMS.
BENNETT
Special weather statement, Sep 12, 1:03 PM CDT, 28 minutes before
NDZ007-008-016-026>030-038-039-048-049-051>053-MNZ001>004-
007>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-039>041-047-121850-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
1250 PM CDT MON SEP 12 1994

...THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL AND WEST CENTRAL
MINNESOTA...
AT 1225 PM CDT NUMEROUS STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER NORTH
CENTRAL AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA.

IN NORTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA..THE STRONGEST STORMS WERE LOCATED JUST
NORTHEAST OF FOSSTON IN EASTERN POLK COUNTY...NEAR CLEARBROOK AND
ON ACROSS BELTRAMI COUNTY TO KELLIHOR WHERE 1.54 INCHES OF RAIN FELL
IN A ONE HOUR PERIOD DURING THE 1100-100PM TIMEFRAME.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MILES AN HOUR AND STILL HAVE
THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE HAIL AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.

OTHER STRONG STORMS WERE OVER WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA THROUGH TRAVERSE..
GRANT...STEVENS AND DOUGLAS COUNTIES.  ONLY THUNDER/LIGHTNING AND
HEAVY RAIN HAVE BEEN REPORTED FROM THESE STORMS.  HOWEVER..THEY STILL
HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO DEVELOPE SEVERE WEATHER.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 10-12 MILES AN HOUR.

OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSHOWERS WERE REDEVELOPING ACROSS NORTHEAST
NORTH DAKOTA FROM DEVILS LAKE TO GRAND FORKS.

ANYONE IN THE PATH OF THESE STORMS SHOULD BE ALERT AND READY TO MOVE TO
SAFE SHELTER..IF THE NEED ARISES.

STAY TUNED TO YOUR FAVORITE SOURCE OF WEATHER INFORMATION FOR THE LATEST
INFORMATION ABOUT THESE STORMS.
BENNETT

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 12, 11:21 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFPolk69 min
Sep 12, 5:00 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFClay, Mahnomen, Norman60 min
Sep 12, 6:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFBecker58 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Minnesota, 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.