Alert archive / North Dakota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1994

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 9, NWS Grand Forks, ND

May 23, 1994Cass County, North Dakota; Clay County, Minnesota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 23, 1994, 7:54 PM CDT for Cass County, North Dakota; Clay County, Minnesota. It was in force for 51 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued: May 23, 1994, 7:54 PM CDT (00:54 UTC)
Expired: May 23, 1994, 8:45 PM CDT
In force: 51 min
Issued by: NWS Grand Forks, ND
Area: Whole counties

Counties Clay County, MN, Cass County, ND

The nearest sounding before it

Aberdeen, SD (KHON), launched 00:00Z, 0.9 hours before the alert went out and 253 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: 1212 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -102 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 2117 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 35 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 45 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 134 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 2.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WUUS1 KFAR 240054 RRA
SVRFAR
NDC017-MNC027-240200-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
754 PM CDT MON MAY 23 1994

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 900 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING 
COUNTIES

   IN THE EAST CENTRAL PART OF NORTH DAKOTA
      CASS...THE CITIES OF FARGO/MOORHEAD...

   IN THE NORTHWEST PART OF MINNESOTA
      CLAY...

AT 755 PM CDT RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
DEVELOPING FROM NEAR BUFFALO NORTH DAKOTA...35 MILES WEST OF FARGO
TO 20 MILES NORTHEAST OF FARGO NEAR FELTON MINESOTA.

SOME OTHER TOWNS INCLUDED IN THE WARNING ARE HARWOOD...CASSELTON
AND DILWORTH.

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.

REMEMBER...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE
A TORNADO WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING...SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT.
IF YOU SPOT A FUNNEL OR A TORNADO YOU SHOULD SEEK SHELTER IN A
REINFORCED BUILDING OR IN AN INTERIOR ROOM AWAY FROM OUTSIDE WALLS.

EWENS

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 23, 3:43 PM CDT, 4 hours 11 minutes before

NDZ007-008-016-026>030-038-039-048-049-051>053-MNZ001>004-
007-008-013>015-022-024-027>032-039>041-047-232135-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
342 PM CDT MON MAY 23 1994

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM IS MOVING INTO EAST CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...

AT 325 PM CDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 30 MILES NORTHEAST
OF JAMESTOWN NORTH DAKOTA...NEAR HANNAFORD AND DAZEY.

THIS STORM COULD PRODUCE VERY HEAVY RAIN...HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTING
STRIKES...AND STRONG WIND GUSTS AS IT MOVES ACROSS EAST CENTRAL
NORTH DAKOTA THIS AFTERNOON.  MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 35 TO 40 MILES AN
HOUR.  THE STORM WILL PASS THROUGH ON NEAR THE FOLLOWING CITIES OR
TOWNS BY 430 PM CDT...HANNAFORD...DAZEY...HOPE...PILLSBURY...COLGATE...
PAGE...AND BLANCHARD.

IF YOU ARE IN OR NEAR ONE OF THE ABOVE LISTED CITIES OR TOWNS YOU SHOULD
BE ALERT FOR THE POSSIBLITY OF THE WEATHER CONDITIONS MENTIONED AND GO
TO A SAFE PLACE UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED YOUR LOCATION.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS...SOME WITH HEAVY RAIN WERE ALSO PUSHING INTO
EAST CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA.  THESE STORMS EXTENDED FROM NORTH OF
JAMESTOWN TO 25 MILES SOUTHWEST OF GRAND FORKS.  THE MOVEMENT OF
THESE THUNDERSTORMS WAS ALSO EAST AT 35 TO 40 MILES.

THE ATMOSPHERE OVER OUR REGION HAS BECOME VERY UNSTABLE THIS
AFTERNOON.  THE POTENTIAL FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS IS HIGH.  STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL RADIO...TV OR
NOAA WEATHER RADIO STATIONS F*OR UPDATES ON THIS EVENINGS DEVELOPING
WEATHER SITUATION.
DM

Local storm report, May 23, 6:05 PM CDT, 1 hour 49 minutes before

STORM REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
605 PM CDT MON MAY 23 1994

TIME      EVENT
500 PM    MAPLETIN NORTH DAKOTA COOPERATIVE OBSERVER REPORTED 30 TO
          40 MPH WINDS AND 1/2 INCH HAIL

505PM     GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL AND HIGH WINDS IN VERONA REPORTED BY
          CO OPERATIVE OBSERVER.

515PM     NORMAN COUNTY MINNESOTA SHERIFFS OFFICE REPORTED SIGNIFICANT
          WIND DAMAGE TO TREES AND BUILDINGS IN ADA AND GARY.
          MODERATE DAMAGE WIDESPREAD ACROSS MUCH OF THE COUNTY.

515PM     12 MILES SOUTH OF FARGO 60 MPH WINDS AS WELL AS DAMAGE TO
          GRAIN BINS AND EXTENSIVE TREE DAMAGE REPORTED BY OFF DUTY
          NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EMPLOYEE.

515PM     HORACE NORTH DAKOTA COOPERATIVE OBSERVER REPORTS 1 1/2 INCH
          TREE LIMBS DOWN.

545PM     10 MILES SOUTH OF COGSWELL NORTH DAKOTA 3/4 INCH HAIL REPORTED
          BY COOPERATIVE OBSERVER.
EWENS

Local storm report, May 23, 6:06 PM CDT, 1 hour 48 minutes before

STORM REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
605 PM CDT MON MAY 23 1994

TIME      EVENT
500 PM    MAPLETIN NORTH DAKOTA COOPERATIVE OBSERVER REPORTED 30 TO
          40 MPH WINDS AND 1/2 INCH HAIL

505PM     GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL AND HIGH WINDS IN VERONA REPORTED BY
          CO OPERATIVE OBSERVER.

515PM     NORMAN COUNTY MINNESOTA SHERIFFS OFFICE REPORTED SIGNIFICANT
          WIND DAMAGE TO TREES AND BUILDINGS IN ADA AND GARY.
          MODERATE DAMAGE WIDESPREAD ACROSS MUCH OF THE COUNTY.

515PM     12 MILES SOUTH OF FARGO 60 MPH WINDS AS WELL AS DAMAGE TO
          GRAIN BINS AND EXTENSIVE TREE DAMAGE REPORTED BY OFF DUTY
          NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EMPLOYEE.

515PM     HnORACE NORTH DAKOTA COOPERATIVE OBSERVER REPORTS 1 1/2 INCH
          TREE LIMBS DOWN.

545PM     10 MILES SOUTH OF COGSWELL NORTH DAKOTA 3/4 INCH HAIL REPORTED
          BY COOPERATIVE OBSERVER.
EWENS

Local storm report, May 23, 7:20 PM CDT, 34 minutes before

STORM REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
720 PM CDT MON MAY 23 1994

TIME      EVENT
530 PM    NUMEROUS TREES REPORTED DOWN...SHINGLES OFF ROOFS AND
          BUILDINGS DAMAGE IN MAHNOMEN MINNESOTA.  REPORTED BY
          COOPERATIVE OBSERVER.

550 PM    HAM RADIO OPERATOR REPORTED TWO WATERSPOUTS BRIEFLY
          TOUCHED DOWN ON A SMALL LAKE 3 MILES EAST OF WAUBUN
          MINNESOTA.

635 PM    5 MILES SOUTH OF PELICAN RAPIDS MINNESOTA GOLFBALL
          SIZED HAIL REPORTED BY HAM RADIO OPERATOR.

655 PM    LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTS NUMEROUS LARGE TREES...GREATER THAN ON
          6 INCHES DIAMETER BLOWN DOWN ALONG THE THE HUBBARD AND
          CLEARWATER COUNTY LINES SOUTH OF BEMIDJI.

700 PM    HAM RADIO OPERATOR REPORTS GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL IN PHELPS
          MINNESOTA AND 3/4 INCH HAIL 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF PHELPS.

710 PM    LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS IN LAPORTE AREA OF EASTERN HUBBARD
          COUNTY REPORT 6 INCH DIAMETER TREES DOWN DUE TO HIGH WINDS
EWENS

Local storm report, May 23, 7:21 PM CDT, 33 minutes before

STORM REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
720 PM CDT MON MAY 23 1994

TIME      EVENT
530 PM    NUMEROUS TREES REPORTED DOWN...SHINGLES OFF ROOFS AND
          BUILDINGS DAMAGE IN MAHNOMEN MINNESOTA.  REPORTED BY
          COOPERATIVE OBSERVER.

550 PM    HAM RADIO OPERATOR REPORTED TWO WATERSPOUTS BRIEFLY
          TOUCHED DOWN ON A SMALL LAKE 3 MILES EAST OF WAUBUN
          MINNESOTA.

635 PM    5 MILES SOUTH OF PELICAN RAPIDS MINNESOTA GOLFBALL
          SIZED HAIL REPORTED BY HAM RADIO OPERATOR.

655 PM    LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTS NUMEROUS LARGE TREES...GREATER THAN ON
          6 INCHES DIAMETER BLOWN DOWN ALONG THE THE HUBBARD AND
          CLEARWATER COUNTY LINES SOUTH OF BEMIDJI.

700 PM    HAM RADIO OPERATOR REPORTS GOLFBALL SIZED HAIL IN PHELPS
          MINNESOTA AND 3/4 INCH HAIL 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF PHELPS.

710 PM    LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS IN LAPORTE AREA OF EASTERN HUBBARD
          COUNTY REPORT 6 INCH DIAMETER TREES DOWN DUE TO HIGH WINDS
EWENS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 23, 7:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Beltrami	27 min
May 23, 7:22 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Traverse	68 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Dakota, 1994 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.