Alert archive / Minnesota / Tornado Warnings in 1994

Tornado Warning 10, NWS Grand Forks, ND

August 2, 1994Clay County, Minnesota; Cass County, North Dakota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this tornado warning at Aug 2, 1994, 8:13 PM CDT for Clay County, Minnesota; Cass County, North Dakota. It was in force for 32 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 2, 1994, 8:13 PM CDT (01:13 UTC)
Expired
Aug 2, 1994, 8:45 PM CDT
In force
32 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, 1.2 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-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Aberdeen, SD at 00:00Z on 1994-08-03Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 558 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, Aberdeen, SD at 00:00Z on 1994-08-03The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 38 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
558 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-5 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1697 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
23 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
38 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
92 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KFAR 030113
TORFAR
NDC017-MNC027-030145-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED 
TORNADO WARNING 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
813 PM CDT TUE AUG 2 1994

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING 
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 845 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING 
COUNTIES

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

   IN THE NORTHWEST PART OF MINNESOTA
      WESTERN CLAY...

AT 810 PM CDT A FUNNEL CLOUD WAS OBSERVED FROM THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE OVER THE SOUTH MOORHEAD AREA.  THE PARENT
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF FARGO
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

THIS ISh A DANGEROUS STORM.  TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY.

EWENS

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, Aug 2, 6:38 PM CDT, 1 hour 35 minutes before
NDZ007-008-016-026>030-038-039-048-049-051>053-MNZ001>004-
007>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-039>041-047-030045-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
638 PM CDT TUE AUG 2 1994

...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAY CAUSE BRIEF BUT STRONG GUSTY WINDS...

AT 625 PM CDT...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINS CONTINUED ACROSS
NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA.  THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE
60 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ALEXANDRIA AND FROM 40 MILES NORTHEAST TO 20 MILES
EAST OF FARGO...IN THE TWIN VALLEY AND HITTERDAL AREAS.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

SINCE 530 PM CDT THUNDERSTORMS HAVE RAPIDLY DEVELOPED...THEN BECOME QUITE
STRONG FOR A VERY BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME...ONLY 10 TO 15 MINUTES...BEFORE
DISSIPATING AS FAST.  ONE SUCH THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPED AND DISSIPATED IN
THE SPACE OF 35 MINUTES PRODUCING VERY STRONG WINDS IN THE PERHAM AND
OTTER TAIL AREAS OF OTTERTAIL COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA.

CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN FAVORABLE THROUGH MUCH OF THE EVENING HOURS FOR
THIS TYPE OF THUNDERSTORM...TERMED A PULSE THUNDERSTORM...TO OCCUR.
THEREFORE...BOATERS AND OTHER OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS ESPECIALLY THOSE IN
THE LAKES REGION...SHOULD BE ALERT TO RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS
AND SEEK SAFE SHELTER OR HARBOR AS NECESSARY.

STAY TUNED TO RADIO AND T.V. AS WELL AS NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER
STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
EWENS
Special weather statement, Aug 2, 7:37 PM CDT, 36 minutes before
NDZ007-008-016-026>030-038-039-048-049-051>053-MNZ001>004-
007>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-039>041-047-030145-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
738 PM CDT TUE AUG 2 1994

...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAY CAUSE BRIEF BUT STRONG GUSTY WINDS...

AT 725 PM CDT...AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAINS WAS 45
MILES SOUTHWEST OF ALEXANDRIA OR NEAR GRACEVILLE MINNESOTA.  THIS STORM
WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL BE NEAR MORRIS BY 830PM
THIS EVENING.

OTHERWISE ISOLATED THUNDERSHOWERS CONTINUED OVER NORTHWEST MINNESOTA.
MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION WAS IN THE DETROIT LAKES/TWIN VALLEY AREAS.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

DURING THE EARLY EVENING ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE RAPIDLY
DEVELOPED...BECOME QUITE STRONG FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE
DISSIPATING AS FAST.  CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN FAVORABLE THROUGH THE
EVENING HOURS FOR THIS TYPE OF THUNDERSTORM...TERMED A PULSE
THUNDERSTORM...TO OCCUR.  THEREFORE...BOATERS AND OTHER OUTDOOR
ENTHUSIASTS ESPECIALLY THOSE IN THE LAKES REGION...SHOULD BE ALERT TO
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND SEEK SAFE SHELTER OR HARBOR AS
NECESSARY.

STAY TUNED TO RADIO AND T.V. AS WELL AS NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER
STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
EWENS
Special weather statement, Aug 2, 7:38 PM CDT, 35 minutes before
NDZ007-008-016-026>030-038-039-048-049-051>053-MNZ001>004-
007>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-039>041-047-030145-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
738 PM CDT TUE AUG 2 1994

...ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAY CAUSE BRIEF BUT STRONG GUSTY WINDS...

AT 725 PM CDT...AN ISOLATED THUNDERSTORM WITH VERY HEAVY RAINS WAS 45
MILES SOUTHWEST OF ALEXANDRIA OR NEAR GRACEVILLE MINNESOTA.  THIS STORM
WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR AND WILL BE NEAR MORRIS BY 830PM
THIS EVENING.

OTHERWISE ISOLATED THUNDERSHOWERS CONTINUED OVER NORTHWEST MINNESOTA.
MOST OF THE PRECIPITATION WAS IN THE DETROIT LAKES/TWIN VALLEY AREAS.

MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

DURING THE EARLY EVENING ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS HAVE RAPIDLY
DEVELOPED...BECOME QUITE STRONG FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME BEFORE
DISSIPATING AS FAST.  CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN FAVORABLE THROUGH THE
EVENING HOURS FOR THIS TYPE OF THUNDERSTORM...TERMED A PULSE
THUNDERSTORM...TO OCCUR.  THEREFORE...BOATERS AND OTHER OUTDOOR
ENTHUSIASTS ESPECIALLY THOSE IN THE LAKES REGION...SHOULD BE ALERT TO
RAPIDLY CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND SEEK SAFE SHELTER OR HARBOR AS
NECESSARY.

STAY TUNED TO RADIO AND T.V. AS WELL AS NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER
STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.
EWENS

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 2, 7:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFClay31 min
Aug 2, 8:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFClay38 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Minnesota, 1994Tornado Warnings in North Dakota, 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.