Alert archive / Wisconsin / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1994

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 10, NWS Twin Cities, MN

April 26, 1994Polk County, Wisconsin

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 26, 1994, 12:31 PM CDT for Polk County, Wisconsin. It was in force for 44 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Apr 26, 1994, 12:31 PM CDT (17:31 UTC)
Expired
Apr 26, 1994, 1:15 PM CDT
In force
44 min
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
Area
Whole counties

County Polk County, WI

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KSTC), launched 12:00Z, 5.5 hours before the alert went out and 113 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 1994-04-26Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 1994-04-26The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -315 square meters per square second.1939587897117136156Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
511 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
58 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-315 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-952 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
-0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KMSP 261732
SVRMSP
WIC095-261815-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS MN
1231 PM CDT TUE APR 26 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MINNEAPOLIS HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING     EFFECTIVE UNTIL  115 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN
 
   ...POLK COUNTY
 
AT 1230 PM...RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM NEAR THE TOWN OF
OSCEOLA...ABOUT 30 MILES NORTHEAST OF ST PAUL. THE STORM WAS MOVING TO
THE NORTH AT 30 MPH AND WILL BE AFFECTING THE BALSAM LAKE AREA BY 1250
PM.
 
PERSONS IN POLK COUNTY SHOULD MOVE INDOORS IMMEDIATELY WHEN THESE STORMS
APPROACH.
 
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND...LARGE HAIL...
DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.  FOR YOUR PROTECTION
MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM.  PEOPLE IN MOBILE HOMES SHOULD GO
TO A STORM SHELTER.
 
 
DWE

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, Apr 26, 10:57 AM CDT, 1 hour 34 minutes before
MNZ042>044-046-048>051-054>058-064-261700-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST CLOUD MN
1100 AM CDT TUE APR 26 1994

AT 1055 AM TWO AREAS OF THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED OVER CENTRAL
MINNESOTA.
ONE AREA WAS OVER NORTHERN MORRISON AND MILLE LACS COUNTIES.
THE OTHER WAS A DEVELOPING LINE FROM BENSON TO NEW LONDON AND
SOUTHEAST TO WILLMAR AND LITCHFIELD.

ALL THE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTH AT 25 MPH.

NO SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED BUT THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS.  PERSONS SHOULD
WATCH THE SKY AD BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO SAFETY IF THREATENING
WEATHER APPROACHES.

FRASER
Special weather statement, Apr 26, 11:02 AM CDT, 1 hour 29 minutes before
MNZ052-053-059-060-061-062-063-066-067-068-069-070-261700-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS MN
1103 AM CDT TUE APR 26 1994

...THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HAIL MOVING ACROSS THE SOUTHERN TWIN
CITIES...

AT 10 55 AM...PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED IN THE EDINA AREA IN
SOUTHERN HENNEPIN COUNTY.  THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING THE HAIL
WERE LOCATED FROM NEAR MAPLE PLAIN..TO JUST SOUTH OF THE DOWNTOWN
MINNEAPOLIS AREA..TO NEAR LAKEVILLE AND WERE MOVING NORTH AT 30 MPH.

THE STORMS WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE THROUGH THE TWIN CITIES METRO AREA
THROUGH 1130 AM.  PERSONS ACROSS EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA SHOULD PREPARE
FOR THE LIKELIHOOD OF HAIL...STORNG...GUSTY WINDS AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS
OF RAIN.
 DWE
Special weather statement, Apr 26, 11:18 AM CDT, 1 hour 13 minutes before
MNZ052-053-059-060-061-062-063-066-067-068-069-070-261715-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS MN
1117 AM CDT TUE APR 26 1994

...THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING HAIL AND HEAVY RAIN MOVING THROUGH THE TWIN
CITIES...

AT 1110 AM...PEA SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED IN THE NEW HOPE AREA OF EASTERN
HENNEPIN COUNTY.

AT 1115 AM...PEA TO MARBLE SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED IN FARMINGTON IN
SOUTHERN DAKOTA COUNTY.

THE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING THE HAIL AND HEAVY RAIN WERE LOCATED FROM
NEAR BUFFALO...TO THE TWIN CITIES METRO...AND SOUTHEASTWARD TO NEAR
FARMINGTON.

THE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTH AT 30 MPH AND WILL MOVE ACROSS THE TWIN
CITIES AREA BY 1145 AM.
 DWE
Special weather statement, Apr 26, 11:44 AM CDT, 47 minutes before
MNZ042>044-046-048>051-054>058-064-261800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST CLOUD MN
1145 AM CDT TUE APR 26 1994

AT 1135 A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED FROM SAUK CENTRE
SOUTHEAST TO ELK RIVER.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTH AT 30 MPH AND WILL BE IN LINE
FROM ALBANY TO COLD SPRING TO ST CLOUD BY 1215 PM.

NO SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED BUT THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS.  PERSONS SHOULD
WATCH THE SKY AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO SAFETY IF THREATENING
WEATHER APPROACHES.

FRASER
Special weather statement, Apr 26, 11:52 AM CDT, 39 minutes before
WIZ014-015-016-023-024-025-026-027-028-261800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS MN
1153 AM CDT TUE APR 26 1994

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN...

A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS MOVING INTO WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN
FROM EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA AT 1150 AM.  THE LEADING EDGE OF THE 15 TO
20 MILE WIDE BAND OF THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED FROM NEAR ST CLOUD...TO
STILLWATER...ALONG THE ST CROIX RIVER...TO NEAR RED WING.

THE STORMS HAVE A HISTORY OF PRODUCING HEAVY DOWNPOURS...PEA TO MARBLE
SIZE HAIL AND DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES.

THE STORMS CONTINUE A NORTH MOVEMENT AT 30 MPH AND SHOULD BE NEAR A
CAMBRIDGE MINNESOTA...TO TURTLE LAKE AND MENOMONIE WISCONSIN LINE BY
12 45 PM.

PERSONS IN WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN SHOULD BE PREPARED TO MOVE INDOORS
WHEN THESE STORMS APPROACH YOUR AREA.
 DWE
Special weather statement, Apr 26, 12:18 PM CDT, 13 minutes before
MNZ042>044-046-048>051-054>058-064-261830-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST CLOUD MN
1215 PM CDT TUE APR 26 1994

AT 1215 A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED FROM SAUK CENTRE
EAST TO ST CLOUD TO PRINCETON.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING NORTH AT 30 MPH AND WILL BE IN LINE
FROM LONG PRAIRIE  TO LITTLE FALLS TO MILACA BY 1 PM.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAIN...GUSTY WINDS
ALONG WITH SMALjL HAIL AND FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING STRIKES.

MOVE TO SAFETY IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES.

FRASER

The office that day

Everything else NWS Twin Cities, MN issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 26, 12:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXPierce, Saint Croix21 min
Apr 26, 12:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXDunn50 min
Apr 26, 12:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXBarron46 min
Apr 26, 1:09 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXBarron46 min
Apr 26, 1:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXRusk36 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Wisconsin, 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.