Alert archive / Minnesota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1994

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 159, NWS Twin Cities, MN

July 31, 1994Meeker County, Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 31, 1994, 4:56 AM CDT for Meeker County, Minnesota. It was in force for 34 min.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Jul 31, 1994, 4:56 AM CDT (09:56 UTC)
Expired
Jul 31, 1994, 5:30 AM CDT
In force
34 min
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
Area
Whole counties

County Meeker County, MN

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KSTC), launched 00:00Z, 9.9 hours before the alert went out and 79 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 00:00Z on 1994-07-31Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1405 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 00:00Z on 1994-07-31The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 123 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
1405 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-89 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1199 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
31 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
123 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
227 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.6
Supercell composite
2.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WUUS1 KSTC 310956 RRA
SVRSTC
MNC093-311030-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST CLOUD MN
ISSUED BY MINNEAPOLIS MN
456 AM CDT SUN JUL 31 1994
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  530 AM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA
 
   ...SOUTHERN MEEKER COUNTY
 
AT 452 AM...GOLFBALL SIZE HAIL WAS REPORTED NEAR STROUT...ABOUT
10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF LITCHFIELD. RADAR INDICATED THE STORM WAS
REMAINING STRONG...AND LARGE HAIL IS POSSIBLE THROUGH 530 AM.
 
THE STORM WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MILES AN HOUR...AND
SOME CITIES INCLUDED IN THE WARNING ARE STROUT AND GREENLEAF.
 
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.
 
&
TDK

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, Jul 31, 1:47 AM CDT, 3 hours 9 minutes before
MNZ052-053-059>063-065>070-073-WIZ014>016-023-028-310750-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY...CORRECTION TO HEADING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL MN
146 AM CDT SUN JUL 31 1994

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER SOUTHWEST AND EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

AT 135 AM...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING ABOUT 15 MILES WEST OF
WILLMAR IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...AND JUST NORTH OF SANDSTONE IN
EXTREME EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA. THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
LARGE HAIL...STRONG GUSTY WINDS... VERY HEAVY RAIN...AND FREQUENT
DEADLY LIGHTNING.  MOVEMENT WAS TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.
PERSONS ENGAGED IN OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES SHOULD BE READY TO SEEK SAFE
SHELTER.

THUNDERSHOWERS WERE ALSO SCATTERED FROM SOUTHWEST THROUGH CENTRAL AND
EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...AND WERE BEGINNING TO MOVE INTO EXTREME
NORTHWEST WISCONSIN.  THEY WERE MAINLY WEST OF A LINE FROM SUPERIOR
WISCONSIN TO AMERY TO FAIRMONT MINNESOTA.  MOVEMENT. WAS TO THE
SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.
KRAFT
Special weather statement, Jul 31, 2:00 AM CDT, 2 hours 56 minutes before
MNZ042>044-046-048>051-054>058-064-310800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST CLOUD MN
200 AM CDT SUN JUL 31 1994

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

AT 2 AM RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED IN
WEST-CENTRAL MINNESOTA MAINLY IN KANDIYOHI...BIG STONE AND YELLOW
MEDICINE COUNTIES. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

AT 145 AM THE YELLOW MEDICINE COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE REPORTED
HEAVY RAIN IN CANBY AND GRANITE FALLS.  AT 150 AM THE SWIFT COUNTY
SHERIFFS OFFICE REPORTED HEAVY RAIN IN CLARA CITY...18 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF WILLMAR.

THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL...GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT
LIGHTNING STRIKES AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND WILL MOVE THROUGH
KANDIYOHI COUNTY BETWEEN 215 AND 3 AM.

YOU SHOULD LISTEN FOR STATEMENT AND UPDATES ON LOCAL MEDIA AND
NOAA WEATHER RADIO.

FRASER
Special weather statement, Jul 31, 2:09 AM CDT, 2 hours 47 minutes before
MNZ042>044-046-048>051-054>058-064-310800-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ST CLOUD MN
200 AM CDT SUN JUL 31 1994

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

AT 2 AM RADAR SHOWED AN AREA OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS LOCATED IN
WEST-CENTRAL MINNESOTA MAINLY IN KANDIYOHI...BIG STONE AND YELLOW
MEDICINE COUNTIES. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

AT 145 AM THE YELLOW MEDICINE COUNTY SHERIFFS OFFICE REPORTED
HEAVY RAIN IN CANBY AND GRANITE FALLS.  AT 150 AM THE SWIFT COUNTY
SHERIFFS OFFICE REPORTED HEAVY RAIN IN CLARA CITY...18 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF WILLMAR.

THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL...GUSTY WINDS...FREQUENT
LIGHTNING STRIKES AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN AND WILL MOVE THROUGH
KANDIYOHI COUNTY BETWEEN 215 AND 3 AM.

YOU SHOULD LISTEN FOR STATEMENT AND UPDATES ON LOCAL MEDIA AND
NOAA WEATHER RADIO.

FRASER
Special weather statement, Jul 31, 2:39 AM CDT, 2 hours 17 minutes before
MNZ052-053-059>063-065>070-073-WIZ014>016-023-028-310840-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND RADAR SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL MN
239 AM CDT SUN JUL 31 1994

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OCCURRING NEAR WILLMAR IN WEST CENTRAL
MINNESOTA AT 235 AM.  HAIL...STRONG GUSTY WINDS...VERY HEAVY RAIN...AND
LIGHTNING MAY BE EXPECTED.  MOVEMENT WAS TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES
AN HOUR.  TOWNS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM INCLUDE WILLMAR AND THORPE.
PERSONS ENGAGED IN OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES SHOULD BE READY TO SEEK SAFE
SHELTER.

THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WERE ALSO OCCURRING IN THE
AITKIN...SANDSTONE AREA OF EXTREME EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA.  OTHER
THUNDERSTORMS AND RAINSHOWERS WERE SCATTERED FROM SOUTHWEST THROUGH
CENTRAL AND EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA INTO NORTHWEST WISCONSIN.  THEY WERE
MAINLY LOCATED TO THE WEST OF A LINE FROM NEAR HAYWARD IN NORTHWEST
WISCONSIN TO REDWING MINNESOTA TO OWATONNA TO FAIRMONT.  MOVEMENT WAS
TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.
KRAFT
Special weather statement, Jul 31, 3:55 AM CDT, 1 hour 1 minute before
MNZ057>059-065>067-311000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL MN
355 AM CDT SUN JUL 31 1994

...A PAIR OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY RAIN ARE POSSIBLE
IN AN AREA WEST OF LITCHFIELD AND HUTCHINSON.

AT 350 AM...RADAR INDICATED ONE STRONG STORM JUST SOUTHWEST
OF GROVE CITY... OR ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF LITCHFIELD.
ANOTHER STRONG STORM WAS JUST SOUTHWEST OF COSMOS...OR ABOUT
20 MILES WEST OF HUTCHINSON.

HAIL IS LIKELY WITH BOTH STORMS.  LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS...IF THE STORMS BECOME ANY STRONGER.  ALSO...
REMEMBER TO STAY AWAY FROM TELEPHONES AND ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES
DURING PERIODS OF FREQUENT LIGHTNING.

TDK
Special weather statement, Jul 31, 3:56 AM CDT, 1 hour before
MNZ057>059-065>067-311000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL MN
355 AM CDT SUN JUL 31 1994

...A PAIR OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

HAIL...FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND VERY HEAVY RAIN ARE POSSIBLE
IN AN AREA WEST OF LITCHFIELD AND HUTCHINSON.

AT 350 AM...RADAR INDICATED ONE STRONG STORM JUST SOUTHWEST
OF GROVE CITY... OR ABOUT 10 MILES SOUTHWEST OF LITCHFIELD.
ANOTHER STRONG STORM WAS JUST SOUTHWEST OF COSMOS...OR ABOUT
20 MILES WEST OF HUTCHINSON.

HAIL IS LIKELY WITH BOTH STORMS.  LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS...IF THE STORMS BECOME ANY STRONGER.  ALSO...
REMEMBER TO STAY AWAY FROM TELEPHONES AND ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES
DURING PERIODS OF FREQUENT LIGHTNING.

TDK

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 31, 5:58 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXWright32 min
Jul 31, 4:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXOlmsted, Wabasha45 min
Jul 31, 5:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXFillmore, Mower, Olmsted40 min
Jul 31, 5:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXFreeborn, Mower34 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.