Alert archive / North Dakota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1995

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 36, NWS Grand Forks, ND

August 18, 1995Grand Forks County, North Dakota; Polk County, Minnesota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 18, 1995, 4:54 PM CDT for Grand Forks County, North Dakota; Polk County, Minnesota. It was in force for 66 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Aug 18, 1995, 4:54 PM CDT (21:54 UTC)
Expired
Aug 18, 1995, 6:00 PM CDT
In force
66 min
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND
Area
Whole counties

Counties Polk County, MN, Grand Forks County, ND

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Aug 18, 5:45 PM CDTTornado F0Trail, MN

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.

The nearest sounding before it

International Fa, MN (KINL), launched 12:00Z, 9.9 hours before the alert went out and 281 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, International Fa, MN at 12:00Z on 1995-08-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 415 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, International Fa, MN at 12:00Z on 1995-08-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 85 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
415 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-116 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
571 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
17 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
85 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
80 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 
TTAA00 KFAR 182154 RRA
SVRFAR
NDC035-MNC119-182300-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
454 PM CDT FRI AUG 18 1995

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL 600 PM CDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING 
COUNTIES

   IN THE NORTHEAST PART OF NORTH DAKOTA
      EASTERN GRAND FORKS...THE CITY OF GRAND FORKS...

   IN THE NORTHWEST PART OF MINNESOTA
      WESTERN POLK...

AT 450 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 10 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF GRAND FORKS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.
THIS STORM WILL MOVE THROUGH THE GRAND FORKS AREA BY 530 PM CDT.

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 WITbH 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.

VOELKER

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, Aug 18, 3:30 PM CDT, 1 hour 24 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND SHORT TERM FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
330 PM CDT FRI AUG 18 1995

NDZ007-008-016-026>030-038-039-049-052-053-MNZ001>004-
007>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-039-040- 182145-
EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND THE NORTHWEST QUARTER OF MINNESOTA

.NOW...
...HEAVY RAIN PRODUCING THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER THE AREA...
AT 326 PM CDT A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 105 MILES NORTHWEST
OF FARGO NORTH DAKOTA NEAR MICHIGAN IN NORTH NELSON COUNTY NORTH
DAKOTA.  THIS STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR AND
PRODUCING TORRENTIAL RAINFALL...SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS. THIS
STORM SHOULD MOVE TO FORDVILLE IN SOUTH CENTRAL WALSH COUNTY BY
415PM.
&&
OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SEVERAL WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WERE
SCATTERED ACROSS MUCH OF EAST NORTH DAKOTA...NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL
MINNESOTA.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

THESE STORMS EXTENDED FROM NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA TO THE
CANDADIAN SIDE OF LAKE OF THE WOODS. THE AREA WAS ABOUT 285
MILES WIDE.
&&
CAVALIER AND PEMBINA COUNTIES HAVE ACCUMULATED RAINFALL AMOUNTS
IN EXCESS OF 8-10 INCHES TODAY.  THESE AREAS HAVE NUMEROUS SECONDARY
COUNTY ROADS THAT ARE IMPASSABLE AND/OR UNSAFE FOR TRAVEL.

BEFORE TRAVELING IN THESE AREAS...CONTACT THE COUNTY SHERIFF FOR
INFORMATION REGARDING ROAD CONDITIONS.

PLEASE STAY TUNED TO LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR THE LATEST WEATHER
INFORMATION.
BENNETT
Special weather statement, Aug 18, 3:46 PM CDT, 1 hour 8 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND SHORT TERM FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
330 PM CDT FRI AUG 18 1995

NDZ007-008-016-026>030-038-039-049-052-053-MNZ001>004-
007>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-039-040- 182145-
EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND THE NORTHWEST QUARTER OF MINNESOTA

.NOW...
...HEAVY RAIN PRODUCING THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER THE AREA...
AT 326 PM CDT A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 105 MILES NORTHWEST
OF FARGO NORTH DAKOTA NEAR MICHIGAN IN NORTH NELSON COUNTY NORTH
DAKOTA.  THIS STORM WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR AND
PRODUCING TORRENTIAL RAINFALL...SMALL HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS. THIS
STORM SHOULD MOVE TO FORDVILLE IN SOUTH CENTRAL WALSH COUNTY BY
415PM.
&&
OTHER SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SEVERAL WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN WERE
SCATTERED ACROSS MUCH OF EAST NORTH DAKOTA...NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL
MINNESOTA.

THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.

THESE STORMS EXTENDED FROM NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA TO THE
CANDADIAN SIDE OF LAKE OF THE WOODS. THE AREA WAS ABOUT 285
MILES WIDE.
&&
CAVALIER AND PEMBINA COUNTIES HAVE ACCUMULATED RAINFALL AMOUNTS
IN EXCESS OF 8-10 INCHES TODAY.  THESE AREAS HAVE NUMEROUS SECONDARY
COUNTY ROADS THAT ARE IMPASSABLE AND/OR UNSAFE FOR TRAVEL.

BEFORE TRAVELING IN THESE AREAS...CONTACT THE COUNTY SHERIFF FOR
INFORMATION REGARDING ROAD CONDITIONS.

PLEASE STAY TUNED TO LOCAL MEDIA OUTLETS FOR THE LATEST WEATHER
INFORMATION.
BENNETT
Special weather statement, Aug 18, 4:45 PM CDT, 9 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND SHORT TERM FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
445 PM CDT FRI AUG 18 1995

NDZ007-008-016-026>030-038-039-049-052-053-MNZ001>004-
007>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-039-040-182245-
EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND THE NORTHWEST QUARTER OF MINNESOTA

.NOW...
AT 427 PM CDT...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS SOME WHICH CONTAINED VERY
RAIN WERE OCCURRING OVER PARTS OF NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL NORTH
DAKOTA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED OVER A 15 MILE WIDE AREA WHICH
EXTENDED FROM NEAR THE RED RIVER 30 MILES NORTH OF GRAND FORKS IN
EXTREME NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA TO SOUTH OF FINLEY IN EAST CENTRAL
NORTH DAKOTA. VERY HEAVY RAIN HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE STORMS OVER
THE LAST SEVERAL HOURS.
&&
PERSONS OVER GRAND FORKS...NORTHERN STEELE...NORTHERN TRAILL AND
WALSH COUNTIES OF NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA MAY
EXPERIENCE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN BETWEEN 5 AND
6 PM. GUSTY WINDS ALONG WITH DANGEROUS LIGHTNING AND LARGE HAIL
MAY ALSO ACCOMPANY THESE STORMS.

OTHER SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER NORTHEAST
NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA. THIS ACTIVITY WAS MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.
&&
SPIES
Special weather statement, Aug 18, 4:54 PM CDT, 0 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT AND SHORT TERM FORECAST
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FARGO ND
445 PM CDT FRI AUG 18 1995

NDZ007-008-016-026>030-038-039-049-052-053-MNZ001>004-
007>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-039-040-182245-
EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND THE NORTHWEST QUARTER OF MINNESOTA

.NOW...
AT 427 PM CDT...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS SOME WHICH CONTAINED VERY
RAIN WERE OCCURRING OVER PARTS OF NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL NORTH
DAKOTA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED OVER A 15 MILE WIDE AREA WHICH
EXTENDED FROM NEAR THE RED RIVER 30 MILES NORTH OF GRAND FORKS IN
EXTREME NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA TO SOUTH OF FINLEY IN EAST CENTRAL
NORTH DAKOTA. VERY HEAVY RAIN HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE STORMS OVER
THE LAST SEVERAL HOURS.
&&
PERSONS OVER GRAND FORKS...NORTHERN STEELE...NORTHERN TRAILL AND
WALSH COUNTIES OF NORTHEAST AND EAST CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA MAY
EXPERIENCE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAIN BETWEEN 5 AND
6 PM. GUSTY WINDS ALONG WITH DANGEROUS LIfGHTNING AND LARGE HAIL
MAY ALSO ACCOMPANY THESE STORMS.

OTHER SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED OVER NORTHEAST
NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA. THIS ACTIVITY WAS MOVING
NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.
&&
SPIES

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 18, 5:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFMarshall, Pennington60 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Dakota, 1995Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Minnesota, 1995Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1995

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.