Alert archive / South Dakota / Tornado Warnings in 1997

Tornado Warning 37, NWS Aberdeen, SD

August 2, 1997Dewey County, South Dakota

NWS Aberdeen, SD issued this tornado warning at Aug 2, 1997, 3:56 PM MDT for Dewey County, South Dakota. It was in force for 34 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Aug 2, 1997, 3:56 PM MDT (21:56 UTC)
Expired
Aug 2, 1997, 4:30 PM MDT
In force
34 min
Issued by
NWS Aberdeen, SD
Area
Whole counties

County Dewey County, SD

The radar

The Bismarck radar (KBIS), 180 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:59 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

The nearest sounding before it

Bismarck Municip, ND (KBIS), launched 12:00Z, 9.9 hours before the alert went out and 180 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, Bismarck Municip, ND at 12:00Z on 1997-08-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 929 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, Bismarck Municip, ND at 12:00Z on 1997-08-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 37 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
929 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-223 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1654 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
35 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
37 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
58 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.

109 
WFUS1 KABR 022156 RRA
TORABR
SDC041-022230-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ABERDEEN SD
456 PM CDT SAT AUG 2 1997

* TORNADO WARNING FOR
  SOUTHEASTERN DEWEY COUNTY - NORTH CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA

* UNTIL 430 PM MDT (530 PM CDT)
 
* SOME LOCATIONS AFFECTED
  EAST WHITLOCK CROSSING              AROUND 420 PM MDT

* AT 354 PM MDT...SPOTTERS REPORTED A TORNADO 28 MILES WEST OF
  GETTYSBURG OR 10 MILES WEST OF EAST WHITLOCK CROSSING MOVING EAST
  AT 25 MPH.

GO TO THE BASEMENT OR A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR

GS/DEE

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.

NWS Aberdeen, SD wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Aug 2, 9:31 AM MDT, 6 hours 25 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 2, 9:31 AM MDT, 6 hours 25 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR CENTRAL/NORTH CENTRAL/NORTHEAST SD
AND FOR TRAVERSE/BIG STONE COUNTIES OF MN
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ABERDEEN SD
1025 CDT SAT AUG 2 1997

WILL UPDATE SHORTLY TO INTRODUCE 30 PCT POPS THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS
NORTHERN TIER OF COUNTIES. WATER VAPOR LOOP SHOWS SHORT WAVE MOVING
THRU EASTERN MT INTO WRN DAKOTAS...WITH CLUSTER OF STORMS ALREADY IN
NW SD. AIR IS PLENTY UNSTABLE...ESPECIALLY IN EAST WITH HI DEWPOINTS.
ALSO MAKING SOME MINOR CHANGES TO WINDS AND MAX TEMPS.

.ABR...NONE

MIDDLEBROOKE

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 2, 10:45 AM MDT, 5 hours 11 minutes before
SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE  ABERDEEN SD
1145 AM CDT SAT AUG 2 1997

SDZ006>008-011-018>023-MNZ039-046-030500-
BIG STONE MN-BROWN-CLARK-CODINGTON-DAY-DEUEL-GRANT-HAMLIN-MARSHALL-
ROBERTS-SPINK-TRAVERSE MN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ABERDEEN...BRITTON...SISSETON...WEBSTER...
REDFIELD...CLARK...WATERTOWN...MILBANK...CASTLEWOOD...CLEAR LAKE...
WHEATON...ORTONVILLE
1145 AM CDT SAT AUG 2 1997

...SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT...

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON
OR THIS EVENING. A FEW OF THE STORMS MAY BE SEVERE...WITH LARGE HAIL AND
STRONG DAMAGING WINDS.

SDZ003>005-009-010-015>017-030500-
CAMPBELL-CORSON-DEWEY-EDMUNDS-FAULK-MCPHERSON-POTTER-WALWORTH-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MCINTOSH...MOUND CITY...EUREKA...MOBRIDGE...
ROSCOE...TIMBER LAKE...GETTYSBURG...FAULKTON
1145 AM CDT SAT AUG 2 1997

...SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THIS EVENING...

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON...AND
PERSIST INTO EARLY EVENING. ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE...WITH
LARGE HAIL AND STRONG DAMAGING WINDS.

SDZ033>037-045-048-051-030500-
BUFFALO-HAND-HUGHES-HYDE-JONES-LYMAN-STANLEY-SULLY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FT PIERRE...ONIDA...PIERRE...HIGHMORE...
MILLER...MURDO...PRESHO...FT THOMPSON
1145 AM CDT SAT AUG 2 1997

...SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THIS EVENING...

WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST FOR THIS EVENING. ONE OR TWO
OF THE STORMS MAY BE SEVERE...WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

.A WEAK DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS SOUTH DAKOTA THIS AFTERNOON...
AND INTO WESTERN MINNESOTA TONIGHT. AS THIS DISTURBANCE MOVES INTO
INCREASINGLY MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIR...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS IN WESTERN
SOUTH DAKOTA SHOULD STRENGTHEN AND BECOME BETTER ORGANIZED AS THEY MOVE
EAST ACROSS NORTHERN SOUTH DAKOTA. THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE STORMS
WILL BE IN NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...WHERE THE
BEST LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE IS LOCATED.

MIDDLEBROOKE
Special weather statement, Aug 2, 10:48 AM MDT, 5 hours 8 minutes before
SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE  ABERDEEN SD
1145 AM CDT SAT AUG 2 1997

SDZ006>008-011-018>023-MNZ039-046-030500-
BIG STONE MN-BROWN-CLARK-CODINGTON-DAY-DEUEL-GRANT-HAMLIN-MARSHALL-
ROBERTS-SPINK-TRAVERSE MN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ABERDEEN...BRITTON...SISSETON...WEBSTER...
REDFIELD...CLARK...WATERTOWN...MILBANK...CASTLEWOOD...CLEAR LAKE...
WHEATON...ORTONVILLE
1145 AM CDT SAT AUG 2 1997

...SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH TONIGHT...

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON
OR THIS EVENING. A FEW OF THE STORMS MAY BE SEVERE...WITH LARGE HAIL AND
STRONG DAMAGING WINDS.

SDZ003>005-009-010-015>017-030500-
CAMPBELL-CORSON-DEWEY-EDMUNDS-FAULK-MCPHERSON-POTTER-WALWORTH-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MCINTOSH...MOUND CITY...EUREKA...MOBRIDGE...
ROSCOE...TIMBER LAKE...GETTYSBURG...FAULKTON
1145 AM CDT SAT AUG 2 1997

...SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THIS EVENING...

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON...AND
PERSIST INTO EARLY EVENING. ISOLATED SEVERE STORMS ARE POSSIBLE...WITH
LARGE HAIL AND STRONG DAMAGING WINDS.

SDZ033>037-045-048-051-030500-
BUFFALO-HAND-HUGHES-HYDE-JONES-LYMAN-STANLEY-SULLY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...FT PIERRE...ONIDA...PIERRE...HIGHMORE...
MILLER...MURDO...PRESHO...FT THOMPSON
1145 AM CDT SAT AUG 2 1997

...SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH THIS EVENING...

WIDELY SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST FOR THIS EVENING. ONE OR TWO
OF THE STORMS MAY BE SEVERE...WITH LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS.

.A WEAK DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS SOUTH DAKOTA THIS AFTERNOON...
AND INTO WESTERN MINNESOTA TONIGHT. AS THIS DISTURBANCE MOVES INTO
INCREASINGLY MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIR...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS IN WESTERN
SOUTH DAKOTA SHOULD STRENGTHEN AND BECOME BETTER ORGANIZED AS THEY MOVE
EAST ACROSS NORTHERN SOUTH DAKOTA. THE BEST CHANCE FOR SEVERE STORMS
WILL BE IN NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...WHERE THE
BEST LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE IS LOCATED.

MIDDLEBROOKE
Special weather statement, Aug 2, 2:55 PM MDT, 1 hour 1 minute before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE  ABERDEEN SD
355 PM CDT SAT AUG 2 1997

SDZ004>007-009>011-016>020-022-034>037-048-051-030400-
BROWN-BUFFALO-CAMPBELL-CLARK-CODINGTON-DAY-EDMUNDS-FAULK-HAMLIN-HAND-
HUGHES-HYDE-LYMAN-MARSHALL-MCPHERSON-POTTER-SPINK-SULLY-WALWORTH-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MOUND CITY...EUREKA...ABERDEEN...BRITTON...
MOBRIDGE...ROSCOE...WEBSTER...GETTYSBURG...FAULKTON...REDFIELD...
CLARK...WATERTOWN...CASTLEWOOD...ONIDA...PIERRE...HIGHMORE...MILLER...
PRESHO...FT THOMPSON
355 PM CDT SAT AUG 2 1997

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST SOUTH
DAKOTA UNTIL 10 PM CDT...

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 10 PM THIS EVENING FOR A LARGE PORTION OF CENTRAL AND
NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA...MAINLY EAST OF THE RIVER. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
WITH LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND VERY HEAVY RAIN ARE POSSIBLE.

COMMUNITIES IN THE WATCH INCLUDE MOBRIDGE...GETTYSBURG...PIERRE...
PRESHO...ABERDEEN...FAULKTON...FORT THOMPSON...REDFIELD...BRITTON...
SISSETON...AND WATERTOWN.

IF YOU LIVE IN OR NEAR THE WATCH AREA...BE ALERT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER. SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY IF A WARNING IS ISSUED.

MIDDLEBROOKE
Special weather statement, Aug 2, 3:00 PM MDT, 56 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE  ABERDEEN SD
355 PM CDT SAT AUG 2 1997

SDZ004>007-009>011-016>020-022-034>037-048-051-030400-
BROWN-BUFFALO-CAMPBELL-CLARK-CODINGTON-DAY-EDMUNDS-FAULK-HAMLIN-HAND-
HUGHES-HYDE-LYMAN-MARSHALL-MCPHERSON-POTTER-SPINK-SULLY-WALWORTH-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MOUND CITY...EUREKA...ABERDEEN...BRITTON...
MOBRIDGE...ROSCOE...WEBSTER...GETTYSBURG...FAULKTON...REDFIELD...
CLARK...WATERTOWN...CASTLEWOOD...ONIDA...PIERRE...HIGHMORE...MILLER...
PRESHO...FT THOMPSON
355 PM CDT SAT AUG 2 1997

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST SOUTH
DAKOTA UNTIL 10 PM CDT...

THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER HAS ISSUED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 10 PM THIS EVENING FOR A LARGE PORTION OF CENTRAL AND
NORTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA...MAINLY EAST OF THE RIVER. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
WITH LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND VERY HEAVY RAIN ARE POSSIBLE.

COMMUNITIES IN THE WATCH INCLUDE MOBRIDGE...GETTYSBURG...PIERRE...
PRESHO...ABERDEEN...FAULKTON...FORT THOMPSON...REDFIELD...BRITTON...
SISSETON...AND WATERTOWN.

IF YOU LIVE IN OR NEAR THE WATCH AREA...BE ALERT FOR THREATENING
WEATHER. SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY IF A WARNING IS ISSUED.

MIDDLEBROOKE

The office that day

Everything else NWS Aberdeen, SD issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 2, 3:17 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningABRBrown, Spink48 min
Aug 2, 3:24 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningABRCampbell61 min
Aug 2, 3:28 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningABRSully62 min
Aug 2, 3:41 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningABRBrown, Marshall59 min
Aug 2, 4:05 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningABRSpink50 min
Aug 2, 4:10 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningABRPotter65 min
Aug 2, 4:42 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningABRMarshall48 min
Aug 2, 5:08 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningABRSully47 min
Aug 2, 5:13 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningABRSpink47 min
Aug 2, 5:32 PM MDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningABRDay63 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in South Dakota, 1997Every tornado warning in 1997Tornadoes in 1997

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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.