Alert archive / Minnesota / Flash Flood Warnings in 1997

Flash Flood Warning 20, NWS Grand Forks, ND

July 1, 1997Red Lake County, Minnesota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this flash flood warning at Jul 1, 1997, 7:17 PM CDT for Red Lake County, Minnesota. It was in force for 118 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
Jul 1, 1997, 7:17 PM CDT (00:17 UTC)
Expired
Jul 1, 1997, 9:15 PM CDT
In force
118 min
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND
Area
Whole counties

County Red Lake County, MN

The radar

The Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 100 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:18 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

International Fa, MN (KINL), launched 00:00Z, 0.3 hours before the alert went out and 221 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 00:00Z on 1997-07-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1091 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 00:00Z on 1997-07-02The 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
1091 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-10 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1256 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
23 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
37 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
10 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
TTAA00 KFAR 020018
FFWFAR
MNC125-020215-
 
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
717 PM CDT TUE JUL 1 1997
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A
FLASH FLOOD WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  915 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA
 
   ...WESTERN RED LAKE COUNTY
 
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS LOCATED OVER SOUTH CENTRAL RED LAKE COUNTY CONTINUE
TO MOVE SLOWLY NORTHWEST ACROSS THE COUNTY. AT 710 PM THE STORMS WERE 5
MILES SOUTHEAST OF RED LAKE FALLS...OR 40 MILES EAST OF GRAND FORKS.
DOPPLER RADAR RAINFALL ESTIMATES INDICATE THAT 2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN
HAS FALLEN OVER THE PAST HOUR.
 
PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS AND RAPIDLY FILLING OR OVERSPILLING
OF DITCHES IS LIKELY. PEOPLE ALONG THE THIEF RIVER AND THE BLACK RIVER
WILL NEED TO WATCH FOR RISING WATER AND BE PREPARED TO MOVE TO HIGHER
GROUND IF NEEDED.
 
A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT0 FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IS
IMMINENT.  MOST FLASH FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES.  DO NOT
ATTEMPT TO CROSS BRIDGES...DIPS OR LOW SPOTS IF WATER COVERS
THE ROADWAY.  TO ESCAPE RISING WATER...MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.
 
KENNEDY

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Grand Forks, ND wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood warning went out at Jul 1, 2:15 PM CDT, 5 hours 2 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 1, 2:15 PM CDT, 5 hours 2 minutes before
FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
215 PM CDT TUE JUL 1 1997

WL KEEP SHORT WITH CONVECTION FIRING ACRS AREA.  FRONTAL BOUNDARY /THE
ONE I EARLIER SAID WD REMAIN STATIONARY/ NOW SLOWLY MOVING NORTH WITH
STG STHRLY FLOW AHEAD OF LOW. FRONT NOW XTNDS ROUGHLY FM JMS...TO
GFK...TO ROX...WITH GFK DWPT SHOOTING UP FM 59 TO 65 IN ONE HOUR.  KMVX
88D NOW SHOWING SOME STG CONVECTION FIRING UP OVER SOUTHEAST ND...JUST
ALONG AND S OF THIS FNT. MODELS IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT WITH
LOCATION/SPEED OF SYSTEM...BRINGING SFC LOW IN GENERAL VCNTY OF FSE/DTL
BY 12Z. GIVEN TRACK OF SYSTEM...STILL THINK HVY PCPN LIKELY ACRS CWA
WITH NRN HALF OF CWA RECEIVING MAJORITY OF PCPN FROM OVERRUNNING AND SRN
HALF OF CWA RCVG MORE FM STG CONVECTION. REGARDLESS OF HOW PCPN
FALLS...STILL EXPCT HIGH PCPN AMTS SO WL KEEP FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN
PLACE THRU TONIGHT ACRS ENTR CWA.

SUGGESTIONS FOR ND...KEEP FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR ALL ND CWA.
  FOR DVL...WD INCLUDE PEMBINA AND WALSH IN THIS GROUP...FEEL NO MENTION
OF SVR NEEDED.  WINDY WITH SHOWERS AND TSTMS.  VERY HEAVY RAIN AND
FLOODING PSBL.  GUSTY NORTHEAST WIND 15-30.  LOW MID-UPR 50S.
  FOR GFK...WINDY WITH SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME MAY BE SEVERE
THIS EVENING.  VERY HEAVY RAIN AND FLOODING PSBL.  NORTHEAST WIND
INCREASING TO 15 TO 30 MPH.  LOW UPPR 50S-LOW 60S.
  FOR FAR...SAME AS GFK EXCPT WND BCMG NORTHEAST AND INCRG TO 15-30 MPH.
LOW 60-65.

SUGGESTIONS FOR MN...KEEP FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR ALL MN CWA.
  BREAK OFF NRN PTN OF KITTSON...ROSEAU...L.O.W...MARSHALL.  SHOWERS
AND TSTMS /NO SVR MENTION/.  VERY HEAVY RAIN POSSIBLE.  WIND NORTHEAST
10 TO 20.  LOWS 55-60.
  FOR RMDR...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...SOME TSTMS PSBLY SEVERE THIS
EVENING.  WIND EAST-SE 10-20...LOWS 60-65.

STRAGER

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 1, 6:00 PM CDT, 1 hour 17 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...DELAYED REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
600 PM CDT TUE JUL 01 1997

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0545 PM    MENTOR                    MN   1.00 INCH HAIL
07/01/97   POLK

 BELLES
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 6:02 PM CDT, 1 hour 15 minutes before
MNZ001>003-005-111-167-NDZ006>008-014>016-024-026>030-038-039-049-
052-053-020030-

HIGH WIND WARNING...CORRECTION LINE 3 FOR BECKER AND OTTER TAIL CNTYS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
602 PM CDT TUE JUL 1 1997

...HIGH WINDS WERE OCCURING IN PARTS OF EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA...

A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 730 PM FOR IN NORTH DAKOTA...
CASS AND RICHLAND. COUNTIES IN MINNESTOA INCLUDE WILKIN...CLAY...
WESTERN OTTER TAIL AND WESTERN BECKER COUNTIES. STRONG WINDS WILL
OCCUR THROUGH 730 PM BEHIND A THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX THAT MOVED THROUGH
THE AREA EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL LIKELY EXCEED 40 MPH FOR
OVER AN HOUR AND MAY HAVE SOME GUSTS OVER 60 MPH.

WAKE LOWS TYPICALLY FORM JUST TO THE REAR OF LARGE THUNDERSTORM
COMPLEXES AND CAN PRODUCE A PERIOD OF RELATIVELY HIGH EAST TO SOUTHEAST
WINDS GUSTING TO AROUND 40 MPH.  UNLIKE A TYPICAL THUNDERSTORM GUST
WHERE A FAIRLY SMALL AREA IS AFFECTED FOR ONLY A FEW MINUTES...WAKE
LOWS CAN PRODUCE STRONG WINDS OVER A MUCH LARGER AREA FOR A LONGER
PERIOD OF TIME.

IF YOU HAVE LOOSE ITEMS OUTDOORS YOU MAY WANT TO SECURE THEM.
SEEK SHELTER IF HIGH WINDS ARE OCCURRING IN YOUR AREA.

HOPPES
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 6:03 PM CDT, 1 hour 14 minutes before
MNZ001>003-005-111-167-NDZ006>008-014>016-024-026>030-038-039-049-
052-053-020030-

HIGH WIND WARNING...CORRECTION LINE 3 FOR BECKER AND OTTER TAIL CNTYS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
602 PM CDT TUE JUL 1 1997

...HIGH WINDS WERE OCCURING IN PARTS OF EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA...

A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 730 PM FOR IN NORTH DAKOTA...
CASS AND RICHLAND. COUNTIES IN MINNESTOA INCLUDE WILKIN...CLAY...
WESTERN OTTER TAIL AND WESTERN BECKER COUNTIES. STRONG WINDS WILL
OCCUR THROUGH 730 PM BEHIND A THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX THAT MOVED THROUGH
THE AREA EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL LIKELY EXCEED 40 MPH FOR
OVER AN HOUR AND MAY HAVE SOME GUSTS OVER 60 MPH.

WAKE LOWS TYPICALLY FORM JUST TO THE REAR OF LARGE THUNDERSTORM
COMPLEXES AND CAN PRODUCE A PERIOD OF RELATIVELY HIGH EAST TO SOUTHEAST
WINDS GUSTING TO AROUND 40 MPH.  UNLIKE A TYPICAL THUNDERSTORM GUST
WHERE A FAIRLY SMALL AREA IS AFFECTED FOR ONLY A FEW MINUTES...WAKE
LOWS CAN PRODUCE STRONG WINDS OVER A MUCH LARGER AREA FOR A LONGER
PERIOD OF TIME.

IF YOU HAVE LOOSE ITEMS OUTDOORS YOU MAY WANT TO SECURE THEM.
SEEK SHELTER IF HIGH WINDS ARE OCCURRING IN YOUR AREA.

HOPPES
Local storm report, Jul 1, 6:35 PM CDT, 42 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...DELAYED REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
635 PM CDT TUE JUL 01 1997

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0607 PM    MENTOR                    MN   TORNADO
07/01/97   POLK

 BELLES
Local storm report, Jul 1, 7:15 PM CDT, 2 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...DELAYED REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
717 PM CDT TUE JUL 01 1997

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....C$OUNTY LOCATION....

0648 PM    3 NE GENTILLY             MN   WIND DAMAGE
07/01/97   POLK

0705 PM    3 S RED LAKE FALLS        MN   0.75 INCH HAIL
07/01/97   RED LAKE

 BELLES
Local storm report, Jul 1, 7:17 PM CDT, 0 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...DELAYED REPORTS
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
717 PM CDT TUE JUL 01 1997

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE   ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

0648 PM    3 NE GENTILLY             MN   WIND DAMAGE
07/01/97   POLK

0705 PM    3 S RED LAKE FALLS        MN   0.75 INCH HAIL
07/01/97   RED LAKE

 BELLES

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 1, 7:21 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFRed Lake24 min
Jul 1, 7:40 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFGFPolk2 hr
Jul 1, 8:30 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFPolk30 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Minnesota, 1997Every flash flood warning 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.