Alert archive / Minnesota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1997

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 1, NWS Grand Forks, ND

April 26, 1997Clay County, Minnesota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 26, 1997, 7:24 PM CDT for Clay County, Minnesota. It was in force for 26 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
Apr 26, 1997, 7:24 PM CDT (00:24 UTC)
Expired
Apr 26, 1997, 7:50 PM CDT
In force
26 min
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND
Area
Whole counties

County Clay County, MN

The radar

The Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 95 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:24 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

Aberdeen, SD (KABR), launched 00:00Z, 0.4 hours before the alert went out and 266 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, Aberdeen, SD at 00:00Z on 1997-04-27Temperature 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, Aberdeen, SD at 00:00Z on 1997-04-27The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -22 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1673 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
9 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-22 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-12 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.

153 
WUUS1 KFAR 270026 RRA
SVRFAR
MNC027-270050-
 
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
724 PM CDT SAT APR 26 1997
 
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING EFFECTIVE UNTIL  750 PM CDT
FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATION...
 
IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA
 
   ...NORTHERN CLAY COUNTY
 
AT 723 PM A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WAS ALONG THE NORTH DAKOTA/MINNESOTA
BODER EAST OF ARGUSVILLE NORTH DAKOTA OR 15 MILES NORTH OF FARGO. CITIES
IN THE PATH OF STORM INCLUDE GEORGETOWN AND FELTON MINNESOTA. THE STORM
WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MILES AN HOUR.
 
REMEMBER SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO
PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.

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, 4:56 PM CDT, 2 hours 28 minutes before
MNZ001>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ006>008-014>016-024-
026>030-038-039-049-052-053-270000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
456 PM CDT SAT APR 26 1997

...SMALL HAIL AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINS MOVING OVER THE LAKES COUNTRY AND
SOUTHERN VALLEY...

AT 440 PM SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW OF THEM STRONG...EXTENDED
FROM NEAR BEMIDJI MINNESOTA SOUTHWEST TO JUST NORTH OF FARGO TO WEST OF
LISBON. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN THE FARGO AREA AND WEST OF
LISBON NEAR ENGLEVALE. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE DEADLY
LIGHTNING...MARBLE SIZED HAIL AND RAINFALLS UP TO ONE-HALF AN INCH.
WHILE THE RAINFALLS WILL NOT AFFECT THE OVERALL FLOODING SITUATION...
LOCALIZED STREET FLOODING MAY OCCUR AS MANY DRAINAGE SYSTEMS REMAIN
NEAR MAXIMUM CAPACITY.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT THE BEMIDJI...MAHNOMEN...LAKE PARK
...KINDRED AND LISBON AREAS THROUGH 630 PM. THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD MOVE
OUT OF THE FARGO AREA BY 530 PM CDT.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST NORTH
DAKOTA...SCATTERED FROM THE CANADIAN BORDER NORTH OF LANGDON TO CANDO
AND LEEDS NORTH DAKOTA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE TO A WALHALLA
...DEVILS LAKE AND OBERRON LINE BY 630 PM. THE STRONGER STORMS WILL
PRODUCE MARBLE SIZED HAIL AND RAINFALLS UP TO ONE-THIRD OF AN INCH.

EWENS
Special weather statement, Apr 26, 4:59 PM CDT, 2 hours 25 minutes before
MNZ001>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ006>008-014>016-024-
026>030-038-039-049-052-053-270000-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
456 PM CDT SAT APR 26 1997

...SMALL HAIL AND BRIEF HEAVY RAINS MOVING OVER THE LAKES COUNTRY AND
SOUTHERN VALLEY...

AT 440 PM SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS...A FEW OF THEM STRONG...EXTENDED
FROM NEAR BEMIDJI MINNESOTA SOUTHWEST TO JUST NORTH OF FARGO TO WEST OF
LISBON. THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS WERE IN THE FARGO AREA AND WEST OF
LISBON NEAR ENGLEVALE. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PRODUCE DEADLY
LIGHTNING...MARBLE SIZED HAIL AND RAINFALLS UP TO ONE-HALF AN INCH.
WHILE THE RAINFALLS WILL NOT AFFECT THE OVERALL FLOODING SITUATION...
LOCALIZED STREET FLOODING MAY OCCUR AS MANY DRAINAGE SYSTEMS REMAIN
NEAR MAXIMUM CAPACITY.

THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT THE BEMIDJI...MAHNOMEN...LAKE PARK
...KINDRED AND LISBON AREAS THROUGH 630 PM. THUNDERSTORMS SHOULD MOVE
OUT OF THE FARGO AREA BY 530 PM CDT.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST NORTH
DAKOTA...SCATTERED FROM THE CANADIAN BORDER NORTH OF LANGDON TO CANDO
AND LEEDS NORTH DAKOTA. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE TO A WALHALLA
...DEVILS LAKE AND OBERRON LINE BY 630 PM. THE STRONGER STORMS WILL
PRODUCE MARBLE SIZED HAIL AND RAINFALLS UP TO ONE-THIRD OF AN INCH.

EWENS
Special weather statement, Apr 26, 5:52 PM CDT, 1 hour 32 minutes before
MNZ001>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ006>008-014>016-024-
026>030-038-039-049-052-053-270045-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
552 PM CDT SAT APR 26 1997

...WIDELY SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER THE REGION...

AT 550 PM A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR CANDO NORTH DAKOTA...35 MILES
NORTHWEST OF DEVILS LAKE. THIS STORM WILL MOVE EAST AND AFFECT THE
STARKWEATHER AREA THROUGH 630 PM CDT. STRONG WINDS...PEA SIZED HAIL AND
BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAINS WILL ACCOMPANY THIS STORM.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED FROM THE UPPER LAKES TO THE FARGO AREA
THEN TO LISBON. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AND A FEW WILL
CONTAIN PEA SIZED HAIL AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN.

NOAH
Special weather statement, Apr 26, 5:54 PM CDT, 1 hour 30 minutes before
MNZ001>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ006>008-014>016-024-
026>030-038-039-049-052-053-270045-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
552 PM CDT SAT APR 26 1997

...WIDELY SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER THE REGION...

AT 550 PM A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR CANDO NORTH DAKOTA...35 MILES
NORTHWEST OF DEVILS LAKE. THIS STORM WILL MOVE EAST AND AFFECT THE
STARKWEATHER AREA THROUGH 630 PM CDT. STRONG WINDS...PEA SIZED HAIL AND
BRIEF VERY HEAVY RAINS WILL ACCOMPANY THIS STORM.

OTHER THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUED FROM THE UPPER LAKES TO THE FARGO AREA
THEN TO LISBON. THESE STORMS WERE MOVING NORTHEAST AND A FEW WILL
CONTAIN PEA SIZED HAIL AND BRIEF HEAVY RAIN.

NOAH
Special weather statement, Apr 26, 6:36 PM CDT, 48 minutes before
MNZ001>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ006>008-014>016-024-
026>030-038-039-049-052-053-270130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
636 PM CDT SAT APR 26 1997

...WIDELY SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER THE REGION...

AT 630 PM A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS BETWEEN CHURCHS FERRY AND
PENN...ABOUT 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF DEVILS LAKE. THIS STORM WILL AFFECT
THE DEVILS LAKE AND WEBSTER AREAS WITH BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...SMALL
HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 45 MPH.

OTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER SOUTHWEST CASS/NORTHERN RANSOM
COUNTY LINE AREA...25 MILES SOUTHWEST OF FARGO NEAR LEONARD. THIS STORM
WILL AFFECT WALCOTT AND HICKSON AREAS BETWEEN 7 AND 730 PM. A STRONG
THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER NORTHWEST BECKER COUNTY IN THE OGEMA AREA...25
MILES NORTHWEST OF DETROIT LAKES MINNESOTA.

BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO NEAR
45 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS. RAINFALLS OF UP TO
ONE-HALF AN INCH IN UNDER ONE HOUR ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGER
STORMS. ALTHOUGH THIS WILL HAVE A MINIMAL AFFECT ON THE OVERALL
FLOODING,,,LOCALIZED STREET FLOODING AND PONDING OF WATER IS LIKELY DUE
TO THE FACT THAT MANY STORM DRAINAGE SYSTEMS REMAIN AT MAXIMUM
CAPACITY.

EWENS
Special weather statement, Apr 26, 6:38 PM CDT, 46 minutes before
MNZ001>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ006>008-014>016-024-
026>030-038-039-049-052-053-270130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
636 PM CDT SAT APR 26 1997

...WIDELY SCATTERED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE OVER THE REGION...

AT 630 PM A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS BETWEEN CHURCHS FERRY AND
PENN...ABOUT 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF DEVILS LAKE. THIS STORM WILL AFFECT
THE DEVILS LAKE AND WEBSTER AREAS WITH BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...SMALL
HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO NEAR 45 MPH.

OTHER STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE OVER SOUTHWEST CASS/NORTHERN RANSOM
COUNTY LINE AREA...25 MILES SOUTHWEST OF FARGO NEAR LEONARD. THIS STORM
WILL AFFECT WALCOTT AND HICKSON AREAS BETWEEN 7 AND 730 PM. A STRONG
THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER NORTHWEST BECKER COUNTY IN THE OGEMA AREA...25
MILES NORTHWEST OF DETROIT LAKES MINNESOTA.

BRIEF HEAVY RAIN...SMALL HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING AND WIND GUSTS TO NEAR
45 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS. RAINFALLS OF UP TO
ONE-HALF AN INCH IN UNDER ONE HOUR ARE ALSO POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGER
STORMS. ALTHOUGH THIS WILL HAVE A MINIMAL AFFECT ON THE OVERALL
FLOODING,,,LOCALIZED STREET FLOODING AND PONDING OF WATER IS LIKEfLY DUE
TO THE FACT THAT MANY STORM DRAINAGE SYSTEMS REMAIN AT MAXIMUM
CAPACITY.

EWENS

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Minnesota, 1997Every severe thunderstorm 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.