Alert archive / Minnesota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 166, NWS Grand Forks, ND
NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 18, 1998, 11:31 AM CDT for Grant County, Minnesota. It was in force for 34 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
- Jul 18, 1998, 11:31 AM CDT (16:31 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 18, 1998, 12:05 PM CDT
- In force
- 34 min
- Issued by
- NWS Grand Forks, ND
- Area
- Whole counties
County Grant County, MN
The radar
The Aberdeen radar (KABR), 194 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 16:35 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.
What was reported inside it
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 18, 11:49 AM CDT | Hail 0.75 | Herman, 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.
The nearest sounding before it
Aberdeen, SD (KABR), launched 12:00Z, 4.5 hours before the alert went out and 219 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 1629 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -175 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 970 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 50 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 116 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 175 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 1.2
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
304 WUUS1 KFAR 181633 RRA SVRFAR MNC051-181705- BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND 1131 AM CDT SAT JUL 18 1998 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... GRANT COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA * UNTIL 1205 PM CDT * AT 1130 AM CDT...DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDER- STORM 10 MILES NORTHWEST OF HERMAN...OR ABOUT 30 MILES SOUTHWEST OF FERGUS FALLS...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH. * THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... NORCROSS AT 1140 AM CDT HERMAN AT 1145 AM CDT IF SEVERE WEATHER IS OBSERVED CONTACT YOUR LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND ASK THEM TO RELAY YOUR INFORMATION TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. RA
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.
NWS Grand Forks, ND wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jul 18, 10:30 AM CDT, 1 hour 1 minute earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 18, 10:30 AM CDT, 1 hour 1 minute before
FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND 1030 AM CDT SAT JUL 18 1998 FIRST PERIOD DISCUSSION...N-S BKN LINE OF TSRA ESSENTIALLY ALNG RED RVR. MOVG SE ARND 30KT. STRM WERE ALNG A WM FNT ACRS ERN ND. ADAP SHOWING PRES FALLS ERN ND/NW MN ALNG WM FNT. LIS WERE LOWEST ACRS THE CNTRL DAKS. STLT SHOWG PLENTY OF CLR SKIES TO THE W AND SHOULD HEAT UP GOOD TDY. MIXG RATIOS STILL HIEST TO THE W. JET MAX/SHORT WV TO MOV INTO SRN MAN THIS AFTN MAY KEEP WX INTERESTING THIS AFTN. WL CHECK OVR ZONES. HOPPES
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Jul 18, 6:50 AM CDT, 4 hours 41 minutes before
MNZ001>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ006>008-014>016-024- 026>030-038-039-049-052-053-181200- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS 650 AM CDT SAT JUL 18 1998 ...SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER TODAY ACROSS EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA... A DEVELOPING LOW PRESSURE AREA AND ASSOCIATED WARM FRONT WILL PUSH ACROSS EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA THIS MORNING...TO BE FOLLOWED BY A COLD FRONT THIS AFTERNOON. WARMER AND MORE UNSTABLE AIR WILL MOVE INTO THE REGION WITH THE WARM-FRONT...SETTING OFF SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS THIS MORNING MAINLY ACROSS EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY CONTAIN LARGE HAIL. BY THIS AFTERNOON...THE COLD FRONT WILL ENCOUNTER THE MOIST AND UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE AND TRIGGER MORE THUNDERSTORMS. THE STORMS THAT DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO QUICKLY BECOME SEVERE. THE PREFERRED TIME FOR THE SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED TO BE MAINLY AFTER 2 PM FROM DEVILS LAKE TO GRAND FORKS...AFTER 3 PM IN THE FARGO AREA...AND AFTER 5 PM WEST-CENTRAL AND THE LAKES COUNTRY OF MINNESOTA. LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND AN ISOLATED TORNADO ARE ALL POSSIBLE LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. IN ADDITION...BY THIS EVENING THE MAIN THREAT MAY ONCE AGAIN TURN TOWARDS VERY HEAVY RAINS ACROSS THE LAKES COUNTRY AS THE STORMS SLIDE SOUTHEAST TOWARD CENTRAL AND EVENTUALLY SOUTHERN MINNESOTA TONIGHT. THEREFORE...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN POSTED FOR THIS AREA FOR TONIGHT. PLEASE STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE SOURCE OF WEATHER INFORMATION ON THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER LATER TODAY. THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK WILL BE UPDATED THIS AFTERNOON IF CONDITIONS WARRANT. SOROKA
Special weather statement, Jul 18, 6:50 AM CDT, 4 hours 41 minutes before
MNZ001>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ006>008-014>016-024- 026>030-038-039-049-052-053-181200- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS 650 AM CDT SAT JUL 18 1998 ...SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER TODAY ACROSS EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA... A DEVELOPING LOW PRESSURE AREA AND ASSOCIATED WARM FRONT WILL PUSH ACROSS EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA THIS MORNING...TO BE FOLLOWED BY A COLD FRONT THIS AFTERNOON. WARMER AND MORE UNSTABLE AIR WILL MOVE INTO THE REGION WITH THE WARM-FRONT...SETTING OFF SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS THIS MORNING MAINLY ACROSS EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA. SOME OF THESE STORMS MAY CONTAIN LARGE HAIL. BY THIS AFTERNOON...THE COLD FRONT WILL ENCOUNTER THE MOIST AND UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE AND TRIGGER MORE THUNDERSTORMS. THE STORMS THAT DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO QUICKLY BECOME SEVERE. THE PREFERRED TIME FOR THE SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED TO BE MAINLY AFTER 2 PM FROM DEVILS LAKE TO GRAND FORKS...AFTER 3 PM IN THE FARGO AREA...AND AFTER 5 PM WEST-CENTRAL AND THE LAKES COUNTRY OF MINNESOTA. LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND AN ISOLATED TORNADO ARE ALL POSSIBLE LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. IN ADDITION...BY THIS EVENING THE MAIN THREAT MAY ONCE AGAIN TURN TOWARDS VERY HEAVY RAINS ACROSS THE LAKES COUNTRY AS THE STORMS SLIDE SOUTHEAST TOWARD CENTRAL AND EVENTUALLY SOUTHERN MINNESOTA TONIGHT. THEREFORE...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN POSTED FOR THIS AREA FOR TONIGHT. PLEASE STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR FAVORITE SOURCE OF WEATHER INFORMATION ON THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER LATER TODAY. THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK WILL BE UPDATED THIS AFTERNOON IF CONDITIONS WARRANT. SOROKA
Special weather statement, Jul 18, 11:27 AM CDT, 4 minutes before
MNZ001>004-007-008-013>015-022-027>031-NDZ006>008-014>016-024- 026>030-038-039-049-052-053-181830- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND 1127 AM CDT SAT JUL 18 1998 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR PARTS OF EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA... THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA HAVE BEEN DROPPED FROM THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH #748: TOWNER...CAVALIER...RAMSEY...BENSON...EDDY...PEMBINA...WALSH... NELSON...GRAND FORKS...GRIGGS...STEELE...AND TRAILL AND IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES HAVE ALSO BEEN CANCELLED: KITTSON...MARSHALL...AND WEST POLK. HOWEVER THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1PM CDT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA: BARNES...CASS...RANSOM...SARGENT...RICHLAND. AND THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA ALSO REMAIN IN EFFECT: PENNINGTON...RED LAKE...EAST POLK...NORMAN...MAHNOMEN... BECKER...CLAY...OTTER TAIL AND WILKIN. A WATCH MEANS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA. STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL MEDIA...CABLE TELEVISION OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND WARNINGS. HOPPE\S
Special weather statement, Jul 18, 11:27 AM CDT, 4 minutes before
MNZ001>004-007-008-013>015-022-027>031-NDZ006>008-014>016-024- 026>030-038-039-049-052-053-181830- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND 1127 AM CDT SAT JUL 18 1998 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR PARTS OF EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA... THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA HAVE BEEN DROPPED FROM THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH #748: TOWNER...CAVALIER...RAMSEY...BENSON...EDDY...PEMBINA...WALSH... NELSON...GRAND FORKS...GRIGGS...STEELE...AND TRAILL AND IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES HAVE ALSO BEEN CANCELLED: KITTSON...MARSHALL...AND WEST POLK. HOWEVER THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1PM CDT FOR THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA: BARNES...CASS...RANSOM...SARGENT...RICHLAND. AND THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA ALSO REMAIN IN EFFECT: PENNINGTON...RED LAKE...EAST POLK...NORMAN...MAHNOMEN... BECKER...CLAY...OTTER TAIL AND WILKIN. A WATCH MEANS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE IN AND NEAR THE WATCH AREA. STAY TUNED TO YOUR LOCAL MEDIA...CABLE TELEVISION OR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND WARNINGS. HOPPE\S
The office that day
Everything else NWS Grand Forks, ND issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 18, 11:07 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FGF | Wilkin | 33 min |
| Jul 18, 11:44 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FGF | Kittson | 31 min |
| Jul 18, 12:15 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FGF | Kittson, Roseau | 50 min |
| Jul 18, 3:16 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FGF | Beltrami | 44 min |
| Jul 18, 5:14 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FGF | Pennington | 31 min |
| Jul 18, 5:41 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FGF | Pennington | 34 min |
| Jul 18, 6:01 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FGF | Red Lake | 49 min |
| Jul 18, 6:33 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FGF | Polk | 32 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Minnesota, 1998Every severe thunderstorm warning in 1998
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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.