Alert archive / Minnesota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 1998

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 249, NWS Grand Forks, ND

September 26, 1998Otter Tail County, Wadena County, Minnesota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Sep 26, 1998, 2:34 AM CDT for Otter Tail County, Wadena County, Minnesota. It was in force for 31 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
Sep 26, 1998, 2:34 AM CDT (07:34 UTC)
Expired
Sep 26, 1998, 3:05 AM CDT
In force
31 min
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND
Area
Whole counties

Counties Otter Tail County, MN, Wadena County, MN

The radar

The Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 189 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 07:33 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Sep 26, 2:40 AM CDTHail 1New York Mills, 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 watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Sep 26, 12:00 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 00:00Z, 7.6 hours before the alert went out and 228 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, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 1998-09-26Temperature 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, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 1998-09-26The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 247 square meters per square second.1939587897117Sfc1 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
1859 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
74 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
247 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
276 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.

672 
WUUS1 KFAR 260735 RRA
SVRFAR
MNC111-159-260805-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
234 AM CDT SAT SEP 26 1998

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  EASTERN OTTER TAIL COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA
  WADENA COUNTY IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA

* UNTIL 305 AM CDT

* AT 233 AM CDT...RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM NEAR NEW YORK
  MILLS...OR 40 MILES NORTHEAST OF FERGUS FALLS. MOVEMENT WAS
  NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
  BLUFTON AT 245 AM CDT
  SEBEKA AT 250 AM CDT

DAMAGING WIND...LARGE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING AND TORNADOES ARE
ALL POSSIBLE IN SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. SEEK SHELTER IN A REINFORCED
BUILDING IMMEDIATELY

KELLENBENZ

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 Sep 25, 8:10 PM CDT, 6 hours 24 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Sep 25, 8:10 PM CDT, 6 hours 24 minutes before
FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
810 PM CDT FRI SEP 25 1998

FCST CHALLENGE TONIGHT...SHOWERS.

21Z RUC AND EARLIER MODELS SHOWED WIDESPREAD 850MB WARM ADVECTION
TAKING PLACE THIS EVENING.  850 THETA-E ADVECTION ALSO
IMPRESSIVE...WITH THIS AREA SLIDING NORTHEAST INTO MN OVERNIGHT.
CURRENT 88D SHOWS MAIN BAND OF PCPN FROM SOUTH OF DVL EAST TO NR BJI...
MOVING NORTHEAST AT ABOUT 30KT.  SOME LIGHTNING STRIKES FROM TIME TO
TIME AS MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES ARE MARGINALLY SUPORTIVE OF THUNDER.

12Z MODELS DID NOT INDICATE CURRENT PCPN PATTERN WELL...BUT SHOWED
GENERAL FLOW AND 850 WARM ADVECTION OK.

BASED ON CURRENT SATELLITE AND LATEST RUC EXPECT SHOWERS TO CONTINUE TO
MOVE NORTHEAST AND GRADUALLY END OVERNIGHT.

WILL NEED TO UPDATE DVL ZONE AS NO PCPN IS CURRENTLY IN FCST.  88D
SHOWS PCPN KNOCKING ON BENSON COUNTY DOORSTEP SO WILL UPDATE TO ADD
SCAT SHRA/TSRA TONIGHT.  WILL HAVE SCT SHRA/TSRA REST OF CWFA TONIGHT.

WILL CHECK OVER LOW TEMP FCST...BUT ATTM THEY APPEAR OK.

WILL SEND UPDATE OUT BY 820 PM.

RIDDLE

In the hours before

Local storm report, Sep 26, 1:28 AM CDT, 1 hour 6 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA/GRAND FORKS
128 AM CDT SAT SEP 26 1998

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

0925 PM    4 SW ENGLEVALE            ND   .88 INCH HAIL
09/25/98   RANSOM

0930 PM    LEONARD                   ND   .75 INCH HAIL
09/25/98   CASS

0936 PM    8 SW LISBON               ND   .88 INCH HAIL
09/25/98   RANSOM                         HAIL 5 INCHES DEEP COVERED
                                          GROUND

0950 PM    5 E LISBON                ND   1.75 INCH HAIL
09/25/98   RANSOM

1045 PM    3 SE CHRISTINE            ND   WIND DAMAGE
09/25/98   RICHLAND                       50 FOOT RADIO TOWER
                                          KNOCKED DOWN

1115 PM    5 NW PELICAN RAPIDS       MN   .75 INCH HAIL
09/25/98   OTTER TAIL

1145 PM    PERHAM                    MN   WIND DAMAGE
09/25/98   OTTER TAIL                     WIND GUST OF 60 MPH

1155 PM    2 N OTTERTAIL             MN   WIND DAMAGE
09/25/98   OTTER TAIL                     TREES DOWN

1201 AM    NEW YORK MILLS            MN   1 INCH HAIL
09/26/98   OTTER TAIL

1210 AM    SEBEKA                    MN   .75 INCH HAIL
09/26/98   WADENA
Local storm report, Sep 26, 1:28 AM CDT, 1 hour 6 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA/GRAND FORKS
128 AM CDT SAT SEP 26 1998

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

0925 PM    4 SW ENGLEVALE            ND   .88 INCH HAIL
09/25/98   RANSOM

0930 PM    LEONARD                   ND   .75 INCH HAIL
09/25/98   CASS

0936 PM    8 SW LISBON               ND   .88 INCH HAIL
09/25/98   RANSOM                         HAIL 5 INCHES DEEP COVERED
                                          GROUND

0950 PM    5 E LISBON                ND   1.75 INCH HAIL
09/25/98   RANSOM

1045 PM    3 SE CHRISTINE            ND   WIND DAMAGE
09/25/98   RICHLAND                       50 FOOT RADIO TOWER
                                          KNOCKED DOWN

1115 PM    5 NW PELICAN RAPIDS       MN   .75 INCH HAIL
09/25/98   OTTER TAIL

1145 PM    PERHAM                    MN   WIND DAMAGE
09/25/98   OTTER TAIL                     WIND GUST OF 60 MPH

1155 PM    2 N OTTERTAIL             MN   WIND DAMAGE
09/25/98   OTTER TAIL                     TREES DOWN

1201 AM    NEW YORK MILLS            MN   1 INCH HAIL
09/26/98   OTTER TAIL

1210 AM    SEBEKA                    MN   .75 INCH HAIL
09/26/98   WADENA
Local storm report, Sep 26, 1:43 AM CDT, 51 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED FOR TIME AND LOCATION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA/GRAND FORKS
143 AM CDT SAT SEP 26 1998

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

0925 PM    4 SW ENGLEVALE            ND   .88 INCH HAIL
09/25/98   RANSOM

0936 PM    8 SW LISBON               ND   .88 INCH HAIL
09/25/98   RANSOM                         HAIL 5 INCHES DEEP COVERED
                                          GROUND IN LISBON

0950 PM    5 E LISBON                ND   1.75 INCH HAIL
09/25/98   RANSOM

1030 PM    LEONARD                   ND   .75 INCH HAIL
09/25/98   CASS

1045 PM    3 SE CHRISTINE            ND   WIND DAMAGE
09/25/98   RICHLAND                       50 FOOT RADIO TOWER
                                          KNOCKED DOWN

1115 PM    5 NW PELICAN RAPIDS       MN   .75 INCH HAIL
09/25/98   OTTER TAIL

1145 PM    PERHAM                    MN   WIND DAMAGE
09/25/98   OTTER TAIL                     WIND GUST OF 60 MPH

1155 PM    2 N OTTERTAIL             MN   WIND DAMAGE
09/25/98   OTTER TAIL                     TREES DOWN

1201 AM    NEW YORK MILLS            MN   1 INCH HAIL
09/26/98   OTTER TAIL

1210 AM    SEBEKA                    MN   .75 INCH HAIL
09/26/98   WADENA
Local storm report, Sep 26, 1:43 AM CDT, 51 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED FOR TIME AND LOCATION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA/GRAND FORKS
143 AM CDT SAT SEP 26 1998

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

0925 PM    4 SW ENGLEVALE            ND   .88 INCH HAIL
09/25/98   RANSOM

0936 PM    8 SW LISBON               ND   .88 INCH HAIL
09/25/98   RANSOM                         HAIL 5 INCHES DEEP COVERED
                                          GROUND IN LISBON

0950 PM    5 E LISBON                ND   1.75 INCH HAIL
09/25/98   RANSOM

1030 PM    LEONARD                   ND   .75 INCH HAIL
09/25/98   CASS

1045 PM    3 SE CHRISTINE            ND   WIND DAMAGE
09/25/98   RICHLAND                       50 FOOT RADIO TOWER
                                          KNOCKED DOWN

1115 PM    5 NW PELICAN RAPIDS       MN   .75 INCH HAIL
09/25/98   OTTER TAIL

1145 PM    PERHAM                    MN   WIND DAMAGE
09/25/98   OTTER TAIL                     WIND GUST OF 60 MPH

1155 PM    2 N OTTERTAIL             MN   WIND DAMAGE
09/25/98   OTTER TAIL                     TREES DOWN

1201 AM    NEW YORK MILLS            MN   1 INCH HAIL
09/26/98   OTTER TAIL

1210 AM    SEBEKA                    MN   .75 INCH HAIL
09/26/98   WADENA
Local storm report, Sep 26, 1:43 AM CDT, 51 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED FOR TIME AND LOCATION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA/GRAND FORKS
143 AM CDT SAT SEP 26 1998

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

0925 PM    4 SW ENGLEVALE            ND   .88 INCH HAIL
09/25/98   RANSOM

0936 PM    8 SW LISBON               ND   .88 INCH HAIL
09/25/98   RANSOM                         HAIL 5 INCHES DEEP COVERED
                                          GROUND IN LISBON

0950 PM    5 E LISBON                ND   1.75 INCH HAIL
09/25/98   RANSOM

1030 PM    LEONARD                   ND   .75 INCH HAIL
09/25/98   CASS

1045 PM    3 SE CHRISTINE            ND   WIND DAMAGE
09/25/98   RICHLAND                       50 FOOT RADIO TOWER
                                          KNOCKED DOWN

1115 PM    5 NW PELICAN RAPIDS       MN   .75 INCH HAIL
09/25/98   OTTER TAIL

1145 PM    PERHAM                    MN   WIND DAMAGE
09/25/98   OTTER TAIL                     WIND GUST OF 60 MPH

1155 PM    2 N OTTERTAIL             MN   WIND DAMAGE
09/25/98   OTTER TAIL                     TREES DOWN

1201 AM    NEW YORK MILLS            MN   1 INCH HAIL
09/26/98   OTTER TAIL

1210 AM    SEBEKA                    MN   .75 INCH HAIL
09/26/98   WADENA

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 25, 10:37 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFWilkin33 min
Sep 25, 11:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFBecker, Otter Tail31 min
Sep 25, 11:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFOtter Tail, Wadena45 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.