Alert archive / North Dakota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2001

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 271, NWS Grand Forks, ND

August 8, 2001Benson County, North Dakota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 8, 2001, 5:53 PM CDT for Benson County, North Dakota. It was in force for 52 min. 3 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline the Iowa Environmental Mesonet reconstructed for it; the warning itself named whole counties, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Aug 8, 2001, 5:53 PM CDT (22:53 UTC)
Expired
Aug 8, 2001, 6:45 PM CDT
In force
52 min
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND
Area
Whole counties; the outline is the Mesonet’s reconstruction

County Benson County, ND

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Aug 8, 5:55 PM CDTHail 1.5Orrin, ND
Aug 8, 6:23 PM CDTThunderstorm WindMaddock, NDBranches were blown down.
Aug 8, 6:40 PM CDTThunderstorm WindOberon, NDSeveral trees were blown over.

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

Bismarck Municip, ND (KBIS), launched 12:00Z, 10.9 hours before the alert went out and 154 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 2001-08-08Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 311 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Bismarck Municip, ND at 12:00Z on 2001-08-08The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 108 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
311 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-573 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1769 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
41 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
108 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
222 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.

750 
WUUS53 KFGF 082253
SVRFAR
NDC005-082345-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND-GRAND FORKS
553 PM CDT WED AUG 8 2001

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...

  SOUTHERN BENSON COUNTY IN NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA.

* UNTIL 645 PM CDT.

* AT 550 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF ESMOND...OR ABOUT 53
  MILES WEST OF DEVILS LAKE...MOVEMENT WAS TO THE EAST AT 45 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...

  ESMOND AT 605 PM...
  MADDOCK AT 620 PM...
  FLORA AT 625 PM AND
  OBERON AT 640 PM.

REMEMBER SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE
TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR
NORTHWEST MINNESOTA AND EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA.

LAT...LON 4805 10007 4788 10014 4786 9907 4803 9905


$$
DTR/06

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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 Aug 8, 2:02 PM CDT, 3 hours 51 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 8, 2:02 PM CDT, 3 hours 51 minutes before
FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
202 PM CDT WED AUG 8 2001

...MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE THIS PACKAGE IS CONVECTION WITH FROPA AND
THEN EXTENT OF COOLDOWN THEREAFTER...

.CURRENT OBSERVATIONAL OVERVIEW...
18Z MSAS ANALYSIS DEPICTED DOUBLE BARREL LOW STRUCTURE FROM EXTREME
SOUTHEAST MB PROVINCE TO NORTH CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA. SCATTERED
CONVECTION FIRING AHEAD OF FEATURE AND ASSOCIATED TROUGH FROM
EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA INTO MINNESOTA IN CONJUNCTION WITH STRONG
SURFACE-850MB WAA PUNCH...PER KMVX RADAR. FURTHER UPSTREAM PARENT
COLD FRONT WAS EVIDENT OVER NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA WITH GOOD
PRESSURE RISES NOTED IN WAKE OF BOUNDARY OVER MONTANA AND SASK
PROVINCE.

.FORECAST DETAILS...
THE GOOD NEWS IS MUCH WELCOME AND PROLONGED RELIEF ON THE WAY IN THE
FORM OF A STRONG COLD FRONT. HOWEVER...INITIALLY WE WILL HAVE TO THE
PAY THE PIPER IN THE PRICE OF SEVERE STORM THREAT THIS AFTN/EVE AS
INCREASING MOISTURE FLUX CONVERGENCE AND MID-LEVEL COOLING ENHANCES
CONVECTIVE POTENTIAL IN CONJUNCTION WITH FROPA. SEE SPC SWODY1 FOR
FURTHER DETAILS. EXPECT POP THREAT TO END FROM NW TO SE TONIGHT.
ALIGNED FLOW AND TIGHTENING PRESSURE GRADIENT SHOULD LEAD TO ACTIVE
NORTHWEST FLOW LATE TONIGHT AND THURSDAY AS MUCH COOLER AND LESS
HUMID AIR ADVECTS INTO THE REGION. LINGERING CYCLONIC FLOW COUPLED
WITH GOOD THICKNESS COOLING PROBABLY WILL LEAD TO DIURNAL DRIVEN
BROKEN CU DECK FORMATION ON THURSDAY. THESE FACTORS SHOULD RESULT IN
THE MERCURY STRUGGLING TO RISE MUCH OUT OF THE LOW TO MID 70S. WILL
MAKE GAME TIME DECISION ON WHETHER TO LINGER HEAT ADVISORY THIS
EVENING ACROSS SOUTHEAST ZONES.

.EXTENDED...UPPER LOW DROPS SOUTHEAST INTO LOWER HUDSON BAY BY EARLY
MONDAY WITH NORTHERN PLAINS UNDER NORTHWEST FLOW REGIME. PATTERN
SHIFTS A BIT TOWARD THE END OF THE PERIOD AS ANOTHER LOW PROGGED TO
DROP INTO THE PACIFIC NW WITH UPPER RIDGE STARTING TO REBUILD OVER
THE CENTRAL US. SEVERAL WEAK WAVES IN THE NORTHWEST FLOW SAT NIGHT
AND SUN MAY BRING A FEW SHOWERS. MRF HINTING AT OVERNIGHT CONVECTION
MON NIGHT/EARLY TUE...BUT THIS IS A BIG CHANGE FROM YESTERDAY AND
WILL LEAVE DRY FOR NOW. MEX/FMR NUMBERS SHOWING BELOW NORMAL TEMPS
EARLY TRENDING BACK TOWARD NORMAL LATE IN THE PERIOD WHICH LOOKS
REASONABLE.

.FGF...HEAT ADVISORY THIS EVENING ALONG AND SOUTH OF A FAR-PKD LINE.

BERG/GODON

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 8, 1:15 PM CDT, 4 hours 38 minutes before
MNZ001>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ006>008-014>016-024-
026>030-038-039-049-052>054-082045-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
115 PM CDT WED AUG 8 2001

...RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS PARTS OF EASTERN NORTH
DAKOTA...NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA LATE THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING...

SYNOPSIS...A COLD FRONT ACROSS NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA WILL PUSH EAST
THIS AFTERNOON. WITH VERY MOIST AND UNSTABLE AIR IN PLACE THIS FRONT
WILL BE THE FOCUS FOR THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT LATE THIS AFTERNOON
CONTINUING INTO THE EVENING HOURS.

AREA OF CONCERN...A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED
ACROSS EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA.

TIME...START AFTER 3 PM AND SHOULD MOVE OUT OF THE AREA BY MIDNIGHT.

TYPE OF HAZARD...MAINLY LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. LOCALLY
HEAVY RAIN IS ALSO POSSIBLE.

BERG
Local storm report, Aug 8, 2:45 PM CDT, 3 hours 8 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA/GRAND FORKS
245 PM CDT WED AUG 08 2001

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

1250 AM    BUFFALO                   ND   67 MPH TSTM GUST
08/08/01   CASS                           MEASURED AT NORTH DAKOTA
                                          DOT SITE

0120 AM    HOPE                      ND   WIND DAMAGE
08/08/01   STEELE                         NUMEROUS TREES DOWN

0120 AM    HOPE                      ND   .75 INCH HAIL
08/08/01   STEELE

0120 AM    HILLSBORO                 ND   110 MPH TSTM GUST
08/08/01   TRAILL                         SUSTAINED 100 MPH WINDS
                                          WITH GUST TO 110 MPH
                                          MEASURED BY DAVIS SYSTEM

0120 AM    HILLSBORO                 ND   WIND DAMAGE
08/08/01   TRAILL                         2400 TREES DOWN ALONG WITH
                                          23 MILES OF POWER LINES IN
                                          TOWN. 7 RAIL CARS TIPPED
                                          OVER NEAR CRYSTAL SUGAR
                                          PLANT

0120 AM    GRANDIN                   ND   WIND DAMAGE
08/08/01   CASS                           2 LARGE GRAIN BINS DOWN
                                          NUMEROUS TREES DOWN

0130 AM    HALSTAD                   MN   WIND DAMAGE
08/08/01   NORMAN                         NUMEROUS TREES DOWN. ROOF
                                          TORN OFF POTATO WAREHOUSE

0145 AM    4 NE GEORGETOWN           MN   WIND DAMAGE
08/08/01   CLAY                           NUMEROUS TREES DOWN

0215 AM    MAPLE BAY                 MN   WIND DAMAGE
08/08/01   POLK                           NUMEROUS TREES DOWN. TREE
                                          FELL ON CABIN. NUMEROUS
                                          BOAT DOCKS TIPPED OVER
                                          WITH BOATS LOOSE ON LAKE

0230 AM    ERSKINE                   MN   MOBILE HOME DESTROYED
08/08/01   POLK                           STORAGE SHED DESTOYED
                                          NUMEROUS TREES DOWN

0230 AM    3 S BROOKS                MN   WIND DAMAGE
08/08/01   RED LAKE                       NUMEROUS TREES DOWN

0230 AM    4 SE GARY                 MN   WIND DAMAGE
08/08/01   NORMAN                         5 INCH DIAMETER TREE
                                          BRANCHES DOWN

0245 AM    OGEMA                     MN   WIND DAMAGE
08/08/01   BECKER                         6 INCH DIAMETER TREE
                                          BRANCHES DOWN

0250 AM    7 W DEVILS LAKE           ND   .75 INCH HAIL
08/08/01   RAMSEY

0300 AM    9 SE LAKE GEORGE          MN   WIND DAMAGE
08/08/01   HUBBARD                        2 FT DIAMETER TREES DOWN

0300 AM    TWO INLETS                MN   WIND DAMAGE
08/08/01   BECKER                         2 INCH DIAMETER TREE
                                          BRANCHES DOWN

0315 AM    BEMIDJI ARPT              MN   WIND DAMAGE
08/08/01   BELTRAMI                       POWER LINES DOWN. KNOCKED
                                          OUT BJI AWOS

0330 AM    2 SE LARIMORE             ND   WIND DAMAGE
08/08/01   GRAND FORKS                    3 INCH DIAMETER TREE
                                          BRANCHES DOWN

NNNN

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 7, 11:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFGriggs, Steele39 min
Aug 8, 12:26 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFBarnes, Cass, Steele, Traill64 min
Aug 8, 2:45 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFRamsey30 min
Aug 8, 3:12 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFGrand Forks48 min
Aug 8, 6:06 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFBenson39 min
Aug 8, 6:42 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFBenson, Ramsey48 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Dakota, 2001Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2001

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.