Alert archive / North Dakota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2002
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 158, NWS Grand Forks, ND
NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 31, 2002, 8:26 PM CDT for Walsh County, North Dakota. It was in force for 49 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.
The facts
- Issued
- Jul 31, 2002, 8:26 PM CDT (01:26 UTC)
- Expired
- Jul 31, 2002, 9:15 PM CDT
- In force
- 49 min
- Issued by
- NWS Grand Forks, ND
- Area
- Counties, with a storm outline in the text
County Walsh County, ND
The radar
The Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 97 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:26 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 31, 8:45 PM CDT | Hail 1 | Grafton, ND |
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.
Did it verify
Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.
Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.
The watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 31, 6:25 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 7 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Bismarck Municip, ND (KBIS), launched 00:00Z, 1.4 hours before the alert went out and 301 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
- 1400 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -53 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 2219 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 63 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 39 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 144 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 1.9
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
984 WUUS53 KFGF 010126 SVRFAR NDC099-010215- BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS 826 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2002 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A * SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR... WALSH COUNTY IN NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA. * UNTIL 915 PM CDT. * AT 821 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF VESELEYVILLE...OR ABOUT 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF GRAFTON...MOVEMENT WAS TO THE EAST AT 50 MPH. * THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... VOSS AT 830 PM... MINTO AT 835 PM AND WARSAW AT 840 PM. REMEMBER SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN AND OCCASIONALLY DO PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE WARNING. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 100 AM THURSDAY MORNING FOR NORTHWESTERN MINNESOTA AND EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH ALSO REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM WEDNESDAY EVENING FOR NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA. LAT...LON 4850 9768 4822 9767 4823 9718 4850 9722 30 NNNN
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 31, 2:10 PM CDT, 6 hours 16 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 31, 2:10 PM CDT, 6 hours 16 minutes before
FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND 210 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2002 MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE IS CONVECTIVE THREAT WITH COLD FRONTAL PASSAGE TONIGHT AND THEN WINDY/CCOLER CONDITIONS IN ITS WAKE. MODELS IN FAIR AGREEMENT BUT AVN WAS TOO HIGH WITH SFC DEW POINTS WHILE ETA OVERDONE WITH CURRENT QPF. SO CONTINUED TO FOLLOW A BLEND BETWEEN ETA AND AVN FOR GRIDS. 19Z SFC MAP SHOWS SEVERAL DISTINCT AREAS OF LOW PRESSURE WITH MULTIPLE BOUNDARIES IN PLACE ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS. MAIN SFC LOW REMAINS OVER SOUTH CENTRAL SD WITH WARM FRONT EXTENDING NORTHEAST INTO CENTRAL MN. WEAK LOW IN SRN MANITOBA WITH PREFRONTAL TROUGH LINE BACK TOWARD ANOTHER WEAK LOW IN ERN MT. ALREADY HAS BEEN SOME CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT ALONG THIS BOUNDARY THIS AFTERNOON SHOWING UP ON RADAR/SATELLITE IMAGERY. SOUTHERN PORTION OF FA REMAINS CAPPED LIMITING CONVECTIVE DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE WARM FRONT SO FAR TODAY. NORTHERN FA NOT CAPPED AND HAVE FINALLY SEEN SOME MOISTURE RETURN/SFC HEATING. MSAS SHOWING THIS AREA QUITE UNSTABLE WITH COMPUTED SFC LIS NEAR -9. STILL WAITING TO SEE HOW MUCH CONVERGENCE THIS BOUNDARY WILL PROVIDE AS MOST STATIONS SHOWING WEAK SFC WIND FLOW. COLD FRONT TIMING STILL ON TAP FOR 06Z IN THE VALLEY AND THIS WILL PROVIDE AMPLE LIFT. SO WILL KEEP A SCT THUNDER MENTION IN ND ZONES THRU THE EVENING AND THRU MIDNIGHT ON THE MN SIDE. WIDE AREA OF CLOUDS AND SHOWERS CURRENTLY BEHIND THE COLD FRONT SO WILL KEEP SHOWER MENTION IN FOR THE REST OF TONIGHT IN THE WAKE OF THE COLD FRONT. STRONG 850 MB COLD ADVECTION BEHIND THE FRONT AS WELL WITH 40+ KNOTS...SO WILL UP WINDS A BIT TONIGHT INTO EARLY THU. WILL HANG ONTO A FEW SHOWERS OVER EASTERN MN COUNTIES EARLY THU AS WELL WITH BOTH ETA AND AVN THEN SHOWING A GOOD DRY PUNCH WORKING IN. LONG ADVERTISED COOL DOWN ON TAP FOR REMAINDER OF THE WEEK. 12Z AVN KEEPS FRI NIGHT DRY NOW BUT ETA EXTENSION STILL KEEPS SOME WARM FRONTAL PCPN. CANADIAN ALSO HAS SOME PCPN FRI NIGHT-SAT...SO WILL KEEP CHANCE OF THUNDER FOR NOW. .EXTENDED... SEVERAL SHORT WAVES WILL AFFECT THE NRN PLAINS IN THE SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY TIME FRAME...WITH TIMING AND ANY PCPN CHANCES THE CHALLENGE. 12Z AVN/00Z MRF HAD SOME CONSISTENCY WITH 00Z CANADIAN SO GENERALLY DID NOT DEVIATE FROM MODEL SOLNS. ONE SYSTEM MOVING THRU THE NRN PLAINS MONDAY WITH THE NEXT ONE MOVING THRU LATE WEDNESDAY. CARRIED CHC TSRA LATE SUNDAY NIGHT IN WARM ADVECTION THEN CONTINUED CHC POPS THRU MON NIGHT AND AGAIN ON WEDNESDAY. TEMPS WILL BE NEAR OR TAD BELOW SEASONAL NORMALS AS REAL HOT AIR STAYS SOUTH OF AREA. .FGF...NONE. GODON/RIDDLE
In the hours before
Local storm report, Jul 31, 6:21 PM CDT, 2 hours 5 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS, ND
621 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2002
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0600 PM 3 S LEEDS ND TORNADO
07/31/02 BENSON BRIEF TOUCHDOWN REPORTED 3
MILES SOUTH OF LEEDS BY
SPOTTER
0611 PM LEEDS ND 2.00 INCH HAIL
07/31/02 BENSON
MELocal storm report, Jul 31, 7:47 PM CDT, 39 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS, ND
747 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2002
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0639 AM CHURCHS FERRY ND .75 INCH HAIL
07/31/02 RAMSEY
0610 PM 5 N LEEDS ND 1.75 INCH HAIL
07/31/02 BENSON
0618 PM LEEDS ND 1.00 INCH HAIL
07/31/02 BENSON
0618 PM 4 E LEEDS ND 2.00 INCH HAIL
07/31/02 BENSON
0627 PM CHURCHS FERRY ND .75 INCH HAIL
07/31/02 RAMSEY
0720 PM 2 N DEVILS LAKE ND .75 INCH HAIL
07/31/02 RAMSEY WALL CLOUD
0720 PM MADDOCK ND 1.00 INCH HAIL
07/31/02 BENSON GROUND COVERED TOTALLY
WHITE
0730 PM 2 NW DEVILS LAKE ND 1.00 INCH HAIL
07/31/02 RAMSEY
MELocal storm report, Jul 31, 7:47 PM CDT, 39 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS, ND
747 PM CDT WED JUL 31 2002
...CORRECTED TIME OF FIRST REPORT...
TIME(CDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0639 PM CHURCHS FERRY ND .75 INCH HAIL
07/31/02 RAMSEY
0610 PM 5 N LEEDS ND 1.75 INCH HAIL
07/31/02 BENSON
0618 PM LEEDS ND 1.00 INCH HAIL
07/31/02 BENSON
0618 PM 4 E LEEDS ND 2.00 INCH HAIL
07/31/02 BENSON
0627 PM CHURCHS FERRY ND .75 INCH HAIL
07/31/02 RAMSEY
0720 PM 2 N DEVILS LAKE ND .75 INCH HAIL
07/31/02 RAMSEY WALL CLOUD
0720 PM MADDOCK ND 1.00 INCH HAIL
07/31/02 BENSON GROUND COVERED TOTALLY
WHITE
0730 PM 2 NW DEVILS LAKE ND 1.00 INCH HAIL
07/31/02 RAMSEY
METhe office that day
Everything else NWS Grand Forks, ND issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 31, 7:03 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FGF | Ramsey | 42 min |
| Jul 31, 7:19 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FGF | Cavalier | 41 min |
| Jul 31, 7:33 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FGF | Benson | 42 min |
| Jul 31, 7:36 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | FGF | Ramsey | 39 min |
| Jul 31, 7:40 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FGF | Walsh | 50 min |
| Jul 31, 8:06 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FGF | Grand Forks | 54 min |
| Jul 31, 8:24 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FGF | Nelson | 51 min |
| Jul 31, 11:41 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FGF | Eddy | 49 min |
| Aug 1, 12:09 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FGF | Griggs | 51 min |
| Aug 1, 12:40 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FGF | Barnes, Steele, Traill | 50 min |
| Aug 1, 12:53 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FGF | Cass | 37 min |
| Aug 1, 1:33 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FGF | Cass | 42 min |
| Aug 1, 1:37 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FGF | Barnes | 23 min |
| Aug 1, 2:11 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | FGF | Cass | 49 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Dakota, 2002Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2002
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.