Alert archive / Minnesota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 51, NWS Grand Forks, ND

June 23, 2003Otter Tail County, Minnesota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 23, 2003, 1:55 PM CDT for Otter Tail County, Minnesota. It was in force for 35 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Jun 23, 2003, 1:55 PM CDT (18:55 UTC)
Expired
Jun 23, 2003, 2:30 PM CDT
In force
35 min
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Otter Tail County, MN

The radar

The Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 202 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:57 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.

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 nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 6.9 hours before the alert went out and 212 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 12:00Z on 2003-06-23Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 627 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 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 12:00Z on 2003-06-23The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 68 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 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
627 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-52 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
795 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
25 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
68 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
110 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.

916 
WUUS53 KFGF 231855
SVRFGF
MNC111-231930-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS
154 PM CDT MON JUN 23 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...

  SOUTHEASTERN OTTER TAIL COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA.

* UNTIL 230 PM CDT.

* AT 152 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM OVER PARKERS PRAIRIE...OR ABOUT 37 MILES EAST
  OF FERGUS FALLS...MOVEMENT WAS TO THE EAST AT 25 MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...

  WRIGHTSTOWN AT 210 PM.

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

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM MONDAY
EVENING FOR NORTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA.

LAT...LON 4634 9560 4613 9556 4613 9518 4637 9519

$$

77/GJG

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 Jun 23, 9:50 AM CDT, 4 hours 5 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 23, 9:50 AM CDT, 4 hours 5 minutes before
FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
950 AM CDT MON JUN 23 2003

BASES ARE COVERED WELL THIS MORNING...SO ONLY A FEW MINOR TWEAKS
EXPECTED. SLOW MOVING LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS (A FEW SEVERE) SET UP
RIGHT ALONG THE RED RIVER VALLEY. THE STRONGEST CELLS ACROSS THE
SOUTHEAST FA AND THIS AREA HAS BEEN HIT THE HARDEST WITH RAINFALL
DURING THE PAST SEVERAL EVENTS. PRIOR SHIFT ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD
WATCH FOR THE SOUTHERN FA AND WITH CURRENT HEAVIER RAIN AND MORE
EXPECTED...WILL CONTINUE. SPC SLIGHT RISK AREA COVERS SOUTH/EAST FA
SO WILL MAINTAIN POSSIBLE SEVERE WORDING IN THESE AREAS. LOTS OF
CLOUDS ALONG THE VALLEY AND EAST WHICH WILL INHIBIT A LOT OF TEMP
RISE THIS AFTERNOON. SHOULD SEE BETTER RISE TO THE WEST OF THE
VALLEY...BUT THIS AREA WAS COOLER THAN AREAS TO THE EAST. SO TEMPS
SHOULD BALANCE OUT TO WHAT IS EXPECTED IN THE GRIDS. WEAK SFC FLOW
AND SOUPY DEW POINTS LEADING TO PERSISTENT FOG SO WILL PROBABLY
INCLUDE A MENTION INTO EARLY AFTERNOON.

.FGF...FLASH FLOOD WATCH ALONG AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM KFAR-KPKD
THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.

GODON
Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 23, 7:31 AM CDT, 6 hours 24 minutes before
MNZ001>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ006>008-014>016-024-
026>030-038-039-049-052>054-231530-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS
731 AM CDT MON JUN 23 2003

...A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST NORTH
DAKOTA AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT...

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST
NORTH DAKOTA...NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA...WEST
CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT
THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS PORTIONS OF
SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA...NORTHWEST AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP OVER
SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA AFTER 2 PM CDT
LIFTING NORTHEAST INTO THE EVENING HOURS. THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL BE
LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO BE
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING VERY HEAVY RAINFALL. WITH RECENT HEAVY RAINS
OVER PARTS OF SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA
ADDITIONAL HEAVY RAIN MAY LEAD TO FLOODING PROBLEMS. AS A RESULT A
FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND
WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY.
CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS MAINLY SOUTHERN PARTS
OF THE REGION INTO WEDNESDAY. AT THIS TIME IT APPEARS THE STRONGEST
STORMS WILL BE SOUTH OF THE REGION.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION, CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT
HTTP://WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/FGF/INDEX.HTML (ALL LOWER CASE)

VOELKER

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 23, 8:18 AM CDT, 5 hours 37 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS, ND
818 AM CDT MON JUN 23 2003

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

0720 AM    7 NW LITCHVILLE           ND   .75 INCH HAIL
06/23/03   BARNES                         REPORTED BY CO-OP
                                          OBSERVER.

DPORTER
Local storm report, Jun 23, 9:23 AM CDT, 4 hours 32 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS, ND
923 AM CDT MON JUN 23 2003

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

0918 AM    3 NE HAVANA               ND   .75 INCH HAIL
06/23/03   SARGENT                        REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

GJG
Local storm report, Jun 23, 1:35 PM CDT, 20 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS, ND
135 PM CDT MON JUN 23 2003

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

0115 PM    HOFFMAN                   MN   WIND DAMAGE
06/23/03   GRANT                          SEVERAL TREE BRANCHES DOWN
                                          AND UPROOTED TREES.
                                          REPORTED BY TRAINED
                                          SPOTTER.

DPORTER
Local storm report, Jun 23, 1:48 PM CDT, 7 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS, ND
148 PM CDT MON JUN 23 2003

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

0125 PM    7 W URBANK                MN   WIND DAMAGE
06/23/03   OTTER TAIL                     SEVERAL LARGE BRANCHES
                                          DOWN. REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

DPORTER

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 23, 11:32 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningFGFGrant8 hr
Jun 23, 12:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFGrant54 min
Jun 23, 12:46 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFGFOtter Tail8 hr

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Minnesota, 2003Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2003

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.