Alert archive / Minnesota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 85, NWS Grand Forks, ND

July 2, 2003Kittson County, Marshall County, Polk County, Minnesota; Walsh County, North Dakota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 2, 2003, 1:00 PM CDT for Kittson County, Marshall County, Polk County, Minnesota; Walsh County, North Dakota. It was in force for 45 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
Jul 2, 2003, 1:00 PM CDT (18:00 UTC)
Expired
Jul 2, 2003, 1:45 PM CDT
In force
45 min
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

Counties Kittson County, MN, Marshall County, MN, Polk County, MN, Walsh County, ND

The radar

The Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 97 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:04 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 watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Jul 2, 11:20 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

International Fa, MN (KINL), launched 12:00Z, 6.0 hours before the alert went out and 267 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, International Fa, MN at 12:00Z on 2003-07-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 774 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, International Fa, MN at 12:00Z on 2003-07-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 98 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
774 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-221 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
740 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
98 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
182 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
3.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

866 
WUUS53 KFGF 021800
SVRFGF
MNC069-089-119-NDC099-021845-

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS
1259 PM CDT WED JUL 2 2003

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...

  EXTREME EASTERN WALSH COUNTY IN NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA...
  SOUTHERN KITTSON COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA...
  WESTERN MARSHALL COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA AND
  NORTHWESTERN POLK COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA.

* UNTIL 145 PM CDT.

* AT 1254 PM...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED THE
  LEADING EDGE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 21
  MILES NORTHEAST OF GRAFTON TO 18 MILES NORTH OF GRAND FORKS...     
  MOVEMENT WAS TO THE EAST AT 45 MPH.  THE STRONGEST WINDS WITH GUSTS
  OVER 70 MPH WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN MARSHALL COUNTY. 

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR...

  STEPHEN AT 105 PM...
  ARGYLE AT 115 PM..
  DONALDSON AT 115 PM.

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

LAT...LON 4852 9721 4811 9709 4800 9654 4864 9651

$$

DTR/06

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 2, 9:30 AM CDT, 3 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 2, 9:30 AM CDT, 3 hours 30 minutes before
FORECAST DISCUSSION FOR EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
930 AM CDT WED JUL 2 2003

...FORECAST CHALLENGE FOR UPDATE CONCERNS CONVECTIVE THREAT.

STRONG CONVECTION WHICH DEVELOPED OVER WESTERN DAKOTAS CONTINUES TO
PROPAGATE EAST/NORTHEAST WITH NORTHERN CLUSTER BECOMING TO TRACK
MORE EAST AS IT CRESTS RIDGE. CONVECTION RIDING ALONG LOW LEVEL
BOUNDARY WITH 70 DEWPOINTS POOLING ALONG BOUNDARY. AM ALSO SEEING
DEVELOPMENT CLOUD TOPS CONTINUE TO COOL FROM IR IMAGERY. MAIN
ADJUSTMENTS TO UPDATE WILL BE TIMING WITH CONVECTION BASED ON
CURRENT TRENDS. TEMPERATURES SEEM IN REASON AS TEMPERATURES ALREADY
APPROACHING 80. CONVECTION MAY HOLD SOME TEMPERATURES DOWN HOWEVER
ANY BREAKS WILL ALLOW AREA TO QUICKLY HEAT OUT.

.FGF...NONE.

VOELKER
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 2, 6:35 AM CDT, 6 hours 25 minutes before
MNZ001>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ006>008-014>016-024-
026>030-038-039-049-052>054-021415-

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS
635 AM CDT WED JUL 2 2003

...THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR A SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER OUTBREAK
   ACROSS THE ENTIRE AREA FOR LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...

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

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT
THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE
REGION TODAY. THE MAIN THREAT FROM THESE STORMS WILL BE DAMAGING
WINDS...LARGE HAIL AND VERY HEAVY RAINS. DUE TO THE EXTREME
INSTABILITY IN PLACE OVER THE REGION ISOLATED TORNADOES AND
SIGNIFICANT STRAIGHT LINE WIND DAMAGE (LARGE BOW ECHO) CANNOT
BE RULED OUT. EXPECT RAPID SEVERE THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT TO
OCCUR ALONG A DEVILS LAKE TO VALLEY CITY LINE BY MID TO LATE
AFTERNOON AND THEN WORK EAST ACROSS THE REMAINDER OF EASTERN
NORTH DAKOTA AND WEST CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA THIS
EVENING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND NORTHWEST
MINNESOTA THURSDAY MORNING. ADDITIONAL THUNDERSTORM CHANCES LOOM ON
TO CLOSE OUT THE JULY FOURTH WEEKEND ON SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

BERG

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 2, 12:21 PM CDT, 39 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS, ND
1221 PM CDT WED JUL 2 2003

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

1155 AM    4 W TOLNA                 ND   .75 INCH HAIL
07/02/03   NELSON

DPORTER
Local storm report, Jul 2, 12:25 PM CDT, 35 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS, ND
1225 PM CDT WED JUL 2 2003

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

1220 AM    LANGDON                   ND   E60 MPH WIND GUST
07/02/03   CAVALIER                       ESTIMATED 60 MPH WINDS.
                                          POWER OUTAGES REPORTED.

DPORTER
Local storm report, Jul 2, 12:41 PM CDT, 19 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS, ND
1241 PM CDT WED JUL 2 2003

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

1135 AM    8 W LAWTON                ND   71 MPH WIND GUST
07/02/03   RAMSEY                         REPORTED BY TRAINED
                                          SPOTTER.

DPORTER
Local storm report, Jul 2, 12:43 PM CDT, 17 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS, ND
1243 PM CDT WED JUL 2 2003

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

1240 AM    EDINBURG                  ND   WIND DAMAGE
07/02/03   WALSH                          LARGE FULL GROWN TREES
                                          BLOWN DOWN. REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT.

DPORTER
Local storm report, Jul 2, 12:45 PM CDT, 15 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS, ND
1245 PM CDT WED JUL 2 2003

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

1240 PM    EDINBURG                  ND   WIND DAMAGE
07/02/03   WALSH                          LARGE FULL GROWN TREES
                                          BLOWN DOWN. REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT.

DPORTER
Local storm report, Jul 2, 12:48 PM CDT, 12 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS, ND
1248 PM CDT WED JUL 2 2003

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

1225 PM    8 SW MILTON               ND   WIND DAMAGE
07/02/03   CAVALIER                       LARGE TREES BLOWN DOWN.
                                          REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

DPORTER

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 2, 1:32 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFPolk43 min
Jul 2, 1:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFKittson, Roseau44 min
Jul 2, 2:13 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFPennington, Polk, Red Lake47 min
Jul 2, 2:22 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFNorman38 min
Jul 2, 2:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFLake of the Woods, Roseau61 min
Jul 2, 3:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFBeltrami, Clearwater, Hubbard59 min
Jul 2, 3:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFBecker51 min
Jul 2, 4:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFHubbard45 min
Jul 2, 4:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFBecker48 min
Jul 2, 5:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFBecker, Hubbard61 min
Jul 2, 10:01 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFTowner44 min
Jul 2, 10:06 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFBenson39 min
Jul 2, 10:46 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFBenson, Ramsey, Towner44 min
Jul 2, 10:53 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFEddy37 min
Jul 2, 11:31 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFNelson, Ramsey, Walsh44 min
Jul 2, 11:34 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFBenson, Eddy26 min
Jul 2, 11:44 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFCavalier46 min
Jul 2, 12:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFGrand Forks, Nelson, Walsh44 min
Jul 2, 12:31 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFCavalier, Pembina44 min
Jul 2, 12:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFGriggs40 min
Jul 2, 1:15 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFPembina30 min
Jul 2, 1:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFSteele33 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Minnesota, 2003Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Dakota, 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.