Alert archive / Minnesota / Flash Flood Warnings in 2004

Flash Flood Warning 6, NWS Twin Cities, MN

August 1, 2004Waseca County, Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this flash flood warning at Aug 1, 2004, 5:41 AM CDT for Waseca County, Minnesota. It was in force for 2 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Aug 1, 2004, 5:41 AM CDT (10:41 UTC)
Expired
Aug 1, 2004, 7:45 AM CDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Waseca County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 87 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 10:41 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 00:00Z, 10.7 hours before the alert went out and 87 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 2004-08-01Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 465 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, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 2004-08-01The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 191 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
465 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-74 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1194 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
191 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
395 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
1.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WGUS53 KMPX 011043
FFWMPX
MNC161-011245-
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
541 AM CDT SUN AUG 1 2004

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN THE TWIN CITIES HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  WASECA COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA

* UNTIL 745 AM CDT

* AT 541 AM CDT...RADAR DETECTED THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING VERY        
  HEAVY RAIN ACROSS MUCH OF THE WARNED AREA. STRONG THUNDERSTORMS    
  EXTEND FROM NEAR JANESVILLE SOUTH TO ALBERT LEA...HOWEVER          
  RAINFALL OF 2 TO 3 INCHES HAS OCCURRED ACROSS WASECA COUNTY SINCE  
  4 AM. 

  ADDITIONAL RAINFALL OF ONE HALF INCH TO ONE INCH IS POSSIBLE       
  THROUGH 630 AM.  

* SOME LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE AFFECTED INCLUDE...ELYSIAN...
  JANESVILLE...WALDORF...WASECA AND OTISCO.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IMMINENT.
IF YOU ARE IN THE WARNED AREA MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND IMMEDIATELY.
RESIDENTS LIVING ALONG STREAMS AND CREEKS SHOULD TAKE IMMEDIATE
PRECAUTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY.

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE
INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. TWO FEET OF RUSHING WATER
CAN CARRY AWAY MOST VEHICLES INCLUDING SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND
PICKUPS.

LAT...LON 4419 9343 4420 9378 4388 9374 4386 9342

$$
MBK
2 follow-up statements
000 
WGUS73 KMPX 011200
FFSMPX
MNC161-011245-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
655 AM CDT SUN AUG 1 2004

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 745 AM CDT FOR
WASECA COUNTY...

DOPPLER RADAR AT 645 AM SHOWED THAT MOST OF THE HEAVY THUNDERSTORMS 
HAVE MOVED EAST AND SOUTH OF WASECA COUNTY.  RADAR ESTIMATES OF 2 TO 
OVER 3 INCHES OF RAIN FELL ACROSS WESTERN AND SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF 
WASECA COUNTY BETWEEN 4 AND 6 AM.  HENCE A FLASH FLOOD WARNING WILL 
REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR WASECA COUNTY UNTIL 745 AM.

SO FAR NO FLOODING HAS BEEN REPORTED TO COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT.  A 
SHERIFF HAS BEEN DISPATCHED TO INSPECT ROADWAYS AROUND 
WALDORF...OTISCO...ALMA CITY AND NEW RICHLAND.  MORNING COMMUTERS 
SHOULD KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR FLOODED ROADWAYS AND INTERSECTIONS.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IMMINENT. 
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FORGE FLOODED ROADWAYS BY FOOT OR AUTOMOBILE. IF 
YOUR VEHICLE STALLS...ABANDON IT IMMEDIATELY AND SEEK HIGHER GROUND.

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE
INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. TWO FEET OF RUSHING WATER
CAN CARRY AWAY MOST VEHICLES INCLUDING SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND
PICKUPS. VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE ABANDONED QUICKLY.
MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

LAT...LON 4419 9343 4420 9378 4386 9376 4386 9342

$$
MBK
000 
WGUS73 KMPX 011224 AAA
FFSMPX
MNC161-011245-

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT...UPDATED TO INCLUDE NEW INFORMATION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
720 AM CDT SUN AUG 1 2004

...A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 745 AM CDT FOR
WASECA COUNTY...

DOPPLER RADAR AT 720 AM SHOWED SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS 
BEGINNING TO PUSH BACK INTO WASECA COUNTY FROM AROUND MANKATO AND 
MAPLETON.  ADDITIONAL RAINFALL THIS MORNING IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN 
BETWEEN TWO TENTHS AND FIVE TENTHS OF AN INCH. 

EARLIER THIS MORNING BETWEEN 4 AND 6 AM...HEAVY RAINFALL DEPOSITED 
2 TO OVER 3 INCHES OF RAIN ACROSS MUCH OF WESTERN AND SOUTHERN  
WASECA COUNTY.  A FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 745 AM 
FOR THE ENTIRE COUNTY.

WASECA COUNTY LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED WIDESPREAD FIELD AND LOWLAND 
FLOODING AROUND THE TOWN OF NEW RICHLAND...AND A SMALL CREEK HAS 
OVERFLOWED ITS BANKS ONTO THE BALL FIELD IN NEW RICHLAND.  HOWEVER 
RADAR ESTIMATES THE HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION HAS FALLEN NORTHWEST OF 
NEW RICHLAND FROM NORTH OF HIGHWAY 30 TO OTISCO...STRETCHING 
NORTHWEST TOWARD ALMA CITY AND ST. MARY.  JUST OVER 3 INCHES HAS 
FALLEN IN SOME OF THESE AREAS.  EARLY MORNING COMMUTERS SHOULD KEEP 
AN EYE OUT FOR FLOODED ROADWAYS AND INTERSECTIONS IN THESE PARTS OF 
THE COUNTY.

A FLASH FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IMMINENT. 
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO FORGE FLOODED ROADWAYS BY FOOT OR AUTOMOBILE. IF 
YOUR VEHICLE STALLS...ABANDON IT IMMEDIATELY AND SEEK HIGHER GROUND.

MOST FLOOD DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE
INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE ROAD. TWO FEET OF RUSHING WATER
CAN CARRY AWAY MOST VEHICLES INCLUDING SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES AND
PICKUPS. VEHICLES CAUGHT IN RISING WATER SHOULD BE ABANDONED QUICKLY.
MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND.

LAT...LON 4419 9343 4420 9378 4386 9376 4386 9342

$$
MBK

The office that day

Everything else NWS Twin Cities, MN issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 31, 7:32 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXBlue Earth, Watonwan58 min
Jul 31, 10:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXCarver, Hennepin, Scott47 min
Jul 31, 10:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXMcLeod29 min
Jul 31, 10:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXDakota, Ramsey, Washington39 min
Aug 1, 3:51 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXBlue Earth, Nicollet39 min
Aug 1, 3:53 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXBlue Earth, Nicollet37 min
Aug 1, 5:03 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXFreeborn57 min
Aug 1, 6:35 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXFaribault55 min
Aug 1, 8:10 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningMPXFreeborn13 hr
Aug 1, 9:38 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXMcLeod32 min
Aug 1, 10:40 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXDakota50 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Minnesota, 2004Every flash flood warning in 2004

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.