Alert archive / Minnesota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2008

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 194, NWS Twin Cities, MN

July 11, 2008Dakota County, Goodhue County, Rice County, Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 11, 2008, 8:36 PM CDT for Dakota County, Goodhue County, Rice County, Minnesota. It was in force for 54 min. 5 reports 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 11, 2008, 8:36 PM CDT (01:36 UTC)
Expired: Jul 11, 2008, 9:30 PM CDT
In force: 54 min
Issued by: NWS Twin Cities, MN
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Dakota County, MN, Goodhue County, MN, Rice County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 43 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:37 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 11, 8:45 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	Burnsville, MN	FEW TREES TOPPLED.
Jul 11, 8:50 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	West St Paul, MN	FEW TREES TOPPLED.
Jul 11, 8:55 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	South St Paul, MN	A FEW TREES DOWNED.
Jul 11, 9:15 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	Northfield, MN	TREES DOWN, ONE TO TWO FEET IN DIAMETER.
Jul 11, 9:36 PM CDT	HAIL 0.75	5 Sw Northfield, MN

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

Did it verify

Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched 4 storm reports to this severe thunderstorm warning; the first came 9 minutes after it went out.

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 11, 6:13 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 00:00Z, 1.6 hours before the alert went out and 46 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 2916 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -14 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1332 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 31 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 124 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 253 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 1.6
Supercell composite: 12.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WUUS53 KMPX 120136
SVRMPX
MNC037-049-131-120230-
/O.NEW.KMPX.SV.W.0194.080712T0136Z-080712T0230Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
836 PM CDT FRI JUL 11 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN THE TWIN CITIES HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  DAKOTA COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...
  WESTERN GOODHUE COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA...
  EASTERN RICE COUNTY IN SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

* UNTIL 930 PM CDT

* AT 833 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...
  CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PENNY SIZE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS
  OF 65 MPH.  THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 8
  MILES NORTH OF WEST ST PAUL TO 27 MILES NORTHWEST OF FARIBAULT...
  AND MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS INCLUDE...
  MENDOTA HEIGHTS...
  BURNSVILLE...
  WEST ST PAUL...
  EAGAN...
  SOUTH ST PAUL...
  APPLE VALLEY...
  LAKEVILLE...
  INVER GROVE HEIGHTS...
  FARMINGTON...
  ROSEMOUNT...
  CASTLE ROCK...
  FARIBAULT...

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM...PREPARE IMMEDIATELY FOR
DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. SEEK SHELTER NOW INSIDE A STURDY
STRUCTURE AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN PRODUCE TORNADOES WITH LITTLE OR NO ADVANCE
WARNING. PREPARE TO MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IN A STURDY STRUCTURE
SUCH AS A BASEMENT OR SMALL INTERIOR ROOM IF A TORNADO IS SPOTTED.

REPORT ANY SIGNIFICANT WIND OR HAIL DAMAGE TO THE NEAREST LAW
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY...FOR RELAY TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

LAT...LON 4454 9334 4456 9328 4462 9328 4463 9333
      4479 9333 4495 9308 4490 9302 4478 9301
      4475 9282 4469 9270 4421 9264 4420 9329
TIME...MOT...LOC 0136Z 270DEG 46KT 4502 9308 4447 9372

$$

1 follow-up statement

000 
WWUS53 KMPX 120221
SVSMPX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
920 PM CDT FRI JUL 11 2008

MNC037-049-131-120230-
/O.CON.KMPX.SV.W.0194.000000T0000Z-080712T0230Z/
DAKOTA MN-GOODHUE MN-RICE MN-
920 PM CDT FRI JUL 11 2008

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 930 PM CDT
FOR EASTERN RICE...WESTERN GOODHUE AND SOUTHERN DAKOTA COUNTIES...

AT 915 PM CDT...TREES WERE REPORTED DOWN IN NORTHFIELD WITH
THIS STORM.

AT 916 PM CDT...RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE A LINE OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS...CAPABLE OF PRODUCING PENNY SIZE HAIL AND DAMAGING
WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THESE SEVERE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A
LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES NORTHEAST OF MIESVILLE TO 4 MILES SOUTH
OF BRIDGEWATER...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE WELCH...WASTEDO...STANTON...
RUSKIN...RANDOLPH...HADER...CASTLE ROCK...BRIDGEWATER...BOMBAY AND
ZUMBROTA.

THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING MAY NEED TO BE EXTENDED BEYOND 930 PM
CDT FOR GOODHUE AND RICE COUNTIES. 

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM...PREPARE IMMEDIATELY FOR
DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. SEEK SHELTER NOW INSIDE A STURDY
STRUCTURE AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

DOPPLER RADAR HAS INDICATED SOME WEAK ROTATION WITHIN THIS STORM.
WHILE NOT IMMEDIATELY LIKELY...A TORNADO MAY STILL DEVELOP. IF A
TORNADO IS SPOTTED...ACT QUICKLY AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY IN A
STURDY STRUCTURE...SUCH AS A BASEMENT OR SMALL INTERIOR ROOM.

LAT...LON 4454 9334 4454 9330 4457 9327 4475 9282
      4469 9270 4421 9264 4420 9329
TIME...MOT...LOC 0220Z 305DEG 35KT 4466 9269 4434 9316

$$

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 Twin Cities, MN wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Jul 11, 5:50 PM CDT, 2 hours 46 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 11, 5:50 PM CDT, 2 hours 46 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
550 PM CDT FRI JUL 11 2008

.UPDATE...

UPDATED FOR 00Z AVIATION DISCUSSION BELOW.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
/ISSUED AT 245 PM CDT FRI JUL 11 2008/

STRONG UPPER LEVEL TROUGH ALONG WITH A POTENT COLD FRONT...WILL PUSH
ACROSS MUCH OF THE UPPER MIDWEST THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. TSRA
EXPECTED TO FIRE ALONG THE COLD FRONT AND TREK EAST OVER INTO
WESTERN WISCONSIN TONIGHT. SFC TEMPS HAVE SOARED INTO THE UPPER 80S
AND LOWER 90S AHEAD OF THE FRONT OVER WEST CENTRAL MN. LAPSWRF MODEL
HAS TSRA DEVELOPING AND BECOMES MORE WIDESPREAD BETWEEN 23Z-02Z OVER
EAST CENTRAL MN. THE INTIAL SEVERE WEATHER THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING
WINDS AND TORRENTIAL RAINS. A FEW DECRETE SUPERCELLS COULD PRODUCE
TORNADOES. EXPECT MORE OF A LINEAR LINE OF TSRA OCCURRING LATER THIS
EVENING/OVERNIGHT.  PRECIP WATER VALUES INCREASE TO OVER 2.00
INCHES.  WET BULB ZERO ARE OVER 12000 FEET. CAP STRENGTH(INHIBITION
FOR DEVELOPMENT OF TSRA) REMAINS FAIRLY STRONG ACROSS MUCH OF THE
FORECAST AREA AT THIS TIME. AIRMASS SHOULD RAPIDLY DESTABLIZED IN
THE VICINITY AND JUST AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT.

PRECIP MOVING OUT OF CWA OVERNIGHT...THEN A DRY WEATHER PATTERN OVER
THE NEXT FEW DAYS. DRY NORTHWEST AIR FLOW PREVAILING OVER THE UPPER
MIDWEST THROUGH MONDAY.

MEDIUM AND LONG RANGE MODELS...ALL INDICATE A RATHER UNSETTLED
WEATHER PATTERN OVER THE UPPER MIDWEST WITH SEVERAL WEAK SHORT WAVE
TROUGH MOVING THROUGH THE WESTERLY FLOW.

&&

.AVIATION.../00Z TAF ISSUANCE/

MAIN TAF CONCERNS HAVE TO DO WITH N TO S ORIENTED LINE OF STORMS
MARCHING ACRS MN ATTM. LINE MORE SOLID OVER THE NRN HALF OF THE
FA...AFFECTING MAINLY STC...BUT BKN CONVECTION BEGINNING TO FILL
IN OVR SWRN MN...WHICH WILL EVENTUALLY AFFECT THE REST OF THE TAF
SITES...EXCEPT AXN. TIMING HAS SLOWED DOWN A BIT...WITH MSP LIKELY
TO BE AFFECTED AROUND/JUST AFT SUNSET. CONVECTION SHUD CLEAR ALL
THE TAF SITES BY 06Z. THE LINE OF STORMS COULD PRODUCE VERY GUSTY
WINDS AND PSBLY SOME HAIL AS THEY PASS. GUSTY WINDS IN PRETTY MUCH
ALL THE TAFS...BUT ATTM...HAVE NOT INCLUDED ANY GR/GS IN ANY OF
THEM. WILL CONT TO MONITOR TO SEE IF INCLUSION NEEDED IN UPDATES
OR RIGHT BEFORE TAF ISSUANCE. AS CDFNT PASSES...WINDS WILL SHIFT
TO A W TO NW DIRN...REMAINING GUSTY THRU THE ENTIRE TAF PD.

&&

.MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MN...NONE.
WI...NONE.
&&

JVM/KAT

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 11, 5:34 PM CDT, 3 hours 2 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
534 PM CDT FRI JUL 11 2008

MNZ041>045-047>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ014>016-023>028-
122245-
DOUGLAS-TODD-MORRISON-MILLE LACS-KANABEC-STEVENS-POPE-STEARNS-
BENTON-SHERBURNE-ISANTI-CHISAGO-LAC QUI PARLE-SWIFT-CHIPPEWA-
KANDIYOHI-MEEKER-WRIGHT-HENNEPIN-ANOKA-RAMSEY-WASHINGTON-
YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-MCLEOD-SIBLEY-CARVER-SCOTT-DAKOTA-
REDWOOD-BROWN-NICOLLET-LE SUEUR-RICE-GOODHUE-WATONWAN-BLUE EARTH-
WASECA-STEELE-MARTIN-FARIBAULT-FREEBORN-POLK-BARRON-RUSK-
ST. CROIX-PIERCE-DUNN-PEPIN-EAU CLAIRE-
534 PM CDT FRI JUL 11 2008

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA...AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY THIS EVENING OVER
PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL
WISCONSIN. THE STORMS ARE LIKELY TO PRODUCE LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING
WINDS AND TORRENTIAL RAINS. ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE
POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY NORTH OF INTERSTATE 94 CORRIDOR OVER CENTRAL
MINNESOTA PRIOR TO MIDNIGHT.

THE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE OVER WESTERN WISCONSIN
AFTER 900 PM.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS MUCH OF THE OUTLOOK AREA
BEGINNING TUESDAY AND CONTINUING THROUGH THURSDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NEEDED ACROSS THE OUTLOOK AREA THIS
EVENING. SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAYBE NEEDED DURING THE
OVERNIGHT HOURS OVER WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 11, 8:21 PM CDT, 15 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
821 PM CDT FRI JUL 11 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0816 PM     HAIL             NORWOOD/YOUNG AMERICA   44.78N 93.92W
07/11/2008  M0.75 INCH       CARVER             MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

AJZ

Local storm report, Jul 11, 8:31 PM CDT, 5 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
831 PM CDT FRI JUL 11 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0700 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 ESE ST JOSEPH         45.56N 94.31W
07/11/2008                   STEARNS            MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            TIME ESTIMATED. 1 FT TREE DOWNED.

&&

MKM

Local storm report, Jul 11, 8:32 PM CDT, 4 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
832 PM CDT FRI JUL 11 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0800 PM     TSTM WND DMG     MONTROSE                45.07N 93.91W
07/11/2008                   WRIGHT             MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            COMMERCIAL GREENHOUSE TOPPLED OVER NEAR COUNTY ROAD 12
            AND HIGHWAY 12.

&&

AJZ

Local storm report, Jul 11, 8:33 PM CDT, 3 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
833 PM CDT FRI JUL 11 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0819 PM     TSTM WND GST     4 S BROOKLYN PARK       45.06N 93.36W
07/11/2008  M58 MPH          HENNEPIN           MN   ASOS

            58 MPH WIND GUST RECORDED AT CRYSTAL AIRPORT.

&&

MKM

Local storm report, Jul 11, 8:34 PM CDT, 2 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
834 PM CDT FRI JUL 11 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0800 PM     TSTM WND DMG     MAYER                   44.88N 93.89W
07/11/2008                   CARVER             MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            TWO TO THREE INCH TREE LIMBS SEVERED.

&&

AJZ

Local storm report, Jul 11, 8:35 PM CDT, 1 minute before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
835 PM CDT FRI JUL 11 2008

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0827 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 N HILLTOP             45.07N 93.25W
07/11/2008                   ANOKA              MN   AMATEUR RADIO

            7 INCH DIAMETER TREES DOWN AT HWY 65 AND I694.

&&

MKM

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 11, 7:10 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MPX	McLeod, Meeker	39 min
Jul 11, 7:16 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Benton, Mille Lacs, Sherburne, Wright	44 min
Jul 11, 7:24 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MPX	Wright	36 min
Jul 11, 7:28 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Carver, McLeod, Sibley	47 min
Jul 11, 7:37 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Blue Earth, Brown, Nicollet	53 min
Jul 11, 7:43 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Isanti, Kanabec	47 min
Jul 11, 7:43 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Renville	17 min
Jul 11, 7:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Hennepin, Ramsey, Washington	64 min
Jul 11, 8:03 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Sherburne	27 min
Jul 11, 8:10 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Carver, Sibley	35 min
Jul 11, 8:19 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Le Sueur, Rice, Scott	56 min
Jul 11, 8:26 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Isanti	19 min
Jul 11, 8:30 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Blue Earth, Brown, Nicollet	45 min
Jul 11, 8:46 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MPX	Chisago, Washington	20 min
Jul 11, 9:14 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Blue Earth, Le Sueur, Rice, Steele, Waseca	61 min
Jul 11, 9:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Dakota, Goodhue, Rice	61 min
Jul 11, 10:13 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Freeborn	47 min
Jul 11, 10:18 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Steele	19 min
Jul 12, 3:45 AM CDT	Wind Advisory	MPX	Chippewa, Douglas, Lac qui Parle, Pope, Stevens, Swift and 1 more	15 hr

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Minnesota, 2008 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2008

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.