Alert archive / Minnesota / Tornado Warnings in 2008

Tornado Warning 47, NWS Twin Cities, MN

July 31, 2008Chippewa County, Kandiyohi County, Swift County, Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this tornado warning at Jul 31, 2008, 6:48 AM CDT for Chippewa County, Kandiyohi County, Swift County, Minnesota. It was in force for 42 min. 6 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 31, 2008, 6:48 AM CDT (11:48 UTC)
Expired
Jul 31, 2008, 7:30 AM CDT
In force
42 min
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Chippewa County, MN, Kandiyohi County, MN, Swift County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 118 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 11:48 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jul 31, 7:03 AM CDTTSTM WND DMGRaymond, MNTREES AND POWER LINES DOWN.
Jul 31, 7:11 AM CDTTSTM WND DMGPrinsburg, MNTREES AND POWER LINES DOWN.
Jul 31, 7:13 AM CDTTSTM WND DMG4 E Prinsburg, MNTREES AND POWER LINES DOWN.
Jul 31, 7:16 AM CDTTSTM WND DMGBlomkest, MNTREES AND POWER LINES DOWN.
Jul 31, 7:20 AM CDTTSTM WND DMGLake Lillian, MNTREES AND POWER LINES DOWN.
Jul 31, 7:20 AM CDTTSTM WND GST 60Raymond, MN

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

The watch it was issued in

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

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Jul 31, 4:51 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC4 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 00:00Z, 11.8 hours before the alert went out and 115 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 2008-07-31Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 148 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 2008-07-31The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 41 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
148 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-303 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1998 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
36 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
41 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
147 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

000 
WFUS53 KMPX 311148
TORMPX
MNC023-067-151-311230-
/O.NEW.KMPX.TO.W.0047.080731T1148Z-080731T1230Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
648 AM CDT THU JUL 31 2008

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN THE TWIN CITIES HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHERN KANDIYOHI COUNTY IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA...
  SOUTHEASTERN SWIFT COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...
  EASTERN CHIPPEWA COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

* UNTIL 730 AM CDT

* AT 643 AM CDT...RADAR INDICATED A STORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A
  TORNADO. THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THE STORM WAS 6 MILES SOUTH OF
  KERKHOVEN...AND MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

* SOME LOCATIONS INCLUDE...
  PRINSBURG...
  PENNOCK...
  PRIAM...
  BLOMKEST...
  WILLMAR...
  SVEA...
  KANDIYOHI...
  LAKE LILLIAN...
  SPICER...
  THORPE...
  ATWATER...

WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON RADAR...IT MEANS THAT
STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY ALREADY
BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
STURDY SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE NEAREST
DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

LAT...LON 4523 9475 4489 9476 4490 9535 4523 9552
TIME...MOT...LOC 1148Z 261DEG 31KT 4512 9525

$$
2 follow-up statements
000 
WWUS53 KMPX 311200
SVSMPX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
700 AM CDT THU JUL 31 2008

MNC023-067-151-311230-
/O.CON.KMPX.TO.W.0047.000000T0000Z-080731T1230Z/
KANDIYOHI MN-SWIFT MN-CHIPPEWA MN-
700 AM CDT THU JUL 31 2008

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 730 AM CDT FOR SOUTHERN
KANDIYOHI COUNTY IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA...AND EASTERN CHIPPEWA  AND
SOUTHEASTERN SWIFT COUNTIES IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

AT 656 AM CDT...RADAR CONTINUED TO INDICATE A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THE STORM
WAS LOCATED NEAR PRIAM...OR ABOUT 5 MILES SOUTH OF PENNOCK...AND
MOVING EAST AT 36 MPH.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE THORPE...SVEA...PRIAM...
WILLMAR...SPICER...RAYMOND...PRINSBURG...PENNOCK...MURDOCK AND LAKE
LILLIAN.

WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON RADAR...IT MEANS THAT
STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY ALREADY
BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY.

THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE DURING A TORNADO IS IN A BASEMENT. GET UNDER A
WORKBENCH OR OTHER PIECE OF STURDY FURNITURE. IF NO BASEMENT IS
AVAILABLE...SEEK SHELTER ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF THE BUILDING IN AN
INTERIOR HALLWAY OR ROOM SUCH AS A CLOSET. USE BLANKETS OR PILLOWS TO
COVER YOUR BODY AND ALWAYS STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE
NEAREST DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

LAT...LON 4523 9475 4489 9476 4490 9535 4523 9552
TIME...MOT...LOC 1200Z 261DEG 31KT 4508 9509

$$
000 
WWUS53 KMPX 311225
SVSMPX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
725 AM CDT THU JUL 31 2008

MNC023-067-151-311233-
/O.EXP.KMPX.TO.W.0047.000000T0000Z-080731T1230Z/
KANDIYOHI MN-SWIFT MN-CHIPPEWA MN-
723 AM CDT THU JUL 31 2008

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHERN KANDIYOHI COUNTY IN CENTRAL
MINNESOTA...AND EASTERN CHIPPEWA  AND SOUTHEASTERN SWIFT COUNTIES IN
WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA EXPIRES AT 730 AM CDT...

TORNADIC SEVERE STORMS HAVE WEAKENED AND ARE ABOUT TO MOVE OUT OF 
THE COUNTY. HOWEVER...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND 
LARGE HAIL REMAIN ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA.  

REMAIN ALERT FOR ADDITIONAL WARNINGS.

LAT...LON 4523 9475 4489 9476 4490 9535 4523 9552
TIME...MOT...LOC 1223Z 261DEG 31KT 4511 9481

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 31, 5:12 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXChippewa, Lac qui Parle, Swift48 min
Jul 31, 5:20 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXLac qui Parle, Yellow Medicine55 min
Jul 31, 5:47 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXChippewa, Kandiyohi, Meeker, Renville43 min
Jul 31, 5:54 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXChippewa, Lac qui Parle, Renville, Swift, Yellow Medicine66 min
Jul 31, 6:09 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXLac qui Parle, Yellow Medicine51 min
Jul 31, 6:17 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXChippewa, Kandiyohi, Meeker, Redwood, Renville, Swift58 min
Jul 31, 6:30 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXMcLeod, Nicollet, Renville, Sibley60 min
Jul 31, 6:55 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXChippewa, Swift50 min
Jul 31, 6:56 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXBrown, Le Sueur, Nicollet, Redwood, Renville, Sibley64 min
Jul 31, 7:06 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXMcLeod, Meeker, Wright54 min
Jul 31, 7:15 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXKandiyohi, Redwood, Renville46 min
Jul 31, 7:20 AM CDTHigh Wind WarningMPXLac qui Parle, Yellow Medicine100 min
Jul 31, 7:27 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXWatonwan63 min
Jul 31, 7:32 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXCarver, Le Sueur, McLeod, Nicollet, Renville, Scott and 1 more58 min
Jul 31, 7:36 AM CDTTornado WarningMPXKandiyohi, McLeod, Meeker39 min
Jul 31, 7:39 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXBlue Earth, Le Sueur, Nicollet, Waseca66 min
Jul 31, 7:59 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXFaribault, Martin61 min
Jul 31, 8:10 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXDakota, Hennepin, Le Sueur, Rice, Scott, Steele and 1 more50 min
Jul 31, 8:21 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXFreeborn54 min
Jul 31, 8:34 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXDakota, Goodhue56 min
Jul 31, 8:47 AM CDTTornado WarningMPXGoodhue, Rice, Steele18 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Minnesota, 2008Every tornado warning in 2008Tornadoes 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.