Severe Thunderstorm Warning 173, NWS Twin Cities, MN

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
209 PM CDT TUE JUL 27 2010

.DISCUSSION...
THE FOCUS THIS AFTERNOON IS ON THE IMPENDING SEVERE WEATHER
THREAT. SURFACE COLD FRONT IS KNOCKING ON THE DOORSTEP OF WRN MN
EARLY THIS AFTERNOON...AND AN OUTFLOW BOUNDARY FROM THE
NOCTURNALLY INITIATED CONVECTION ARE EVIDENT OVER CENTRAL MN ON
THE NORTHERN FRINGES OF THE TWIN CITIES METRO AREA. THE AIRMASS IN
THE WARM SECTOR AHEAD OF THE PRIMARY COLD FRONT IS EXTREMELY
UNSTABLE...WITH DEWPOINTS IN THE LOW TO MID 70S...AND SBCAPES OF
4K TO 5K J/KG OVER SOUTHERN MN. SHEAR IS ALSO RATHER
HEALTHY...WITH 35-40 KTS OVER MUCH OF THE AREA. TOR THREAT APPEARS
TO BE THE HIGHEST FROM EAST CENTRAL MN INTO WEST CENTRAL
WI...WHERE 0-1KM EHI/S AND BULK SHEAR VALUES ARE SUFFICIENT FOR
POTENTIALLY TORNADIC SUPERCELLS. DESPITE THE ONGOING MORNING
CONVECTION JUST TO THE NORTH OF THE MPX CWA...CLEARING HAS COMMENCED
OVER CENTRAL MN/WI. THE 18Z KMPX RAOB DOES SHOW A RATHER
FORMIDABLE CAP /+23C AT 850 MB/...SO DEVELOPMENT OVER SRN MN WILL
LIKELY BE DELAYED UNTIL 21Z AND BEYOND.

THE SEVERE THREAT WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING HOURS...AS THE
STORMS LIKELY CONGEAL INTO A MORE LINEAR STRUCTURE AS THE COLD
FRONT PRESSES ACROSS /WITH THE PRIMARY THREAT TRANSITIONING TO
DAMAGING WINDS/. MUCH OF THE CWA WILL ALSO HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR
A QUICK 1 TO 2 INCHES WITH THE STORMS THIS EVENING.

WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY WILL BE DRY AND MILD...WITH TEMPERATURES IN
THE UPPER 70S AND LOW 80S.

A WEAK TROUGH WILL ARRIVE FOR THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY...WHEN
50-60 POPS HAVE BEEN INCLUDED.

WEAK RIDGING BUILDS INTO THE NORTH CENTRAL CONUS FOR THE WEEKEND...WHICH
OVERALL SHOULD YIELD A DRY AND MILD SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. BY MONDAY
THE MID LEVEL RIDGE BEGINS TO FLATTEN...WHICH WILL LEAVE THE AREA
SUBJECT TO THE POTENTIAL FOR BOUTS OF PRECIPITATION ASSOCIATED WITH
SHORTWAVE ENERGY TOPPING THE RIDGE. THE HIGHEST SUCH POTENTIAL
APPEARS AS IF IT WILL ARRIVE IN THE MONDAY TO TUESDAY TIME FRAME.
THE 27.00 ECMWF AND 27.12 GFS DIFFER BY ABOUT 18 HOURS WITH RESPECT
TO THE ASSOCIATED SFC TROUGH PASSAGE...WITH THE ECMWF BEING THE SLOWER
SOLUTION. HAVE LEANED TOWARD THE SLOWER ECMWF FOR NOW SINCE THE GFS
MAY BE TOO AGGRESSIVE IN ITS COMPRESSION OF THE RIDGE VIA THE
NORTHWEST TROUGH. THIS FAVORS CHANCE POPS IN THE 00Z TUESDAY TO 00Z
WEDNESDAY WINDOW.

&&

.AVIATION.../18Z TAF ISSUANCE/

MAIN CONCERN RMNS WITH POT OF AFTN/EVE TSTMS WHICH WOULD PRBLY
AFFECT ALL TAF SITES. OUTFLOW BNDRY (WARMFNT) CURRENTLY FM NR MVE
TO JUST N OF MSP. ELY FLOW N OF BNDRY IN COOLER MORE STBL AMS.
WITH SOME THINNING IN CLD CVR N OF BNDRY XPCT IT TO TAKE A JUMP
NORTH NEXT FEW HRS. CDFNT IN DKTS WL REACH AXN ARND 20Z AND THEN
CONT MVG SE THRU RMDR AFTN/EVE. TSTMS SHUD BCM MR WDSPRD ALNG
CDFNT AND OUTFLOW AS APRCH OF UPR TROF BGNS TO COOL MID LVLS AND
BREAK CAP. SEE TAFS FOR TIMING OF CDFNT AND CONVECTION. DRIER AMS
IN WAKE OF CDFNT WL BRNG IMPRVG CIGS WITHIN A COUPLE HRS OF FROPA
AFT THE LWR IN PCPN.

.KMSP...OUTFLOW BNDRY FM CONV N OF MSP CURRENTLY LYING JUST N OF
ARPT...BUT SHUD BGN TO MV BACK N IN NEXT CUPL HRS AS CLDS CONT TO
THIN IN CNTL MN. THIS WL BRNG INCRSG SW WNDS TO MSP. CDFNT IN DKTS
WL REACH MSP ARND 02-03Z. EXPCT CAP TO DCRS SUFFICIENTLY BY THEN
TO ALLOW TSTMS TO DVLP S ALNG FNT. BGN TSTMS AT MSP ARND 01Z.

&&

.MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MN...HEAT ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR ANOKA-BLUE EARTH-
     BROWN-CARVER-CHIPPEWA-DAKOTA-FARIBAULT-FREEBORN-GOODHUE-
     HENNEPIN-KANDIYOHI-LAC QUI PARLE-LE SUEUR-MARTIN-MCLEOD-
     MEEKER-NICOLLET-RAMSEY-REDWOOD-RENVILLE-RICE-SCOTT-SIBLEY-
     STEELE-SWIFT-WASECA-WASHINGTON-WATONWAN-WRIGHT-YELLOW
     MEDICINE.

WI...NONE.
&&

LS/BAP

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1136 AM CDT TUE JUL 27 2010

MNZ041>045-047>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ014>016-023>028-
281100-
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-
1136 AM CDT TUE JUL 27 2010

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

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

A COLD FRONT WILL ADVANCE SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA THIS
AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THERE REMAINS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA. LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING
WINDS ARE POSSIBLE ALONG WITH HEAVY RAINFALL. AN ISOLATED TORNADO
IS POSSIBLE... ESPECIALLY LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING.

TEMPERATURES WILL WARM TO 90 TO 95 DEGREES ACROSS PARTS OF
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA THIS AFTERNOON. COMBINED WITH
DEWPOINTS IN THE LOWER AND MIDDLE 70S...DANGEROUS HEAT INDICIES IN
THE 100 TO 105 DEGREE RANGE ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS
PARTS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA DURING THE
AFTERNOON...GENERALLY SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 94.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

THUNDERSTORMS ARE AGAIN POSSIBLE THURSDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY.
SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED BY LATE THIS
AFTERNOON.

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
617 PM CDT TUE JUL 27 2010

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

0611 PM     TSTM WND GST     SW ST CLOUD             45.55N 94.18W
07/27/2010  M53 MPH          STEARNS            MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            TREE BRANCHES UP TO 5 INCHES IN DIAMETER DOWN.

&&

MKM

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
619 PM CDT TUE JUL 27 2010

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

0618 PM     TSTM WND GST     1 SSW ST CLOUD          45.54N 94.18W
07/27/2010  M59 MPH          STEARNS            MN   COUNTY OFFICIAL

            MEASURED WITH ANEMOMETER BY MORRISSON COUNTY OFFICIAL.

&&

AJZ

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
620 PM CDT TUE JUL 27 2010

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

0609 PM     TSTM WND GST     8 N MILACA              45.87N 93.65W
07/27/2010  M65 MPH          MILLE LACS         MN   MESONET

            MEASURED BY MNDOT AUTOMATED SENSOR ON HWY 169 AT MILE
            POST 200...ABOUT 8 MILES NORTH OF MILACA.

&&

MKM

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
624 PM CDT TUE JUL 27 2010

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

0608 PM     TSTM WND GST     5 E ST CLOUD            45.55N 94.07W
07/27/2010  M52 MPH          SHERBURNE          MN   ASOS

            MEASURED AT ST CLOUD AIRPORT.

&&

MKM

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
629 PM CDT TUE JUL 27 2010

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

0618 PM     TSTM WND GST     1 SSW ST CLOUD          45.54N 94.18W
07/27/2010  M59.00 MPH       STEARNS            MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

MKM

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
632 PM CDT TUE JUL 27 2010

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

0455 PM     TSTM WND GST     ALEXANDRIA              45.87N 95.38W
07/27/2010  M53.00 MPH       DOUGLAS            MN   ASOS

            MEASURED AT ALEXANDRIA AIRPORT

0527 PM     TSTM WND GST     2 SE SAUK CENTRE        45.72N 94.93W
07/27/2010  M67.00 MPH       STEARNS            MN   MESONET

            MEASURED AT MNDOT AUTOMATED STATION AT MILE POST 128.

0556 PM     TSTM WND GST     3 ESE BELGRADE          45.43N 94.94W
07/27/2010  M56.00 MPH       STEARNS            MN   MESONET

            MEASURED AT MNDOT AUTOMATED WEATHER SITE ON HWY 55 /MILE
            POST 98/ BY GEORGEVILLE.

0608 PM     TSTM WND GST     5 E ST CLOUD            45.55N 94.07W
07/27/2010  M52.00 MPH       SHERBURNE          MN   ASOS

            MEASURED AT ST CLOUD AIRPORT.

0609 PM     TSTM WND GST     8 N MILACA              45.87N 93.65W
07/27/2010  M65.00 MPH       MILLE LACS         MN   MESONET

            MEASURED BY MNDOT AUTOMATED SENSOR ON HWY 169 AT MILE
            POST 200...ABOUT 8 MILES NORTH OF MILACA.

0611 PM     TSTM WND GST     SW ST CLOUD             45.55N 94.18W
07/27/2010  M53.00 MPH       STEARNS            MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            TREE BRANCHES UP TO 5 INCHES IN DIAMETER DOWN.

0618 PM     TSTM WND GST     1 SSW ST CLOUD          45.54N 94.18W
07/27/2010  M59.00 MPH       STEARNS            MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

MKM