Alert archive / North Dakota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2011

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 317, NWS Bismarck, ND

August 31, 2011McKenzie County, North Dakota

NWS Bismarck, ND issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Aug 31, 2011, 8:54 PM CDT for McKenzie County, North Dakota. It was in force for 51 min. 1 report 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: Aug 31, 2011, 8:54 PM CDT (01:54 UTC)
Expired: Aug 31, 2011, 9:45 PM CDT
In force: 51 min
Issued by: NWS Bismarck, ND
Area: Storm-based polygon
Hail: 0.88 in
Wind: 60.0 mph

County McKenzie County, ND

What was reported inside it

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Aug 31, 9:25 PM CDT	HAIL 1	3 Nne East Fairview, ND	LATE REPORT. VERY BRIEF HAIL...LASTED A FEW MINUTES AT MOST.

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 one storm report to this severe thunderstorm warning; the first came 31 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
Aug 31, 8:53 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Glasgow Intl Airport, MT (KGGW), launched 00:00Z, 1.9 hours before the alert went out and 225 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: 1322 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -21 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1754 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 54 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 70 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 186 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.4
Supercell composite: 6.8

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

074 
WUUS53 KBIS 010154
SVRBIS
NDC053-010245-
/O.NEW.KBIS.SV.W.0317.110901T0154Z-110901T0245Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
754 PM MDT WED AUG 31 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BISMARCK HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
  MCKENZIE COUNTY IN NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA...

* UNTIL 845 PM MDT

* AT 750 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS
  OF 60 MPH.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR SKAAR...OR 23 MILES
  SOUTH OF SIDNEY...MONTANA...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. NICKEL
  SIZE HAIL MAY ALSO ACCOMPANY THESE DAMAGING WINDS.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF 
MCKENZIE   COUNTY. WATFORD CITY IS IN THE PATH OF THE STORM.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM...TAKE SHELTER IN A STURDY
BUILDING...AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO YOUR NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE AT
701-223-4582.

&&

LAT...LON 4793 10406 4808 10306 4735 10310 4734 10406
TIME...MOT...LOC 0152Z 235DEG 30KT 4741 10397
WIND...HAIL 60MPH 0.88IN

$$

JP MARTIN

2 follow-up statements

432 
WWUS53 KBIS 010218
SVSBIS

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
918 PM CDT WED AUG 31 2011

NDC053-010245-
/O.CON.KBIS.SV.W.0317.000000T0000Z-110901T0245Z/
MCKENZIE ND-
818 PM MDT WED AUG 31 2011

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR MCKENZIE
COUNTY UNTIL 845 PM MDT...

AT 813 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN
EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING
FROM EAST FAIRVIEW TO 14 MILES SOUTH OF SATHER DAM...MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 40 MPH. PENNY SIZE HAIL MAY ALSO ACCOMPANY THESE DAMAGING WINDS.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  CHARBONNEAU...ALEXANDER...GRASSY BUTTE...RAWSON...ARNEGARD...
  THEODORE ROOSEVELT NATIONAL PARK NORTH AND WATFORD CITY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

REPORT SEVERE WEATHER TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BISMARCK AT
701-223-4582.

&&

LAT...LON 4793 10406 4801 10351 4801 10348 4803 10340
      4803 10336 4804 10332 4808 10306 4767 10308
      4759 10310 4735 10310 4735 10399
TIME...MOT...LOC 0219Z 238DEG 33KT 4792 10394 4751 10365
WIND...HAIL 60MPH 0.75IN

$$

AYD

553 
WWUS53 KBIS 010230
SVSBIS

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
930 PM CDT WED AUG 31 2011

NDC053-010245-
/O.CON.KBIS.SV.W.0317.000000T0000Z-110901T0245Z/
MCKENZIE ND-
830 PM MDT WED AUG 31 2011

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN
MCKENZIE COUNTY UNTIL 845 PM MDT...

AT 828 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS IN
EXCESS OF 60 MPH.  THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING
FROM 8 MILES NORTH OF CHARBONNEAU TO 11 MILES WEST OF GRASSY BUTTE...
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH. PENNY SIZE HAIL MAY ALSO ACCOMPANY THESE
DAMAGING WINDS.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  RAWSON...GRASSY BUTTE...ARNEGARD...THEODORE ROOSEVELT NATIONAL PARK
  NORTH AND WATFORD CITY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION WITH TORNADO LIKE WIND
SPEEDS EXPECTED. MOBILE HOMES AND HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES ARE
ESPECIALLY SUSCEPTIBLE TO WINDS OF THIS MAGNITUDE AND MAY BE
OVERTURNED. MOVE IMMEDIATELY TO A STURDY BUILDING AND STAY AWAY FROM
WINDOWS.

&&

LAT...LON 4793 10406 4803 10340 4803 10336 4808 10306
      4735 10310 4735 10365
TIME...MOT...LOC 0231Z 244DEG 37KT 4798 10374 4744 10345
WIND...HAIL 60MPH 0.75IN

$$

AYD

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 Bismarck, ND wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Aug 31, 7:17 PM CDT, 1 hour 37 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 31, 7:17 PM CDT, 1 hour 37 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
717 PM CDT WED AUG 31 2011

.UPDATE...TEMPERATURES.

&&

.DISCUSSION...CURRENTLY...A COLD FRONT ACROSS EASTERN MONTANA WAS
THE FOCUS FOR THUNDERSTORMS EARLY THIS EVENING. AS THE FRONT
MOVES EAST THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN NORTH DAKOTA.
THE BEST CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE THE NORTHWEST AND WEST
CENTRAL SECTIONS OF THE STATE. CURRENT FORECAST HAS THIS
SCENARIO WELL IN HAND. JUST TWEAKED THE TEMPERATURES FOR THE
EVENING.

&&

.AVIATION...AT 7 PM CDT WEDNESDAY EVENING...A COLD FRONT WAS
APPROACHING THE MONTANA NORTH DAKOTA BORDER. THE COLD FRONT WILL
BE THE FOCUS FOR THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS WET AND CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA
TONIGHT. FOLLOWING THE FRONT..GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 30
KTS ALONG WITH MVFR CIGS WILL DEVELOP AFTER 06Z AT KISN...AND KDIK
AND MOVE TO KMOT/KBIS AFTER 12Z. VFR CONDITIONS GENERALLY EXPECTED
AT KJMS.

&&

.BIS WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
NONE.
&&

SHORT TERM...WAA
AVIATION...WAA

Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 31, 3:19 PM CDT, 5 hours 35 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
319 PM CDT WED AUG 31 2011

NDZ001>005-009>013-017>023-025-031>037-040>048-050-051-012030-
DIVIDE-BURKE-RENVILLE-BOTTINEAU-ROLETTE-WILLIAMS-MOUNTRAIL-WARD-
MCHENRY-PIERCE-MCKENZIE-DUNN-MERCER-OLIVER-MCLEAN-SHERIDAN-WELLS-
FOSTER-GOLDEN VALLEY-BILLINGS-STARK-MORTON-BURLEIGH-KIDDER-
STUTSMAN-SLOPE-HETTINGER-GRANT-BOWMAN-ADAMS-SIOUX-EMMONS-LOGAN-
LA MOURE-MCINTOSH-DICKEY-
319 PM CDT WED AUG 31 2011 /219 PM MDT WED AUG 31 2011/

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL
NORTH DAKOTA...NORTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA...SOUTH CENTRAL NORTH
DAKOTA...SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHWEST NORTH DAKOTA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP THIS EVENING...AND CONTINUE
OVERNIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING. SOME STORMS COULD BE SEVERE.
HEAVY RAIN IS FORECAST FOR NORTHWESTERN AND NORTH CENTRAL NORTH
DAKOTA.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

LINGERING CHANCES OF THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY MORNING.

THE NEXT CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY
ASSOCIATED WITH AN ALBERTA CLIPPER. STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO
REACH SEVERE LIMITS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.

JV

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 31, 8:37 PM CDT, 17 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
837 PM CDT WED AUG 31 2011

NDZ031-032-040-043-010215-
BILLINGS ND-BOWMAN ND-GOLDEN VALLEY ND-SLOPE ND-
737 PM MDT WED AUG 31 2011

...SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT FOR WESTERN SLOPE...GOLDEN VALLEY...
NORTHERN BOWMAN AND WESTERN BILLINGS COUNTIES UNTIL 815 PM MDT...

AT 736 PM MDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR WAS TRACKING
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 18 MILES NORTHEAST
OF WIBAUX TO 23 MILES EAST OF CARLYLE TO 26 MILES WEST OF BOWMAN...
AND MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

HAIL UP TO ONE-HALF INCH IN DIAMETER AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE
EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS...ALONG WITH FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...
  BOWMAN...
  TROTTERS...
  SUNSET BUTTE...
  MEDORA...
  RHAME...
  GRIFFIN...
  AMIDON...
  BUFFALO SPRINGS...

THESE STORMS MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND
TV STATIONS...AS WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS... FOR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

ABELING

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Aug 31, 9:07 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BIS	Bowman, Slope	53 min
Aug 31, 9:17 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BIS	Divide, McKenzie, Williams	58 min
Aug 31, 9:39 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BIS	Billings, Dunn, Stark	66 min
Aug 31, 9:45 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BIS	Dunn, McKenzie	45 min
Aug 31, 10:01 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BIS	Adams, Bowman, Hettinger, Slope	59 min
Aug 31, 10:12 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BIS	Burke, Divide, McKenzie, Mountrail, Williams	63 min
Aug 31, 10:22 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BIS	McKenzie, Mountrail	38 min
Aug 31, 10:36 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BIS	Dunn, Grant, Hettinger, Mercer, Morton, Oliver and 1 more	54 min
Aug 31, 10:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BIS	Bottineau, Burke, Mountrail, Renville, Ward	64 min
Aug 31, 10:59 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BIS	Grant, Hettinger	39 min
Aug 31, 11:25 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BIS	McLean, Mercer, Morton, Oliver	65 min
Aug 31, 11:49 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BIS	Burleigh, Kidder, McLean, Morton, Oliver, Sheridan and 1 more	56 min
Sep 1, 12:36 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	BIS	Foster, Kidder, McHenry, Pierce, Sheridan, Wells	54 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in North Dakota, 2011 Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2011

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.