Alert archive / North Dakota / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 24, NWS Grand Forks, ND

July 4, 2011Clay County, Minnesota; Cass County, Traill County, North Dakota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this tornado warning at Jul 4, 2011, 9:21 PM CDT for Clay County, Minnesota; Cass County, Traill County, North Dakota. It was in force for 39 min. 2 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 4, 2011, 9:21 PM CDT (02:21 UTC)
Expired: Jul 4, 2011, 10:00 PM CDT
In force: 39 min
Issued by: NWS Grand Forks, ND
Area: Storm-based polygon

Counties Clay County, MN, Cass County, ND, Traill County, ND

The radar

The Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 50 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:23 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 4, 9:26 PM CDT	TORNADO	2 W Grandin, ND	BRIEF TOUCHDOWN REPORTED IN OPENED FIELD WEST OF TOWN.
Jul 4, 9:27 PM CDT	FUNNEL CLOUD	3 Sw Grandin, ND

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.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Jul 4, 3:06 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	7 hr
Jul 4, 7:14 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Aberdeen, SD (KABR), launched 00:00Z, 2.4 hours before the alert went out and 278 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: 3256 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -52 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 1088 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 30 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 94 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 150 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 1.3
Supercell composite: 9.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

425 
WFUS53 KFGF 050221
TORFGF
MNC027-NDC017-097-050300-
/O.NEW.KFGF.TO.W.0024.110705T0221Z-110705T0300Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
921 PM CDT MON JUL 4 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHWESTERN CLAY COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA...
  NORTHEASTERN CASS COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA...
  SOUTHEASTERN TRAILL COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA...

* UNTIL 1000 PM CDT

* AT 918 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THE STORM WAS
  LOCATED 3 MILES WEST OF GRANDIN...OR 27 MILES NORTHWEST OF FARGO...
  MOVING TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

* THE TORNADIC STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  GARDNER AROUND 940 PM CDT.
  ARGUSVILLE AROUND 955 PM CDT.
  GEORGETOWN AROUND 1000 PM CDT.

FOR MOTORISTS ON INTERSTATE 29...THE TORNADIC STORM WILL BE
BETWEEN...MILE MARKER 93 AROUND 920 PM CDT...AND MILE MARKER 81
AROUND 950 PM CDT...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES
FOR A STURDY BUILDING.

&&

LAT...LON 4722 9724 4735 9705 4721 9683 4720 9685
      4719 9683 4718 9684 4716 9682 4715 9683
      4715 9674 4713 9671 4697 9694
TIME...MOT...LOC 0221Z 316DEG 18KT 4722 9705

$$

HOPPES

3 follow-up statements

887 
WWUS53 KFGF 050231
SVSFGF

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
931 PM CDT MON JUL 4 2011

MNC027-NDC017-097-050300-
/O.CON.KFGF.TO.W.0024.000000T0000Z-110705T0300Z/
CASS ND-TRAILL ND-CLAY MN-
931 PM CDT MON JUL 4 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHWESTERN CLAY COUNTY
IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA...AND SOUTHEASTERN TRAILL AND NORTHEASTERN
CASS COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA UNTIL 1000 PM CDT...

AT 927 PM CDT...A STORM SPOTTER REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD AND NATIONAL 
WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM 
CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF GRANDIN...OR 24 
MILES NORTHWEST OF FARGO...MOVING TO THE SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH. 

THE TORNADIC STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  GARDNER AROUND 940 PM CDT.
  ARGUSVILLE AROUND 955 PM CDT.
  GEORGETOWN AROUND 1000 PM CDT.

FOR MOTORISTS ON INTERSTATE 29...THE TORNADIC STORM WILL BE
BETWEEN...MILE MARKER 91 AROUND 930 PM CDT...AND MILE MARKER 81
AROUND 950 PM CDT...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

DO NOT OUTRUN A TORNADO IN YOUR CAR. LEAVE YOUR CAR AND GO TO A
STRONG BUILDING OR SEEK SHELTER IN A DITCH OR LOW SPOT.

&&

LAT...LON 4722 9724 4735 9705 4721 9683 4720 9685
      4719 9683 4718 9684 4716 9682 4715 9683
      4715 9674 4713 9671 4697 9694
TIME...MOT...LOC 0230Z 316DEG 18KT 4719 9701

$$

HOPPES

588 
WWUS53 KFGF 050237
SVSFGF

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
937 PM CDT MON JUL 4 2011

MNC027-NDC017-097-050300-
/O.CON.KFGF.TO.W.0024.000000T0000Z-110705T0300Z/
CASS ND-TRAILL ND-CLAY MN-
937 PM CDT MON JUL 4 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHWESTERN CLAY COUNTY
IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA...AND SOUTHEASTERN TRAILL AND NORTHEASTERN
CASS COUNTIES IN SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA UNTIL 1000 PM CDT...

AT 932 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 4 MILES NORTHWEST
OF GARDNER...OR 23 MILES NORTHWEST OF FARGO...MOVING TO THE SOUTHEAST
AT 20 MPH. AT 926 PM CDT...TRAILL COUNTY SHERIFF REPORTED A BRIEF 
TORNADO TOUCHDOWN 2 MILES WEST OF GRANDIN 

THE TORNADIC STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  GARDNER AROUND 945 PM CDT.
  GEORGETOWN AND ARGUSVILLE AROUND 1000 PM CDT.

FOR MOTORISTS ON INTERSTATE 29...THE TORNADIC STORM WILL BE
BETWEEN...MILE MARKER 90 AROUND 935 PM CDT...AND MILE MARKER 78
AROUND 1000 PM CDT...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

DO NOT OUTRUN A TORNADO IN YOUR CAR. LEAVE YOUR CAR AND GO TO A
STRONG BUILDING OR SEEK SHELTER IN A DITCH OR LOW SPOT.

&&

LAT...LON 4722 9724 4735 9705 4721 9683 4720 9685
      4719 9683 4718 9684 4716 9682 4715 9683
      4715 9674 4713 9671 4697 9694
TIME...MOT...LOC 0235Z 323DEG 16KT 4717 9701

$$

HOPPES

622 
WWUS53 KFGF 050300
SVSFGF

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
1000 PM CDT MON JUL 4 2011

MNC027-NDC017-097-050310-
/O.EXP.KFGF.TO.W.0024.000000T0000Z-110705T0300Z/
CASS ND-TRAILL ND-CLAY MN-
1000 PM CDT MON JUL 4 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHWESTERN CLAY COUNTY IN NORTHWEST
MINNESOTA...AND SOUTHEASTERN TRAILL AND NORTHEASTERN CASS COUNTIES IN
SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA HAS EXPIRED...

THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS WEAKENED BELOW SEVERE
LIMITS...AND NO LONGER POSES AN IMMEDIATE THREAT TO LIFE OR PROPERTY.

LAT...LON 4722 9724 4735 9705 4721 9683 4720 9685
      4719 9683 4718 9684 4716 9682 4715 9683
      4715 9674 4713 9671 4697 9694
TIME...MOT...LOC 0300Z 323DEG 16KT 4707 9694

$$

HOPPES/EWENS

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 4, 7:19 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Marshall, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake	56 min
Jul 4, 7:43 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Beltrami, Clearwater, Lake of the Woods	48 min
Jul 4, 7:55 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FGF	Polk, Red Lake	50 min
Jul 4, 8:17 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Norman, Polk	58 min
Jul 4, 8:50 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FGF	Norman, Polk	40 min
Jul 4, 9:12 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Clay, Norman	63 min
Jul 4, 9:40 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Clay	65 min
Jul 4, 10:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Clay, Otter Tail, Wilkin	61 min
Jul 4, 11:31 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Grant, Otter Tail, Wilkin	59 min
Jul 5, 12:40 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Grant	26 min
Jul 5, 3:12 AM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	FGF	Grant, Otter Tail, Wilkin	9 hr
Jul 5, 4:06 AM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	FGF	Wilkin	8 hr
Jul 5, 4:24 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Wilkin	22 min
Jul 4, 9:51 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FGF	Cass	39 min
Jul 4, 10:26 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Cass, Ransom, Richland, Sargent	64 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in North Dakota, 2011 Tornado Warnings in Minnesota, 2011 Every tornado warning in 2011 Tornadoes 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.