Alert archive / Minnesota / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 8, NWS Grand Forks, ND

May 30, 2011Clay County, Minnesota; Cass County, North Dakota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this tornado warning at May 30, 2011, 8:47 PM CDT for Clay County, Minnesota; Cass County, North Dakota. It was in force for 43 min. 9 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
May 30, 2011, 8:47 PM CDT (01:47 UTC)
Expired
May 30, 2011, 9:30 PM CDT
In force
43 min
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Clay County, MN, Cass County, ND

The radar

The Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 65 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:47 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
May 30, 8:57 PM CDTTSTM WND GST 60Dilworth, MNDILWORTH RWIS RECORDED WIND GUST OF 60 MPH.
May 30, 9:00 PM CDTTSTM WND DMGFargo, NDSMALL TREES BLOWN OVER NEAR 3RD AVENUE NORTH...6 BLOCK STRETCH.
May 30, 9:00 PM CDTTSTM WND DMGMoorhead, MNSEMI-TRUCK ROLLED OVER DUE TO POSSIBLE THUNDSTORM WINDS.
May 30, 9:04 PM CDTTSTM WND GST 58Fargo, NDNDAWN SITE AT NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY
May 30, 9:05 PM CDTTSTM WND DMGWest Fargo, NDLARGE COTTONWOD TREES DOWN IN WEST FARGO, POWER OUT AS WELL.
May 30, 9:06 PM CDTTSTM WND GST 72Fargo, NDAIRPORT REPORTED WIND GUST OF 63 KNOTS...OR 72 MILES PER HOUR.
May 30, 9:13 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUD2 E Harwood, NDFUNNEL CLOUD SPOTTED 2 MILES EAST OF HARWOOD.
May 30, 9:15 PM CDTTSTM WND DMG4 Nw Harwood, ND60 FOOT TREE BLOWN OVER.
May 30, 9:15 PM CDTTSTM WND DMGNw Harwood, ND60 FOOT TREE BLOWN OVER.

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
May 30, 3:52 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC7 hr
May 30, 8:43 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Aberdeen, SD (KABR), launched 00:00Z, 1.8 hours before the alert went out and 264 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, Aberdeen, SD at 00:00Z on 2011-05-31Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1125 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Aberdeen, SD at 00:00Z on 2011-05-31The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 90 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
1125 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-258 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
775 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
58 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
90 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
174 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
-1.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

456 
WFUS53 KFGF 310147
TORFGF
MNC027-NDC017-310230-
/O.NEW.KFGF.TO.W.0008.110531T0147Z-110531T0230Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
847 PM CDT MON MAY 30 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  WESTERN CLAY COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA...
  EASTERN CASS COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA...

* UNTIL 930 PM CDT

* AT 842 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THE STORM WAS
  LOCATED 2 MILES SOUTH OF WALCOTT...OR 24 MILES NORTHWEST OF   
WAHPETON...MOVING TO THE NORTH-NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.

* THE TORNADIC STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  HICKSON AND DAVENPORT AROUND 855 PM CDT.
  HORACE...RUSTAD AND WILD RICE AROUND 900 PM CDT.
  MAPLETON...WEST FARGO AND PRAIRIE ROSE AROUND 905 PM CDT.
  FARGO...MOORHEAD AND DILWORTH AROUND 910 PM CDT.

* THE PUBLIC REPORTED A TORNADO NEAR BARNEY IN RICHLAND COUNTY       
  AROUND 827 PM. 

THEREAFTER SOME OTHER LOCATIONS IMPACTED BY THE TORNADIC STORM
INCLUDE DURBIN...OXBOW...REILE'S ACRES...HARWOOD...KRAGNES AND
GEORGETOWN.

FOR MOTORISTS ON INTERSTATE 29...THE TORNADIC STORM WILL BE
BETWEEN...MILE MARKER 50 AROUND 855 PM CDT...AND MILE MARKER 70
AROUND 915 PM CDT...

FOR MOTORISTS ON INTERSTATE 94...THE TORNADIC STORM WILL BE
BETWEEN...MILE MARKER 347 AROUND 905 PM CDT...AND MILE MARKER 352
AROUND 910 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 4718 9702 4715 9684 4715 9683 4715 9681
      4712 9657 4663 9677 4663 9723
TIME...MOT...LOC 0146Z 194DEG 49KT 4657 9693

$$

DTR
3 follow-up statements
721 
WWUS53 KFGF 310159
SVSFGF

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
859 PM CDT MON MAY 30 2011

MNC027-NDC017-310230-
/O.CON.KFGF.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-110531T0230Z/
CASS ND-CLAY MN-
859 PM CDT MON MAY 30 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN CLAY COUNTY IN
NORTHWEST MINNESOTA...AND EASTERN CASS COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NORTH
DAKOTA UNTIL 930 PM CDT...

AT 856 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR PRAIRIE
ROSE...OR 3 MILES SOUTH OF FARGO...MOVING TO THE NORTH AT 75 MPH.

THIS THUNDERSTORM IS SHOWING ROTATION WHICH COULD PRODUCE A BRIEF 
TORNADO AT ANY TIME.  

THE TORNADIC STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  HARWOOD...KRAGNES AND ARGUSVILLE AROUND 905 PM CDT.
  GEORGETOWN AND GARDNER AROUND 910 PM CDT.

FOR MOTORISTS ON INTERSTATE 29...THE TORNADIC STORM WILL BE
BETWEEN...MILE MARKERS 65 AND 70 AROUND 900 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 4718 9702 4715 9684 4715 9683 4715 9681
      4712 9657 4663 9677 4663 9723
TIME...MOT...LOC 0159Z 196DEG 64KT 4689 9681

$$

DTR
158 
WWUS53 KFGF 310207
SVSFGF

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
907 PM CDT MON MAY 30 2011

MNC027-NDC017-310230-
/O.CON.KFGF.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-110531T0230Z/
CASS ND-CLAY MN-
907 PM CDT MON MAY 30 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR WESTERN CLAY COUNTY IN
NORTHWEST MINNESOTA...AND EASTERN CASS COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NORTH
DAKOTA UNTIL 930 PM CDT...

AT 905 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO NEAR 
FARGO...MOVING TO THE NORTH AT 55 MPH.  THE CIRCULATION ON RADAR WAS 
LOCATED NEAR WEST ACRES MALL AREA.  

THE TORNADIC STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  KRAGNES AND ARGUSVILLE AROUND 915 PM CDT.
  GEORGETOWN AND GARDNER AROUND 920 PM CDT.

FOR MOTORISTS ON INTERSTATE 29...THE TORNADIC STORM WILL BE
BETWEEN...MILE MARKER 65 AROUND 905 PM CDT...AND MILE MARKER 71
AROUND 910 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 4718 9702 4715 9684 4715 9683 4715 9681
      4712 9657 4663 9677 4663 9723
TIME...MOT...LOC 0207Z 194DEG 55KT 4691 9682

$$

DTR
184 
WWUS53 KFGF 310232
SVSFGF

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
932 PM CDT MON MAY 30 2011

MNC027-NDC017-310242-
/O.EXP.KFGF.TO.W.0008.000000T0000Z-110531T0230Z/
CASS ND-CLAY MN-
932 PM CDT MON MAY 30 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR WESTERN CLAY COUNTY IN NORTHWEST
MINNESOTA...AND EASTERN CASS COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA HAS
EXPIRED...

THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THE WARNED
AREA.

REPORTS INDICATE WIDESPREAD WIND DAMAGE IN THE FARGO METRO AREA.

LAT...LON 4718 9702 4715 9684 4715 9683 4715 9681
      4712 9657 4663 9677 4663 9723
TIME...MOT...LOC 0207Z 194DEG 55KT 4691 9682

$$

DTR

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 30, 8:58 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFPolk47 min
May 30, 9:06 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFPolk39 min
May 30, 9:12 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFGrant48 min
May 30, 9:22 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFBecker, Clay, Norman38 min
May 30, 9:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFPennington, Polk, Red Lake65 min
May 30, 9:43 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFPolk47 min
May 30, 9:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFNorman, Polk27 min
May 30, 9:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFKittson25 min
May 30, 10:12 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFGFGrant9 hr
May 30, 10:20 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryFGFPolk8 hr
May 30, 10:21 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFBecker, Beltrami, Clearwater, Hubbard, Mahnomen, Otter Tail and 2 more54 min
May 30, 10:33 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFBeltrami, Clearwater, Kittson, Lake of the Woods, Marshall, Pennington and 3 more57 min
May 30, 11:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFBeltrami29 min
May 31, 3:44 AM CDTWind AdvisoryFGFBecker, Beltrami, Clay, Clearwater, Grant, Hubbard and 11 more19 hr
May 30, 7:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFRansom, Richland, Sargent63 min
May 30, 8:21 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFRansom, Sargent24 min
May 30, 8:34 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFRichland26 min
May 31, 6:12 PM CDTHigh Wind WarningFGFBarnes, Benson, Cavalier, Eddy, Griggs, Nelson and 4 more3 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Minnesota, 2011Tornado Warnings in North Dakota, 2011Every tornado warning in 2011Tornadoes 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.