Alert archive / Minnesota / Flash Flood Warnings in 2011

Flash Flood Warning 4, NWS Twin Cities, MN

July 15, 2011Douglas County, Todd County, Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this flash flood warning at Jul 15, 2011, 8:14 AM CDT for Douglas County, Todd County, Minnesota. It was in force for 3 hr. 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 15, 2011, 8:14 AM CDT (13:14 UTC)
Expired
Jul 15, 2011, 11:00 AM CDT
In force
3 hr
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Douglas County, MN, Todd County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 171 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 13:16 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 15, 9:00 AM CDTHEAVY RAIN 4.39Carlos, MN24 HOUR TOTAL.
Jul 15, 10:35 AM CDTHEAVY RAIN 6.75Osakis, MNSHERRIF CALLED TWO OF HIS DEPUTIES REPORT 6.75 INCHES OF RAIN.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 1.2 hours before the alert went out and 169 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 12:00Z on 2011-07-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1183 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 12:00Z on 2011-07-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 101 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
1183 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-78 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
585 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
28 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
101 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
135 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
3.9

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

655 
WGUS53 KMPX 151314
FFWMPX
MNC041-153-151600-
/O.NEW.KMPX.FF.W.0004.110715T1314Z-110715T1600Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
FLASH FLOOD WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
814 AM CDT FRI JUL 15 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN THE TWIN CITIES HAS ISSUED A

* FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR...
  DOUGLAS COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...
  SOUTHERN TODD COUNTY IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

* UNTIL 1100 AM CDT

* AT 812 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
  THUNDERSTORMS WITH VERY HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE WARNED AREA.
  BETWEEN 1 AND 4 INCHES OF RAIN HAS FALLEN SINCE 4 AM CDT... AND ANOTHER
  1 TO 2 INCHES OF RAIN IS EXPECTED THROUGH 930 AM CDT.

* RUNOFF FROM THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING TO
  OCCUR. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...
  ALEXANDRIA...LONG PRAIRIE...BRANDON...CARLOS...CLOTHO...
  EVANSVILLE...FORADA...GARFIELD...GREY EAGLE...KENSINGTON...LITTLE
  SAUK...MILTONA...NORTH SHORE...OSAKIS AND PLEASANT BEACH.

OBSERVERS IN SOUTHWEST TODD COUNTY REPORTED RAINFALL TOTALS OF NEAR 
4 INCHES WITH THESE STORMS.

THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING STREAMS AND DRAINAGES...
LONG PRAIRIE RIVER...CHIPPEWA RIVER...TURTLE CREEK...SPRUCE CREEK...
WOLF CREEK...SWAN RIVER...SAUK RIVER...ASHLEY CREEK...FAIRFIELD
CREEK...CALAMUS CREEK...DRAYER CREEK...HARRIS CREEK...VENEWITZ
CREEK...NORTH TWO RIVER...MOLLY CREEK...IRISH CREEK...SPRING BRANCH
SWAN RIVER AND LITTLE ELK RIVER.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE IN
THE WARNED AREA. DO NOT DRIVE WHERE WATER COVERS THE ROADWAY. TURN
AROUND... DONT DROWN.

&&

LAT...LON 4608 9465 4578 9465 4576 9576 4605 9577

$$
2 follow-up statements
525 
WGUS73 KMPX 151428
FFSMPX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
928 AM CDT FRI JUL 15 2011

MNC041-153-151600-
/O.CON.KMPX.FF.W.0004.000000T0000Z-110715T1600Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
DOUGLAS MN-TODD MN-
928 AM CDT FRI JUL 15 2011

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHERN TODD AND
DOUGLAS COUNTIES UNTIL 1100 AM CDT...

AT 928 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS THE WARNED AREA. RADAR
ESTIMATES AND SPOTTER REPORTS INDICATED THAT BETWEEN 1 AND 4 INCHES 
OF RAIN HAS FALLEN SINCE 5 AM CDT. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL OF UP TO
AN INCH IS POSSIBLE THROUGH 1030 AM CDT.

RUNOFF FROM THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE FLASH FLOODING TO
OCCUR. SOME LOCATIONS THAT MAY EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...
ALEXANDRIA...LONG PRAIRIE...BRANDON...CARLOS...CLOTHO...FORADA...
GARFIELD...GREY EAGLE...KENSINGTON...LITTLE SAUK...NORTH SHORE AND
OSAKIS.

THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING STREAMS AND DRAINAGES...
LONG PRAIRIE RIVER...TURTLE CREEK...SPRUCE CREEK...SWAN RIVER...
CHIPPEWA RIVER...SAUK RIVER...ASHLEY CREEK...FAIRFIELD CREEK...
CALAMUS CREEK...DRAYER CREEK...HARRIS CREEK...VENEWITZ CREEK...NORTH
TWO RIVER...MOLLY CREEK...IRISH CREEK...SPRING BRANCH SWAN RIVER AND
LITTLE ELK RIVER.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

MOST FLOOD RELATED DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO
CROSS BRIDGES...DIPS...OR OTHER LOW SPOTS IF WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM...EVEN A SMALL ONE...ON
FOOT OR IN A VEHICLE.

&&

LAT...LON 4578 9465 4576 9576 4592 9577 4603 9538
      4604 9465

$$
669 
WGUS73 KMPX 151525
FFSMPX

FLASH FLOOD STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1025 AM CDT FRI JUL 15 2011

MNC041-153-151600-
/O.CON.KMPX.FF.W.0004.000000T0000Z-110715T1600Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
DOUGLAS MN-TODD MN-
1025 AM CDT FRI JUL 15 2011

...FLASH FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTHERN TODD AND
DOUGLAS COUNTIES UNTIL 1100 AM CDT...

AT 1023 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
THAT THE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY HAD MOVED SOUTH AND EAST OF THE
WARNED AREA. HOWEVER... RADAR ESTIMATES AND SPOTTER REPORTS INDICATED
THAT BETWEEN 2 AND 5 INCHES OF RAIN FELL BETWEEN 5 AM CDT AND 10 AM
CDT. THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE FLOODING OF LOW
LYING AREAS AND ROADS ALONG SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS THROUGH AROUND
1100 AM CDT.

SOME LOCATIONS THAT COULD EXPERIENCE FLOODING INCLUDE...
ALEXANDRIA...BRANDON...CARLOS...FORADA...GARFIELD...GREY EAGLE...
KENSINGTON...LITTLE SAUK...NORTH SHORE AND OSAKIS.

THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING STREAMS AND DRAINAGES...
LONG PRAIRIE RIVER...SPRUCE CREEK...SWAN RIVER...CHIPPEWA RIVER...
SAUK RIVER...ASHLEY CREEK...FAIRFIELD CREEK...CALAMUS CREEK...
VENEWITZ CREEK...NORTH TWO RIVER...MOLLY CREEK...IRISH CREEK...TURTLE
CREEK AND SPRING BRANCH SWAN RIVER.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

MOST FLOOD RELATED DEATHS OCCUR IN AUTOMOBILES. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO
CROSS BRIDGES...DIPS...OR OTHER LOW SPOTS IF WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. NEVER TRY TO CROSS A FLOWING STREAM...EVEN A SMALL ONE...ON
FOOT OR IN A VEHICLE.

&&

LAT...LON 4596 9465 4578 9465 4576 9576 4592 9577
      4603 9538

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 15, 3:40 AM CDTExcessive Heat WatchMPXAnoka, Benton, Blue Earth, Brown, Carver, Chippewa and 36 more36 hr
Jul 15, 4:58 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXDouglas62 min
Jul 15, 5:55 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMPXDouglas, Todd3 hr
Jul 15, 6:13 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXTodd62 min
Jul 15, 6:19 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXDouglas, Stearns, Todd56 min
Jul 15, 6:44 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXStearns, Todd61 min
Jul 15, 6:50 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXDouglas55 min
Jul 15, 7:05 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXStearns55 min
Jul 15, 7:11 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXMorrison79 min
Jul 15, 7:33 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXDouglas, Pope, Stearns, Todd57 min
Jul 15, 8:37 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXStearns53 min
Jul 15, 8:51 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningMPXPope, Stearns3 hr
Jul 15, 9:00 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXMeeker, Stearns, Wright45 min
Jul 15, 9:36 AM CDTRiver Flood WarningMPXTodd5 days
Jul 15, 10:12 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXAnoka, Hennepin, Sherburne, Wright63 min
Jul 15, 11:07 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXFreeborn, Steele38 min
Jul 15, 12:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXDakota, Goodhue, Rice52 min
Jul 15, 12:52 PM CDTFlood WatchMPXAnoka, Blue Earth, Brown, Carver, Chippewa, Dakota and 22 more13 hr
Jul 15, 2:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXBlue Earth, Le Sueur, Nicollet, Waseca44 min
Jul 15, 3:09 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMPXBlue Earth, Carver, Le Sueur, Nicollet, Rice, Scott and 2 more3 hr
Jul 15, 3:20 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXFreeborn, Le Sueur, Rice, Steele, Waseca55 min
Jul 15, 3:34 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXFreeborn, Rice, Steele, Waseca26 min
Jul 15, 3:35 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMPXDakota, Le Sueur, Rice, Scott, Steele, Waseca3 hr
Jul 15, 3:46 PM CDTExcessive Heat WarningMPXAnoka, Benton, Blue Earth, Brown, Carver, Chippewa and 36 more5 days
Jul 15, 3:50 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMPXDakota, Goodhue, Rice3 hr
Jul 15, 4:55 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMPXFaribault, Freeborn, Steele, Waseca3 hr

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Minnesota, 2011Every flash flood 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; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.