Alert archive / Minnesota / Flood Watches in 2011

Flood Watch 1, NWS Twin Cities, MN

March 21, 201110 counties in Minnesota; 5 counties in Wisconsin

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this flood watch at Mar 21, 2011, 3:30 PM CDT for 10 counties in Minnesota; 5 counties in Wisconsin. It took effect at Mar 22, 2011, 7:00 AM CDT. It was in force for 15 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Mar 21, 2011, 3:30 PM CDT (20:30 UTC)
In effect from
Mar 22, 2011, 7:00 AM CDT
Expired
Mar 22, 2011, 10:00 PM CDT
In force
15 hr
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
Flood severity
None

Counties Anoka County, MN, Carver County, MN, Dakota County, MN, Hennepin County, MN, McLeod County, MN, Ramsey County, MN, Renville County, MN, Scott County, MN, Washington County, MN, Wright County, MN, Dunn County, WI, Eau Claire County, WI, Pepin County, WI, Pierce County, WI, Saint Croix County, WI

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 37 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:31 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 8.5 hours before the alert went out and 39 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 2011-03-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 2011-03-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -199 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
717 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
51 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-199 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-160 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

288 
WGUS63 KMPX 212030
FFAMPX

URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
330 PM CDT MON MAR 21 2011

...RAIN AND CONTINUED SNOW MELT TO CAUSE RISING RIVERS...

.RAIN...AND A FEW THUNDERSTORMS...WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE AREA
LATER TONIGHT...WITH PERIODS OF RAIN CONTINUING THROUGH WEDNESDAY.
RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE.

SATURATED GROUND AND ANY REMAINING SNOW MELT OVER SOUTHERN
MINNESOTA INTO WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN WILL RESULT IN FURTHER
RAINFALL QUICKLY RUNNING OFF INTO AREA STREAMS AND CREEKS. RISES
ON THE RIVERS AND STREAMS WILL OCCUR...AND FLOODING APPEARS LIKELY
FOR SOME RIVER SYSTEMS IF THE ANTICIPATED RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE
REALIZED.

IN ADDITION...THE RAINFALL COULD LEAD TO PONDING OF WATER ON
ROADWAYS...ALONG WITH LOCALIZED URBAN FLOODING.

THE FLOOD WATCH INCLUDES THE AREA OF EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA
BOUNDED BY THE COMMUNITIES OF OLIVIA...BUFFALO AND
ANOKA TO THE NORTH AND...THE TWIN CITIES...HASTING...JORDAN AND
HUTCHINSON TO THE SOUTH.

MNZ059>063-065-066-068>070-WIZ023>026-028-220430-
/O.NEW.KMPX.FA.A.0001.110322T1200Z-110324T0000Z/
/00000.0.RS.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
WRIGHT-HENNEPIN-ANOKA-RAMSEY-WASHINGTON-RENVILLE-MCLEOD-CARVER-
SCOTT-DAKOTA-ST. CROIX-PIERCE-DUNN-PEPIN-EAU CLAIRE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MONTICELLO...MINNEAPOLIS...BLAINE...
ST. PAUL...STILLWATER...OLIVIA...HUTCHINSON...CHASKA...SHAKOPEE...
BURNSVILLE...HUDSON...NEW RICHMOND...RIVER FALLS...PRESCOTT...
MENOMONIE...BOYCEVILLE...DURAND...PEPIN...EAU CLAIRE...ALTOONA
330 PM CDT MON MAR 21 2011

...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY
EVENING...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN HAS ISSUED
A

* FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL 
 WISCONSIN...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS...IN MINNESOTA...
 ANOKA...CARVER...DAKOTA...HENNEPIN...MCLEOD...RAMSEY...
 RENVILLE...SCOTT...WASHINGTON AND WRIGHT. IN WEST CENTRAL 
 WISCONSIN...DUNN...EAU CLAIRE...PEPIN...PIERCE AND ST. CROIX.

* FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING

* RAINFALL OF 1 TO 2 INCHES IS EXPECTED THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING.
  WITH THE GROUND SATURATED FROM RECENT RAINS AND SNOW
  MELT...RUNOFF WILL LEAD TO RAPID RISES ON AREA STREAMS AND
  CREEKS. 

* IN ADDITION TO RISES ON AREA RIVERS AND STREAMS...PONDING OF
  WATER ON ROADWAYS AND LOCALIZED URBAN FLOODING WILL ALSO BE
  POSSIBLE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ON
CURRENT FORECASTS.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE
FLOOD WARNINGS. THOSE LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING SHOULD BE
PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLOODING DEVELOP.

&&

$$
3 follow-up statements
045 
WGUS63 KMPX 221500
FFAMPX

FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1000 AM CDT TUE MAR 22 2011

...MORE RAIN AND SNOW MELT TO CAUSE RISING RIVERS...

.RAIN ALONG WITH A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP OVER
PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN
TODAY INTO TONIGHT. THE RAIN COULD BECOME MIXED WITH SNOW BEFORE
TRANSITIONING OVER TO ALL SNOW LATER TONIGHT. 

RAINFALL AMOUNTS OVERNIGHT HAD VARIED FROM THREE TENTH TO NEARLY
AN INCH OVER THE MINNESOTA AND MISSISSIPPI RIVER BASINS.
ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AND SNOW MELT WILL LIKELY LEAD TO RAPID
RUNOFF AND COULD CAUSE SIGNIFICANT RISES ON MANY RIVERS AND
STREAMS IN EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND WESTERN WISCONSIN BEFORE
TEMPERATURES COOL DOWN NEAR THE FREEZING MARK. 

IN ADDITION...THE RAINFALL COULD LEAD TO PONDING OF WATER ON
ROADWAYS...ALONG WITH LOCALIZED URBAN FLOODING.
 
THE FLOOD WATCH INCLUDES THE AREA OF EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA
BOUNDED BY THE COMMUNITIES OF WACONIA AND ANOKA TO THE NORTH
AND...THE TWIN CITIES...HASTING AND JORDAN TO THE SOUTH.

MNZ059-065-066-221600-
/O.CAN.KMPX.FA.A.0001.000000T0000Z-110324T0000Z/
/00000.0.RS.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
WRIGHT-RENVILLE-MCLEOD-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MONTICELLO...OLIVIA...HUTCHINSON
1000 AM CDT TUE MAR 22 2011

...FLOOD WATCH IS CANCELLED...

THE FLOOD WATCH FOR A PORTION OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA HAS BEEN
CANCELLED. THE FLOOD WATCH HAD BEEN UPGRADED TO AREAL FLOOD
WARNING.

RAINFALL AMOUNTS OVERNIGHT HAVE EXCEEDED OVER AN INCH IN SOME
LOCALES. RUNOFF FROM THESE RAINS AND THE WATER FROM SNOW MELT WILL
CAUSE OF MODERATE RISES TO RIVERS AND STREAMS. SOME FLOODING OF
LOW LYING AREAS IS LIKELY. 

$$

MNZ060>063-068>070-WIZ023>026-028-222300-
/O.CON.KMPX.FA.A.0001.000000T0000Z-110324T0000Z/
/00000.0.RS.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
HENNEPIN-ANOKA-RAMSEY-WASHINGTON-CARVER-SCOTT-DAKOTA-ST. CROIX-
PIERCE-DUNN-PEPIN-EAU CLAIRE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MINNEAPOLIS...BLAINE...ST. PAUL...
STILLWATER...CHASKA...SHAKOPEE...BURNSVILLE...HUDSON...
NEW RICHMOND...RIVER FALLS...PRESCOTT...MENOMONIE...BOYCEVILLE...
DURAND...PEPIN...EAU CLAIRE...ALTOONA
1000 AM CDT TUE MAR 22 2011

...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING...

THE FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR

* PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL 
 WISCONSIN...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS...IN EAST CENTRAL 
 MINNESOTA...ANOKA...CARVER...DAKOTA...HENNEPIN...RAMSEY...
 SCOTT AND WASHINGTON. IN WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN...DUNN...EAU 
 CLAIRE...PEPIN...PIERCE AND ST. CROIX.

* THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING

* RAINFALL OF 1 TO 2 INCHES IS EXPECTED THROUGH WEDNESDAY 
 EVENING. WITH THE GROUND SATURATED FROM RECENT RAINS AND SNOW 
 MELT...RUNOFF WILL LEAD TO RAPID RISES ON AREA STREAMS AND 
 CREEKS. 

* IN ADDITION TO RISES ON AREA RIVERS AND STREAMS...PONDING OF 
 WATER ON ROADWAYS AND LOCALIZED URBAN FLOODING WILL ALSO BE 
 POSSIBLE. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ON
CURRENT FORECASTS.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE
FLOOD WARNINGS. THOSE LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING SHOULD BE
PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLOODING DEVELOP.

&&

$$
523 
WGUS63 KMPX 222248
FFAMPX

FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
548 PM CDT TUE MAR 22 2011

...SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVING IN TONIGHT ...

.RAIN ALONG WITH SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP
OVER PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN
TONIGHT. THE RAIN COULD BECOME MIXED WITH SNOW OR SLEET BEFORE
TRANSITIONING OVER TO ALL SNOW LATER TONIGHT. 

RAINFALL AMOUNTS LAST NIGHT VARIED FROM THREE TENTHS TO NEARLY AN
INCH OVER THE MINNESOTA AND MISSISSIPPI RIVER BASINS. ADDITIONAL
RAINFALL AND PAST SNOW MELT WILL LIKELY LEAD TO RAPID RUNOFF AND
COULD CAUSE SIGNIFICANT RISES ON MANY RIVERS AND STREAMS IN EAST
CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND WESTERN WISCONSIN BEFORE TEMPERATURES COOL
BELOW THE FREEZING MARK TONIGHT.

THE FLOOD WATCH INCLUDES THE AREA OF EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA
BOUNDED BY THE COMMUNITIES OF WACONIA AND ANOKA TO THE NORTH
AND...THE TWIN CITIES...HASTING AND JORDAN TO THE SOUTH.

MNZ060>063-068>070-WIZ023>026-028-230700-
/O.CON.KMPX.FA.A.0001.000000T0000Z-110324T0000Z/
/00000.0.RS.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
HENNEPIN-ANOKA-RAMSEY-WASHINGTON-CARVER-SCOTT-DAKOTA-ST. CROIX-
PIERCE-DUNN-PEPIN-EAU CLAIRE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MINNEAPOLIS...BLAINE...ST. PAUL...
STILLWATER...CHASKA...SHAKOPEE...BURNSVILLE...HUDSON...
NEW RICHMOND...RIVER FALLS...PRESCOTT...MENOMONIE...BOYCEVILLE...
DURAND...PEPIN...EAU CLAIRE...ALTOONA
548 PM CDT TUE MAR 22 2011

...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING...

THE FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR

* PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL 
 WISCONSIN...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS...IN EAST CENTRAL 
 MINNESOTA...ANOKA...CARVER...DAKOTA...HENNEPIN...RAMSEY...
 SCOTT AND WASHINGTON. IN WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN...DUNN...EAU 
 CLAIRE...PEPIN...PIERCE AND ST. CROIX.

* THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING

* RAINFALL BETWEEN A HALF AND ONE INCH IS POSSIBLE THIS EVENING
  BEFORE CHANGING TO SLEET AND SNOW TONIGHT. THE GROUND SATURATED
  FROM RECENT RAINS AND SNOW MELT...RUNOFF COULD LEAD TO RAPID
  RISES ON AREA STREAMS AND CREEKS.


PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ON
CURRENT FORECASTS.

YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE
FLOOD WARNINGS. THOSE LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING SHOULD BE
PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLOODING DEVELOP.

&&

$$
901 
WGUS63 KMPX 230300
FFAMPX

FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1000 PM CDT TUE MAR 22 2011

..FLOOD WATCH CANCELLED....

.ADDITONAL PRECIPITATION OVERNIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY...WILL BE
CHANGING OVER FROM A MIX OF RAIN...SLEET AND SNOW...TO ALL SNOW.
SIGNIFICANT OR HEAVY RAINFALL IS NO LONGER EXPECTED.


MNZ060>063-068>070-WIZ023>026-028-230400-
/O.CAN.KMPX.FA.A.0001.000000T0000Z-110324T0000Z/
/00000.0.RS.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
HENNEPIN-ANOKA-RAMSEY-WASHINGTON-CARVER-SCOTT-DAKOTA-ST. CROIX-
PIERCE-DUNN-PEPIN-EAU CLAIRE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MINNEAPOLIS...BLAINE...ST. PAUL...
STILLWATER...CHASKA...SHAKOPEE...BURNSVILLE...HUDSON...
NEW RICHMOND...RIVER FALLS...PRESCOTT...MENOMONIE...BOYCEVILLE...
DURAND...PEPIN...EAU CLAIRE...ALTOONA
1000 PM CDT TUE MAR 22 2011

...FLOOD WATCH IS CANCELLED...

...FLOOD WATCH IS CANCELLED...

THE FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND WEST
CENTRAL WISCONSIN HAS BEEN CANCELLED. SIGNIFICANT OR HEAVY RAINFALL 

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Mar 20, 11:26 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningMPXLe Sueur, Scott, Sibley24 hr
Mar 21, 3:20 PM CDTWinter Storm WarningMPXAnoka, Benton, Carver, Chippewa, Chisago, Douglas and 22 more52 hr
Mar 21, 3:38 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningMPXBlue Earth, Brown, Faribault, Freeborn, Goodhue, Le Sueur and 8 more7 days
Mar 21, 5:01 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningMPXGoodhue54 hr

Nearby

Flood Watches in Minnesota, 2011Flood Watches in Wisconsin, 2011Every flood watch 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.