Alert archive / Minnesota / Tornado Warnings in 2011

Tornado Warning 17, NWS Twin Cities, MN

May 22, 2011Anoka County, Ramsey County, Washington County, Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this tornado warning at May 22, 2011, 2:45 PM CDT for Anoka County, Ramsey County, Washington County, Minnesota. It was in force for 30 min. 5 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 22, 2011, 2:45 PM CDT (19:45 UTC)
Expired
May 22, 2011, 3:15 PM CDT
In force
30 min
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Anoka County, MN, Ramsey County, MN, Washington County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 55 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:46 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 22, 3:06 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUDN Hugo, MNWALL CLOUD WITH SIGNIFICANT ROTATION SEEMS TO BE DROPPING FUNNELS
May 22, 3:16 PM CDTTORNADOS Forest Lake, MNSOUTH OF FOREST LAKE NEAR JCT 35W AND 35E
May 22, 3:19 PM CDTTORNADO3 Ese Forest Lake, MN
May 22, 3:20 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUDCenterville, MNROTATING WALL CLOUD 35E AND CR14
May 22, 3:25 PM CDTTSTM WND DMG4 E Ham Lake, MN1-2 FT DIA TREES DOWN..FLAG POLE SNAPPED IN HALF. TRREES BLOWN DOWN IN DIRRERENT DIRECTIONS. NARROW DAMAGE PATH. POSSIBLE TORNADO

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 22, 12:07 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 7.8 hours before the alert went out and 57 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 2011-05-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 20 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 2011-05-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 207 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
20 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-103 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
981 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
33 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
207 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
243 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

433 
WFUS53 KMPX 221945
TORMPX
MNC003-123-163-222015-
/O.NEW.KMPX.TO.W.0017.110522T1945Z-110522T2015Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
245 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN THE TWIN CITIES HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHEASTERN ANOKA COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...
  NORTHWESTERN WASHINGTON COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...
  NORTHERN RAMSEY COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

* UNTIL 315 PM CDT

* AT 242 PM CDT...RADAR WAS TRACKING A SEVERE STORM WITH STRONG
  ROTATION. THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THE STORM WAS NEAR ARDEN
  HILLS...OR OVER ARDEN HILLS...AND MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE...
  FOREST LAKE...
  WHITE BEAR LAKE...
  NORTH OAKS...
  LEXINGTON...
  CIRCLE PINES...
  LINO LAKES...
  CENTERVILLE...
  HUGO...
  SHOREVIEW...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON RADAR...IT MEANS THAT
STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY ALREADY
BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM CDT SUNDAY EVENING FOR
SOUTHEASTERN MINNESOTA AND NORTHWESTERN WISCONSIN.

&&

LAT...LON 4533 9309 4525 9287 4502 9304 4507 9323
TIME...MOT...LOC 1944Z 203DEG 30KT 4508 9313

$$
3 follow-up statements
614 
WWUS53 KMPX 221954
SVSMPX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
254 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

MNC003-123-163-222015-
/O.CON.KMPX.TO.W.0017.000000T0000Z-110522T2015Z/
ANOKA MN-WASHINGTON MN-RAMSEY MN-
254 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHERN RAMSEY...
NORTHWESTERN WASHINGTON AND SOUTHEASTERN ANOKA COUNTIES UNTIL 315 PM
CDT...

AT 251 PM CDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A ROTATING WALL 
CLOUD NEAR SHOREVIEW...OR 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF FOREST LAKE...MOVING 
NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  FOREST LAKE...LINO LAKES...CENTERVILLE AND HUGO.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY HIDE THIS TORNADO. DO NOT WAIT TO SEE OR HEAR THE
TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW.

&&

LAT...LON 4533 9309 4525 9287 4502 9304 4507 9323
TIME...MOT...LOC 1953Z 204DEG 29KT 4514 9308

$$

JLT
831 
WWUS53 KMPX 222001
SVSMPX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
301 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

MNC123-222015-
/O.CAN.KMPX.TO.W.0017.000000T0000Z-110522T2015Z/
RAMSEY MN-
301 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHERN RAMSEY COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

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

LAT...LON 4525 9287 4512 9297 4512 9317 4533 9309
TIME...MOT...LOC 2000Z 204DEG 29KT 4519 9305

$$

MNC003-163-222015-
/O.CON.KMPX.TO.W.0017.000000T0000Z-110522T2015Z/
ANOKA MN-WASHINGTON MN-
301 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHWESTERN WASHINGTON
AND SOUTHEASTERN ANOKA COUNTIES UNTIL 315 PM CDT...

AT 259 PM CDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A ROTATING WALL 
CLOUD NEAR CENTERVILLE...OR 7 MILES SOUTHWEST OF FOREST 
LAKE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  FOREST LAKE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

HEAVY RAINFALL MAY HIDE THIS TORNADO. DO NOT WAIT TO SEE OR HEAR THE
TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW.

&&

LAT...LON 4525 9287 4512 9297 4512 9317 4533 9309
TIME...MOT...LOC 2000Z 204DEG 29KT 4519 9305

$$
313 
WWUS53 KMPX 222008
SVSMPX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
308 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

MNC003-222023-
/O.CAN.KMPX.TO.W.0017.000000T0000Z-110522T2015Z/
ANOKA MN-
308 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN ANOKA COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

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

LAT...LON 4525 9287 4513 9296 4512 9298 4513 9302
      4529 9302 4530 9301
TIME...MOT...LOC 2008Z 220DEG 27KT 4522 9297

$$

MNC163-222015-
/O.CON.KMPX.TO.W.0017.000000T0000Z-110522T2015Z/
WASHINGTON MN-
308 PM CDT SUN MAY 22 2011

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHWESTERN WASHINGTON
COUNTY UNTIL 315 PM CDT...

AT 306 PM CDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A ROTATING WALL 
CLOUD NEAR HUGO...OR NEAR FOREST LAKE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  FOREST LAKE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

MOTORISTS SHOULD NOT TAKE SHELTER UNDER HIGHWAY OVERPASSES. AS A LAST
RESORT... EITHER PARK YOUR VEHICLE AND STAY PUT...OR ABANDON YOUR
VEHICLE AND LIE DOWN IN A LOW LYING AREA.

&&

LAT...LON 4525 9287 4513 9296 4512 9298 4513 9302
      4529 9302 4530 9301
TIME...MOT...LOC 2008Z 220DEG 27KT 4522 9297

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 21, 7:00 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXAnoka, Hennepin45 min
May 21, 7:24 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXHennepin, Wright51 min
May 21, 7:25 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXAnoka35 min
May 21, 7:46 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXPope44 min
May 21, 8:00 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryMPXAnoka, Hennepin, Wright3 hr
May 21, 8:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXMartin39 min
May 21, 8:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXMartin61 min
May 21, 8:59 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXTodd61 min
May 21, 9:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXTodd64 min
May 21, 9:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXWatonwan50 min
May 21, 9:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXRedwood48 min
May 21, 10:12 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXYellow Medicine48 min
May 21, 10:26 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXRedwood34 min
May 21, 10:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXBrown, Martin, Redwood, Watonwan62 min
May 21, 10:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXChippewa, Pope, Renville, Stevens, Swift47 min
May 22, 12:46 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXLe Sueur, Rice, Steele, Waseca44 min
May 22, 10:57 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXDakota, Goodhue, Rice48 min
May 22, 11:02 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXAnoka, Hennepin, Ramsey43 min
May 22, 12:38 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXLe Sueur, Rice, Steele, Waseca52 min
May 22, 12:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXCarver, Le Sueur, Scott52 min
May 22, 1:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXDakota, Goodhue, Rice, Steele67 min
May 22, 1:35 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXHennepin40 min
May 22, 2:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXGoodhue40 min
May 22, 2:10 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXAnoka, Hennepin, Ramsey35 min
May 22, 2:24 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXAnoka, Hennepin, Ramsey36 min
May 22, 3:10 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXChisago, Washington35 min
May 22, 3:34 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXChisago41 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Minnesota, 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.