Alert archive / Minnesota / Flash Flood Watches in 2012

Flash Flood Watch 1, NWS Duluth, MN

May 27, 20128 counties in Minnesota; Burnett County, Douglas County, Washburn County, Wisconsin

NWS Duluth, MN issued this flash flood watch at May 27, 2012, 3:33 AM CDT for 8 counties in Minnesota; Burnett County, Douglas County, Washburn County, Wisconsin. It took effect at May 27, 2012, 7:00 PM CDT. It was in force for 11 hr.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
May 27, 2012, 3:33 AM CDT (08:33 UTC)
In effect from
May 27, 2012, 7:00 PM CDT
Expired
May 28, 2012, 5:50 AM CDT
In force
11 hr
Issued by
NWS Duluth, MN
Flood severity
None

Counties Aitkin County, MN, Carlton County, MN, Cook County, MN, Crow Wing County, MN, Itasca County, MN, Lake County, MN, Pine County, MN, Saint Louis County, MN, Burnett County, WI, Douglas County, WI, Washburn County, WI

The radar

The Duluth radar (KDLH), 20 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 08:37 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 00:00Z, 8.6 hours before the alert went out and 231 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 00:00Z on 2012-05-27Temperature 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°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 2012-05-27The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 442 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
517 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
44 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
442 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
539 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
3.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood watch went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Duluth, MN wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flash flood watch went out at May 27, 3:15 AM CDT, 18 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 27, 3:15 AM CDT, 18 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, May 26, 4:49 AM CDT, 22 hours 44 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
449 AM CDT SAT MAY 26 2012

MNZ010>012-018>021-025-026-033>038-WIZ001>004-006>009-271030-
KOOCHICHING-NORTHERN ST. LOUIS-NORTHERN COOK/NORTHERN LAKE-
NORTHERN ITASCA-CENTRAL ST. LOUIS-SOUTHERN LAKE/LAKESHORE-
SOUTHERN COOK/LAKESHORE-NORTHERN CASS-SOUTHERN ITASCA-
SOUTHERN CASS-CROW WING-NORTHERN AITKIN-SOUTHERN AITKIN-
CARLTON/SOUTHERN ST. LOUIS-PINE-DOUGLAS-BAYFIELD-ASHLAND-IRON-
BURNETT-WASHBURN-SAWYER-PRICE-
449 AM CDT SAT MAY 26 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST MINNESOTA AND
NORTHWEST WISCONSIN.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

THERE IS A CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE NORTHLAND THIS
AFTERNOON...AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY TONIGHT AND THROUGH THE
OVERNIGHT. THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LATE
TONIGHT...WITH THE MAIN THREAT BEING LARGE HAIL...LOCALLY HEAVY
RAINFALL AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

RIVERS ACROSS MUCH OF THE NORTHLAND...ESPECIALLY NORTHEAST
MINNESOTA...WILL REMAIN HIGH. PARTICULARLY THE SAINT LOUIS RIVER
AROUND SCANLON AND THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER NEAR AITKIN...WHICH WHERE
APPROACHING FLOOD STAGE. THOSE WITH OUTDOOR PLANS THIS WEEKEND NEAR
A RIVER OR STREAM SHOULD MONITOR CONDITIONS CLOSELY. SEE THE
LATEST FLOOD STATEMENTS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

MORE RAIN WILL FALL THIS WEEKEND AND COULD BE UPWARDS OF ONE TO
THREE INCHES. THIS RAIN COULD CAUSE ADDITIONAL FLOODING ACROSS
THE NORTHLAND...AND KEEP RIVER LEVELS HIGH. SEE THE LATEST FLOOD
STATEMENTS FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.

THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY
NIGHT. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...WITH
LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS THE MAIN THREATS. THERE IS ALSO THE
POTENTIAL FOR LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL WITH THESE STORMS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TONIGHT AND AGAIN SUNDAY
NIGHT.

LSZ121-140>148-271030-
BAYFIELD TO OAK POINT WI-GRAND PORTAGE TO GRAND MARAIS MN-
GRAND MARAIS TO TACONITE HARBOR MN-
TACONITE HARBOR TO SILVER BAY HARBOR MN-
SILVER BAY HARBOR TO TWO HARBORS MN-TWO HARBORS TO DULUTH MN-
DULUTH MN TO PORT WING WI-PORT WING TO SAND ISLAND WI-
SAND ISLAND TO BAYFIELD WI-OAK POINT TO SAXON HARBOR WI-
449 AM CDT SAT MAY 26 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE NEARSHORE WATERS OF
WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

GUSTY NORTHEAST WINDS AND BUILDING WAVES WILL CREATE HAZARDOUS
CONDITIONS FOR SMALL CRAFTS ACROSS THE NEARSHORE WATERS THIS
WEEKEND. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE ENTIRE
NEARSHORE WATERS TODAY.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR TONIGHT. A
FEW OF THESE STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE...PRODUCING LARGE
HAIL...LOCALLY HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

STRONG NORTHEAST WINDS AND HAZARDOUS WAVES WILL CONTINUE ACROSS
THE NEARSHORE WATERS THROUGH SUNDAY. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY
WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING. CHECK THE LATEST
MARINE FORECAST FOR DETAILS.

TENTINGER

MORE INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED AT THE FOLLOWING WEB ADDRESS:
HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/DULUTH (ALL LOWER CASE)

In the hours before

Special weather statement, May 27, 1:26 AM CDT, 2 hours 7 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
126 AM CDT SUN MAY 27 2012

WIZ003-008-270645-
ASHLAND-SAWYER-
126 AM CDT SUN MAY 27 2012

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER SAWYER COUNTY...

AT 125 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR OJIBWA...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...WIND
GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH...OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...BRIEF
HEAVY DOWNPOURS...

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  BLAISDELL LAKE...     LORETTA...

GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL OBJECTS SUCH AS TRASH BINS TO BLOW
AROUND. STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS TREES. SEEK
SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THIS STORM HAS PASSED.

LAT...LON 4603 9071 4567 9069 4565 9135 4612 9152

KK
Special weather statement, May 27, 1:29 AM CDT, 2 hours 4 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
129 AM CDT SUN MAY 27 2012

WIZ008-009-270645-
PRICE-SAWYER-
129 AM CDT SUN MAY 27 2012

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS AFFECTING PRICE COUNTY...

AT 128 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF
MUSSER LAKE TO 11 MILES SOUTH OF KENNAN...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.

THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...WIND
GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH...OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...BRIEF
HEAVY DOWNPOURS...

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  MUSSER LAKE...        PRENTICE...           OGEMA...
  BRANTWOOD...

GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL OBJECTS SUCH AS TRASH BINS TO BLOW
AROUND. STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS TREES. SEEK
SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THESE STORMS HAVE PASSED.

LAT...LON 4538 9069 4560 9068 4564 9071 4595 9061
      4592 9004 4538 9004 4537 9044 4537 9067

KK
Special weather statement, May 27, 1:48 AM CDT, 1 hour 45 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
148 AM CDT SUN MAY 27 2012

WIZ001>003-008-009-270715-
ASHLAND-BAYFIELD-DOUGLAS-PRICE-SAWYER-
148 AM CDT SUN MAY 27 2012

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER NORTHERN SAWYER COUNTY...

AT 144 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM BENNETT TO 4 MILES
WEST OF BLAISDELL LAKE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...WIND
GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH...OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...BRIEF
HEAVY DOWNPOURS...

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  LAKE NEBAGAMON...     MAPLE...              BLUEBERRY...
  NAMEKAGON LAKE...     NAMEKAGON...          DRUMMOND...
  BRULE...              WAINO...              OULU...
  CLAM LAKE...          IRON RIVER...         GRAND VIEW...

GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL OBJECTS SUCH AS TRASH BINS TO BLOW
AROUND. STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS TREES. SEEK
SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THESE STORMS HAVE PASSED.

LAT...LON 4670 9155 4604 9056 4582 9096 4648 9195

KK
Special weather statement, May 27, 2:11 AM CDT, 1 hour 22 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
211 AM CDT SUN MAY 27 2012

MNZ037-WIZ001>004-008-009-270745-
ASHLAND-BAYFIELD-CARLTON/SOUTH ST. LOUIS-DOUGLAS-IRON-PRICE-SAWYER-
211 AM CDT SUN MAY 27 2012

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS AFFECTING NORTHWESTERN WISCONSIN...

AT 211 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 8 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
SUPERIOR TO BLAISDELL LAKE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...WIND
GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH...OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...BRIEF
HEAVY DOWNPOURS...

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  NAMEKAGON LAKE...     WENTWORTH...          SUPERIOR...
  NAMEKAGON...          LAKE NEBAGAMON...     DRUMMOND...
  CLAM LAKE...          POPLAR...             MAPLE...
  BRULE...              BLUEBERRY...          GRAND VIEW...
  GLIDDEN...            CLOVERLAND...         WAINO...

GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SMALL OBJECTS SUCH AS TRASH BINS TO BLOW
AROUND. STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS TREES. SEEK
SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THESE STORMS HAVE PASSED.

LAT...LON 4661 9223 4673 9204 4669 9196 4670 9182
      4676 9160 4621 9035 4588 9080

KK
Special weather statement, May 27, 2:41 AM CDT, 52 minutes before
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Special weather statement, May 27, 3:02 AM CDT, 31 minutes before
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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 26, 7:22 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHCarlton, Pine23 min
May 26, 7:55 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHCarlton35 min
May 26, 8:17 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHCarlton28 min
May 26, 8:54 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHCarlton36 min
May 26, 9:22 PM CDTRiver Flood AdvisoryDLHCrow Wing, Morrison36 hr
May 26, 9:38 PM CDTRiver Flood AdvisoryDLHCarlton36 hr
May 26, 10:42 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHPine33 min
May 27, 12:17 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHPine43 min
May 27, 12:45 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHPine45 min
May 27, 1:09 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHAitkin, Carlton, Crow Wing51 min
May 27, 1:47 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDLHAitkin43 min
May 27, 2:15 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDLHAitkin, Pine3 hr
May 27, 3:36 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryDLHAitkin, Cass, Crow Wing4 hr
May 27, 4:32 AM CDTFlash Flood WarningDLHAitkin, Cass, Crow Wing4 hr
May 27, 6:29 AM CDTSpecial Marine WarningDLH31 min
May 27, 8:29 AM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryDLHAitkin, Cass, Crow Wing30 hr
May 27, 9:04 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHItasca41 min
May 27, 9:07 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHLake38 min
May 27, 10:04 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHCook26 min
May 27, 1:49 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningDLHCrow Wing, Morrison11 days
May 27, 1:49 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningDLHCarlton19 hr
May 27, 3:00 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHKoochiching45 min
May 27, 4:20 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHCook, Lake55 min
May 27, 4:46 PM CDTAreal Flood WarningDLHCarlton24 hr
May 27, 6:00 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHAitkin60 min
May 27, 6:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDLHPine27 min
May 26, 7:15 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHWashburn30 min
May 26, 7:35 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHDouglas25 min
May 26, 7:47 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHSawyer28 min
May 26, 8:04 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHBayfield26 min
May 26, 8:13 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHSawyer32 min
May 26, 8:40 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHPrice35 min
May 26, 8:48 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHSawyer27 min
May 26, 9:01 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHBayfield29 min
May 26, 9:14 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHSawyer31 min
May 26, 9:39 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHAshland, Bayfield36 min
May 26, 9:48 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHDouglas27 min
May 26, 10:18 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHAshland27 min
May 26, 11:14 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHBurnett, Sawyer, Washburn46 min
May 26, 11:38 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHBurnett, Price, Sawyer, Washburn52 min
May 27, 12:12 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHSawyer33 min
May 27, 12:29 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHPrice, Sawyer, Washburn31 min
May 27, 12:50 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHIron25 min
May 27, 12:57 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHPrice33 min
May 27, 1:26 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHSawyer19 min
May 27, 1:29 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHPrice16 min
May 27, 1:48 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHDouglas27 min
May 27, 2:11 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHDouglas34 min
May 27, 2:41 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHAshland, Bayfield, Iron34 min
May 27, 3:02 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHDouglas28 min
May 27, 3:55 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHAshland, Bayfield, Iron65 min
May 27, 6:10 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHBayfield20 min
May 27, 7:28 AM CDTAreal Flood WarningDLHAshland, Bayfield, Douglas8 hr
May 27, 5:57 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementDLHWashburn63 min
May 27, 6:32 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningDLHBurnett58 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Watches in Minnesota, 2012Flash Flood Watches in Wisconsin, 2012Every flash flood watch in 2012

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.