Alert archive / Minnesota / Extreme Cold Warnings in 2012

Extreme Cold Warning 4, NWS Grand Forks, ND

February 10, 201218 counties in Minnesota; 14 counties in North Dakota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this extreme cold warning at Feb 10, 2012, 2:45 PM CST for 18 counties in Minnesota; 14 counties in North Dakota. It took effect at Feb 11, 2012, 12:00 AM CST. It was in force for 9 hr. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named.

The facts

Issued
Feb 10, 2012, 2:45 PM CST (20:45 UTC)
In effect from
Feb 11, 2012, 12:00 AM CST
Expired
Feb 11, 2012, 9:21 AM CST
In force
9 hr
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND
All 32 counties

Becker County, MN, Beltrami County, MN, Clay County, MN, Clearwater County, MN, Grant County, MN, Hubbard County, MN, Kittson County, MN, Lake of the Woods County, MN, Mahnomen County, MN, Marshall County, MN, Norman County, MN, Otter Tail County, MN, Pennington County, MN, Polk County, MN, Red Lake County, MN, Roseau County, MN, Wadena County, MN, Wilkin County, MN, Benson County, ND, Cass County, ND, Cavalier County, ND, Eddy County, ND, Grand Forks County, ND, Griggs County, ND, Nelson County, ND, Pembina County, ND, Ramsey County, ND, Richland County, ND, Steele County, ND, Towner County, ND, Traill County, ND, Walsh County, ND

The radar

The Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 40 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 20:49 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

International Fa, MN (KINL), launched 12:00Z, 8.8 hours before the alert went out and 280 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, International Fa, MN at 12:00Z on 2012-02-10Temperature 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, International Fa, MN at 12:00Z on 2012-02-10The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -42 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
999 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
24 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-42 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-71 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.

965 
WWUS73 KFGF 102045
NPWFGF

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
245 PM CST FRI FEB 10 2012

...FRIGID CONDITIONS AGAIN TONIGHT...

.HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN JUST TO THE WEST OF THE AREA TONIGHT.
THIS WILL KEEP STEADY NORTHWEST WINDS OVER EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA
AND THE NORTHWEST QUARTER OF MINNESOTA THROUGH THE NIGHT. THESE
STEADY WINDS IN COMBINATION WITH THE SUBZERO TEMPERATURES EXPECTED
TONIGHT WILL CREATE DANGEROUSLY COLD CONDITIONS LATE TONIGHT INTO
EARLY SATURDAY.

MNZ001>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ006>008-014>016-024-
026>030-039-053-054-111600-
/O.NEW.KFGF.EC.W.0004.120211T0600Z-120211T1600Z/
WEST POLK-NORMAN-CLAY-KITTSON-ROSEAU-LAKE OF THE WOODS-
WEST MARSHALL-EAST MARSHALL-NORTH BELTRAMI-PENNINGTON-RED LAKE-
EAST POLK-NORTH CLEARWATER-SOUTH BELTRAMI-MAHNOMEN-
SOUTH CLEARWATER-HUBBARD-WEST BECKER-EAST BECKER-WILKIN-
WEST OTTER TAIL-EAST OTTER TAIL-WADENA-GRANT-TOWNER-CAVALIER-
PEMBINA-BENSON-RAMSEY-EASTERN WALSH-EDDY-NELSON-GRAND FORKS-
GRIGGS-STEELE-TRAILL-CASS-RICHLAND-WESTERN WALSH-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CROOKSTON...EAST GRAND FORKS...
HALSTAD...MOORHEAD...HALLOCK...ROSEAU...BAUDETTE...WARREN...
NEWFOLDEN...RED LAKE...THIEF RIVER FALLS...RED LAKE FALLS...
FOSSTON...BAGLEY...BEMIDJI...MAHNOMEN...LAKE ITASCA...
PARK RAPIDS...DETROIT LAKES...WOLF LAKE...BRECKENRIDGE...
FERGUS FALLS...NEW YORK MILLS...WADENA...ELBOW LAKE...CANDO...
LANGDON...CAVALIER...MADDOCK...LEEDS...DEVILS LAKE...GRAFTON...
NEW ROCKFORD...LAKOTA...GRAND FORKS...COOPERSTOWN...FINLEY...
MAYVILLE...FARGO...WAHPETON...ADAMS
245 PM CST FRI FEB 10 2012

...EXTREME COLD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 10 AM
CST SATURDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED AN EXTREME
COLD WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 10 AM
CST SATURDAY. 

* WIND CHILL READINGS WILL DROP INTO THE 30 BELOW TO 40 BELOW ZERO
  RANGE LATE TONIGHT INTO EARLY SATURDAY MORNING.

* TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO FALL TO 10 BELOW TO 20 BELOW ZERO
  TONIGHT. 

* MAKE SURE TO DRESS APPROPRIATELY IF SPENDING TIME OUTDOORS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

AN EXTREME COLD WARNING MEANS THAT DANGEROUSLY LOW TEMPERATURES
ARE EXPECTED FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD OF TIME. FROSTBITE AND
HYPOTHERMIA ARE LIKELY IF EXPOSED TO THESE TEMPERATURES...SO MAKE
SURE A HAT...FACEMASK...AND HEAVY GLOVES OR MITTENS ARE
AVAILABLE.

&&

$$
4 follow-up statements
262 
WWUS73 KFGF 110411
NPWFGF

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
1011 PM CST FRI FEB 10 2012

...FRIGID CONDITIONS AGAIN...

.HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN WEST OF THE AREA. ARCTIC AIR AND
STEADY NORTHWEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED OVER EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND
THE NORTHWEST MINNESOTA. THE COLD AIR IN COMBINATION WITH THE WIND
WILL CREATE VERY COLD CONDITIONS FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY
MORNING.

MNZ001>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ006>008-014>016-024-
026>030-039-053-054-111600-
/O.CON.KFGF.EC.W.0004.120211T0600Z-120211T1600Z/
WEST POLK-NORMAN-CLAY-KITTSON-ROSEAU-LAKE OF THE WOODS-
WEST MARSHALL-EAST MARSHALL-NORTH BELTRAMI-PENNINGTON-RED LAKE-
EAST POLK-NORTH CLEARWATER-SOUTH BELTRAMI-MAHNOMEN-
SOUTH CLEARWATER-HUBBARD-WEST BECKER-EAST BECKER-WILKIN-
WEST OTTER TAIL-EAST OTTER TAIL-WADENA-GRANT-TOWNER-CAVALIER-
PEMBINA-BENSON-RAMSEY-EASTERN WALSH-EDDY-NELSON-GRAND FORKS-
GRIGGS-STEELE-TRAILL-CASS-RICHLAND-WESTERN WALSH-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CROOKSTON...EAST GRAND FORKS...
HALSTAD...MOORHEAD...HALLOCK...ROSEAU...BAUDETTE...WARREN...
NEWFOLDEN...RED LAKE...THIEF RIVER FALLS...RED LAKE FALLS...
FOSSTON...BAGLEY...BEMIDJI...MAHNOMEN...LAKE ITASCA...
PARK RAPIDS...DETROIT LAKES...WOLF LAKE...BRECKENRIDGE...
FERGUS FALLS...NEW YORK MILLS...WADENA...ELBOW LAKE...CANDO...
LANGDON...CAVALIER...MADDOCK...LEEDS...DEVILS LAKE...GRAFTON...
NEW ROCKFORD...LAKOTA...GRAND FORKS...COOPERSTOWN...FINLEY...
MAYVILLE...FARGO...WAHPETON...ADAMS
1011 PM CST FRI FEB 10 2012

...EXTREME COLD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM CST
SATURDAY...

* WIND CHILL READINGS WILL DROP INTO THE 30 BELOW TO 40 BELOW ZERO
  RANGE FOR FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY MORNING.

* TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO FALL TO 10 BELOW TO 15 BELOW ZERO
  BY SATURDAY MORNING.

* DRESS APPROPRIATELY IF SPENDING TIME OUTDOORS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

AN EXTREME COLD WARNING MEANS THAT LOW TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED
FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD OF TIME. FROSTBITE AND HYPOTHERMIA ARE
LIKELY IF SKIN IS EXPOSED TO THESE CONDITIONS...MAKE SURE TO
WEAR A HAT OR FACE MASK...AND HEAVY GLOVES OR MITTENS IF YOU
VENTURE OUTDOORS.

&&

$$

HOPPES
945 
WWUS73 KFGF 110927
NPWFGF

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
327 AM CST SAT FEB 11 2012

...FRIGID CONDITIONS THIS MORNING...

.THE CENTER OF HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN SOUTHWEST OF THE AREA.
ARCTIC AIR AND STEADY NORTHWEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED OVER
NORTHEASTERN NORTH DAKOTA AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA. THE COLD AIR IN
COMBINATION WITH THE WIND WILL CREATE VERY COLD CONDITIONS THROUGH
SATURDAY MORNING.

MNZ029>032-040-NDZ053-111030-
/O.CAN.KFGF.EC.W.0004.000000T0000Z-120211T1600Z/
WILKIN-WEST OTTER TAIL-EAST OTTER TAIL-WADENA-GRANT-RICHLAND-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BRECKENRIDGE...FERGUS FALLS...
NEW YORK MILLS...WADENA...ELBOW LAKE...WAHPETON
327 AM CST SAT FEB 11 2012

...EXTREME COLD WARNING IS CANCELLED...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS CANCELLED THE
EXTREME COLD WARNING. 

TEMPERATURES HAVE NOT DROPPED AS MUCH AS EXPECTED AND WINDS WILL
BE LIGHT. WIND CHILLS WILL STAY IN THE 20 TO 30 BELOW RANGE.

$$

MNZ001>009-013>017-022>024-027-028-NDZ006>008-014>016-024-026>030-
039-054-111600-
/O.CON.KFGF.EC.W.0004.000000T0000Z-120211T1600Z/
WEST POLK-NORMAN-CLAY-KITTSON-ROSEAU-LAKE OF THE WOODS-
WEST MARSHALL-EAST MARSHALL-NORTH BELTRAMI-PENNINGTON-RED LAKE-
EAST POLK-NORTH CLEARWATER-SOUTH BELTRAMI-MAHNOMEN-
SOUTH CLEARWATER-HUBBARD-WEST BECKER-EAST BECKER-TOWNER-CAVALIER-
PEMBINA-BENSON-RAMSEY-EASTERN WALSH-EDDY-NELSON-GRAND FORKS-
GRIGGS-STEELE-TRAILL-CASS-WESTERN WALSH-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CROOKSTON...EAST GRAND FORKS...
HALSTAD...MOORHEAD...HALLOCK...ROSEAU...BAUDETTE...WARREN...
NEWFOLDEN...RED LAKE...THIEF RIVER FALLS...RED LAKE FALLS...
FOSSTON...BAGLEY...BEMIDJI...MAHNOMEN...LAKE ITASCA...
PARK RAPIDS...DETROIT LAKES...WOLF LAKE...CANDO...LANGDON...
CAVALIER...MADDOCK...LEEDS...DEVILS LAKE...GRAFTON...
NEW ROCKFORD...LAKOTA...GRAND FORKS...COOPERSTOWN...FINLEY...
MAYVILLE...FARGO...ADAMS
327 AM CST SAT FEB 11 2012

...EXTREME COLD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM CST THIS
MORNING...

* WIND CHILL READINGS WILL DROP INTO THE 25 BELOW TO 40 BELOW ZERO
  RANGE THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING.

* TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO FALL TO 10 BELOW TO 15 BELOW ZERO
  THIS MORNING.

* DRESS APPROPRIATELY IF SPENDING TIME OUTDOORS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

AN EXTREME COLD WARNING MEANS THAT LOW TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED
FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD OF TIME. FROSTBITE AND HYPOTHERMIA ARE
LIKELY IF SKIN IS EXPOSED TO THESE CONDITIONS...MAKE SURE TO WEAR
A HAT OR FACE MASK...AND HEAVY GLOVES OR MITTENS IF YOU VENTURE
OUTDOORS.

&&

$$

JR
312 
WWUS73 KFGF 111316
NPWFGF

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
716 AM CST SAT FEB 11 2012

...FRIGID WIND CHILLS NORTH OF HIGHWAY 2 THIS MORNING...

.ARCTIC HIGH PRESSURE OVER SOUTH DAKOTA WILL CONTINUE TO BRING
TEMPERATURES BELOW ZERO THROUGHOUT THE AREA THIS MORNING. THE
COLDEST TEMPERATURES AND HIGHEST WINDS HAVE BEEN NEAR THE CANADIAN
BORDER...WHILE FURTHER SOUTH WINDS HAVE BEEN LIGHT AND
TEMPERATURES NOT QUITE AS FRIGID. THE VERY COLD WIND CHILLS WILL
CONTINUE MAINLY NORTH OF THE HIGHWAY 2 CORRIDOR THROUGH MID
MORNING. 

MNZ001>003-013>017-022>024-027-028-NDZ024-026>030-039-111430-
/O.CAN.KFGF.EC.W.0004.000000T0000Z-120211T1600Z/
WEST POLK-NORMAN-CLAY-PENNINGTON-RED LAKE-EAST POLK-
NORTH CLEARWATER-SOUTH BELTRAMI-MAHNOMEN-SOUTH CLEARWATER-HUBBARD-
WEST BECKER-EAST BECKER-EDDY-NELSON-GRAND FORKS-GRIGGS-STEELE-
TRAILL-CASS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CROOKSTON...EAST GRAND FORKS...
HALSTAD...MOORHEAD...THIEF RIVER FALLS...RED LAKE FALLS...
FOSSTON...BAGLEY...BEMIDJI...MAHNOMEN...LAKE ITASCA...
PARK RAPIDS...DETROIT LAKES...WOLF LAKE...NEW ROCKFORD...LAKOTA...
GRAND FORKS...COOPERSTOWN...FINLEY...MAYVILLE...FARGO
716 AM CST SAT FEB 11 2012

...EXTREME COLD WARNING IS CANCELLED...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS CANCELLED THE
EXTREME COLD WARNING. 

WINDS HAVE BEEN LIGHTER AND TEMPERATURES NOT QUITE AS COLD AS
EXPECTED. WIND CHILL VALUES ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN IN THE 20 TO 30
BELOW RANGE FOR THE REST OF THIS MORNING.

$$

MNZ004>009-NDZ006>008-014>016-054-111600-
/O.CON.KFGF.EC.W.0004.000000T0000Z-120211T1600Z/
KITTSON-ROSEAU-LAKE OF THE WOODS-WEST MARSHALL-EAST MARSHALL-
NORTH BELTRAMI-TOWNER-CAVALIER-PEMBINA-BENSON-RAMSEY-
EASTERN WALSH-WESTERN WALSH-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...HALLOCK...ROSEAU...BAUDETTE...WARREN...
NEWFOLDEN...RED LAKE...CANDO...LANGDON...CAVALIER...MADDOCK...
LEEDS...DEVILS LAKE...GRAFTON...ADAMS
716 AM CST SAT FEB 11 2012

...EXTREME COLD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM CST THIS
MORNING...

* WIND CHILL READINGS WILL CONTINUE TO RANGE FROM 25 BELOW TO 35
  BELOW ZERO THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING.

* TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE 10 BELOW TO 15 BELOW ZERO RANGE THIS
  MORNING.

* DRESS APPROPRIATELY IF SPENDING TIME OUTDOORS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

AN EXTREME COLD WARNING MEANS THAT LOW TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED
FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD OF TIME. FROSTBITE AND HYPOTHERMIA ARE
LIKELY IF SKIN IS EXPOSED TO THESE CONDITIONS...MAKE SURE TO WEAR
A HAT OR FACE MASK...AND HEAVY GLOVES OR MITTENS IF YOU VENTURE
OUTDOORS.

&&

$$

JR
994 
WWUS73 KFGF 111521
NPWFGF

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
921 AM CST SAT FEB 11 2012

...EXTREME COLD WARNING CANCELLED...

.TEMPERATURES HAVE WARMED ABOVE EXTREME COLD WARNING CRITERIA.

MNZ004>009-NDZ006>008-014>016-054-111630-
/O.CAN.KFGF.EC.W.0004.000000T0000Z-120211T1600Z/
KITTSON-ROSEAU-LAKE OF THE WOODS-WEST MARSHALL-EAST MARSHALL-
NORTH BELTRAMI-TOWNER-CAVALIER-PEMBINA-BENSON-RAMSEY-
EASTERN WALSH-WESTERN WALSH-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...HALLOCK...ROSEAU...BAUDETTE...WARREN...
NEWFOLDEN...RED LAKE...CANDO...LANGDON...CAVALIER...MADDOCK...
LEEDS...DEVILS LAKE...GRAFTON...ADAMS
921 AM CST SAT FEB 11 2012

...EXTREME COLD WARNING IS CANCELLED...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS CANCELLED THE
EXTREME COLD WARNING. 

TEMPERATURES HAVE RISEN ABOVE EXTREME WARNING CRITERIA.

$$
VOELKER

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Feb 10, 2:45 AM CSTExtreme Cold WarningFGFBeltrami, Clearwater, Kittson, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall and 5 more7 hr

Nearby

Extreme Cold Warnings in Minnesota, 2012Extreme Cold Warnings in North Dakota, 2012Every extreme cold warning 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.