Alert archive / Minnesota / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 9, NWS Grand Forks, ND

July 12, 2012Polk County, Minnesota; Grand Forks County, North Dakota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this tornado warning at Jul 12, 2012, 4:15 PM CDT for Polk County, Minnesota; Grand Forks County, North Dakota. It was in force for 45 min. 4 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 12, 2012, 4:15 PM CDT (21:15 UTC)
Expired
Jul 12, 2012, 5:00 PM CDT
In force
45 min
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Polk County, MN, Grand Forks County, ND

The radar

The Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 52 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:18 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 12, 4:35 PM CDTTORNADO 14 Nne Reynolds, NDA STORM DAMAGE SURVEY SHOWED EVIDENCE OF AN EF-1 TORNADO THAT LASTED FROM ABOUT 435 TO 445 PM. ESTIMATED PATH WIDTH WAS 100 TO 150 YARDS WITH PEAK WINDS AROUND 90 TO 100 MPH. THE TORNADO TRACKED FROM 3.8 MILES NNE OF REYNOLDS TO 5.7 MILES NE OF REYNOLDS.
Jul 12, 4:38 PM CDTTORNADO 13 Nne Reynolds, NDTHIS TORNADO TRACKED FOR ABOUT 2.5 MILES FROM ABOUT 3.5 MILES NNE OF REYNOLDS ABOUT 6 MILES NE OF REYNOLDS BY 448 PM CDT. THE TORNADO SNAPPED SEVERAL COTTONWOOD AND ASH TREES IN FARM SHELTER BELTS AND TWO WOODEN POWER ALONG A COUNTY ROAD. STACKED AND BANDED ST
Jul 12, 4:45 PM CDTHAIL 14 Ese Thompson, ND
Jul 12, 4:45 PM CDTHAIL 14 Se Thompson, ND

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

The nearest sounding before it

International Fa, MN (KINL), launched 12:00Z, 9.3 hours before the alert went out and 291 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 2012-07-12Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 80 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, International Fa, MN at 12:00Z on 2012-07-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -24 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
80 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-183 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1401 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
4 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-24 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
1 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
-0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

122 
WFUS53 KFGF 122115
TORFGF
MNC119-NDC035-122200-
/O.NEW.KFGF.TO.W.0009.120712T2115Z-120712T2200Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
415 PM CDT THU JUL 12 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHWESTERN POLK COUNTY IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA...
  EASTERN GRAND FORKS COUNTY IN NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA...

* UNTIL 500 PM CDT

* AT 414 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
  SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THE STORM WAS
  LOCATED 5 MILES NORTHWEST OF GRAND FORKS...MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST
  AT 15 MPH.

* THE TORNADIC STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  EAST GRAND FORKS AROUND 430 PM CDT.
  MANVEL AROUND 440 PM CDT.

FOR MOTORISTS ON INTERSTATE 29...THE TORNADIC STORM WILL BE
BETWEEN...MILE MARKER 142 AROUND 425 PM CDT...AND MILE MARKER 148
AROUND 435 PM CDT...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES
FOR A STURDY BUILDING.

&&

LAT...LON 4817 9715 4817 9692 4768 9701 4768 9744
TIME...MOT...LOC 2116Z 226DEG 12KT 4795 9716

$$

BRAMER
3 follow-up statements
226 
WWUS53 KFGF 122129
SVSFGF

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
429 PM CDT THU JUL 12 2012

MNC119-NDC035-122200-
/O.CON.KFGF.TO.W.0009.000000T0000Z-120712T2200Z/
GRAND FORKS ND-POLK MN-
429 PM CDT THU JUL 12 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHWESTERN POLK COUNTY
IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA...AND EASTERN GRAND FORKS COUNTY IN NORTHEAST
NORTH DAKOTA UNTIL 500 PM CDT...

AT 428 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 2 MILES NORTHWEST
OF GRAND FORKS...MOVING TO THE NORTHEAST AT 15 MPH.

THE TORNADIC STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  MANVEL AROUND 435 PM CDT.
  EAST GRAND FORKS AROUND 445 PM CDT.

FOR MOTORISTS ON INTERSTATE 29...THE TORNADIC STORM WILL BE
BETWEEN...MILE MARKER 139 AROUND 430 PM CDT...AND MILE MARKER 145
AROUND 440 PM CDT...

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES
FOR A STURDY BUILDING.

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

&&

LAT...LON 4817 9715 4817 9692 4768 9701 4768 9730
TIME...MOT...LOC 2129Z 242DEG 12KT 4794 9710

$$

BRAMER
445 
WWUS53 KFGF 122145
SVSFGF

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
445 PM CDT THU JUL 12 2012

MNC119-NDC035-122200-
/O.CON.KFGF.TO.W.0009.000000T0000Z-120712T2200Z/
GRAND FORKS ND-POLK MN-
445 PM CDT THU JUL 12 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHWESTERN POLK COUNTY
IN NORTHWEST MINNESOTA...AND SOUTHEASTERN GRAND FORKS COUNTY IN
NORTHEAST NORTH DAKOTA UNTIL 500 PM CDT...

AT 442 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO 4 MILES SOUTHEAST
OF THOMPSON...OR 13 MILES SOUTH OF GRAND FORKS...MOVING TO THE 
NORTHEAST AT 20 MPH. THE THUNDERSTORM NORTH OF GRAND FORKS WAS 
BEGINNING TO WEAKEN. 

THE TORNADIC STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  GRAND FORKS AND EAST GRAND FORKS AROUND 500 PM CDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO ABANDON CARS AND MOBILE HOMES
FOR A STURDY BUILDING.

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

&&

LAT...LON 4768 9717 4817 9709 4817 9692 4768 9701
TIME...MOT...LOC 2144Z 227DEG 15KT 4773 9704

$$

BRAMER
267 
WWUS53 KFGF 122159
SVSFGF

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
459 PM CDT THU JUL 12 2012

MNC119-NDC035-122209-
/O.EXP.KFGF.TO.W.0009.000000T0000Z-120712T2200Z/
GRAND FORKS ND-POLK MN-
459 PM CDT THU JUL 12 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHWESTERN POLK COUNTY IN NORTHWEST
MINNESOTA...AND SOUTHEASTERN GRAND FORKS COUNTY IN NORTHEAST NORTH
DAKOTA WILL EXPIRE AT 500 PM CDT...

THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THE WARNED
AREA.  HOWEVER HEAVY RAIN IS STILL POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.

LAT...LON 4768 9717 4817 9709 4817 9692 4768 9701
TIME...MOT...LOC 2159Z 227DEG 15KT 4777 9697

$$

BRAMER

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 12, 4:22 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementFGFNorman53 min
Jul 12, 5:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFPolk57 min
Jul 12, 5:21 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementFGFKittson54 min
Jul 12, 5:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFLake of the Woods, Roseau25 min
Jul 12, 6:10 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementFGFLake of the Woods65 min
Jul 12, 6:15 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementFGFPolk60 min
Jul 12, 6:18 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementFGFNorman57 min
Jul 12, 6:22 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementFGFKittson53 min
Jul 12, 6:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFRoseau51 min
Jul 12, 6:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFClay60 min
Jul 12, 6:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFNorman35 min
Jul 12, 3:36 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementFGFWalsh54 min
Jul 12, 3:58 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementFGFGrand Forks62 min
Jul 12, 4:56 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementFGFWalsh64 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Minnesota, 2012Tornado Warnings in North Dakota, 2012Every tornado warning in 2012Tornadoes 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.