Alert archive / Minnesota / Flash Flood Watches in 2012
Flash Flood Watch 1, NWS Twin Cities, MN
NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this flash flood watch at May 5, 2012, 1:11 PM CDT for 27 counties in Minnesota. It took effect at May 5, 2012, 4:00 PM CDT. It was in force for 12 hr.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- May 5, 2012, 1:11 PM CDT (18:11 UTC)
- In effect from
- May 5, 2012, 4:00 PM CDT
- Expired
- May 6, 2012, 4:10 AM CDT
- In force
- 12 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Twin Cities, MN
- Flood severity
- None
All 27 counties
Blue Earth County, MN, Brown County, MN, Carver County, MN, Chippewa County, MN, Faribault County, MN, Freeborn County, MN, Kandiyohi County, MN, Lac qui Parle County, MN, Le Sueur County, MN, Martin County, MN, McLeod County, MN, Meeker County, MN, Nicollet County, MN, Pope County, MN, Redwood County, MN, Renville County, MN, Rice County, MN, Scott County, MN, Sibley County, MN, Stearns County, MN, Steele County, MN, Stevens County, MN, Swift County, MN, Waseca County, MN, Watonwan County, MN, Wright County, MN, Yellow Medicine County, MN
The radar
The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 80 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:13 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, 6.2 hours before the alert went out and 78 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 480 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 57 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 174 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 217 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.4
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
497 WGUS63 KMPX 051811 FFAMPX URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED FLOOD WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 111 PM CDT SAT MAY 5 2012 ...HEAVY RAINFALL DEVELOPING WITH FLOODING POSSIBLE... .TWO BATCHES OF HEAVY RAINFALL HAVE OCCURRED ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH AREA SINCE FRIDAY MORNING. RAINFALL TOTALS IN THESE AREAS HAVE RANGED FROM ONE TO THREE INCHES ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...MAINLY SOUTHWEST OF THE MINNESOTA RIVER VALLEY...TO AROUND ONE HALF TO ONE INCH ACROSS THE REST OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA SINCE FRIDAY MORNING. ALTHOUGH MORE HEAVY RAINFALL WILL AFFECT THE WATCH AREA THIS AFTERNOON...A MORE POTENT WEATHER SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS THE DAKOTAS LATER THIS EVENING AND DROP ANOTHER ONE TO THREE INCHES OF RAINFALL IN AREAS THAT HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED HEAVY RAINFALL AMOUNTS. DUE TO THIS SCENARIO OF ANOTHER HEAVY RAINFALL EVENT OCCURRING OVERNIGHT...AREAL FLOODING...WITH SOME FLASH FLOODING IS POSSIBLE. RAINFALL AMOUNTS OVERNIGHT IN THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH AREA WILL RANGE BETWEEN ONE TO THREE INCHES. MNZ047>049-054>059-064>069-073>077-082>085-091>093-060215- /O.NEW.KMPX.FF.A.0001.120505T2100Z-120506T1200Z/ /00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/ STEVENS-POPE-STEARNS-LAC QUI PARLE-SWIFT-CHIPPEWA-KANDIYOHI- MEEKER-WRIGHT-YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-MCLEOD-SIBLEY-CARVER-SCOTT- REDWOOD-BROWN-NICOLLET-LE SUEUR-RICE-WATONWAN-BLUE EARTH-WASECA- STEELE-MARTIN-FARIBAULT-FREEBORN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MORRIS...GLENWOOD...ST. CLOUD... MADISON...BENSON...MONTEVIDEO...WILLMAR...LITCHFIELD... MONTICELLO...GRANITE FALLS...OLIVIA...HUTCHINSON...GAYLORD... CHASKA...SHAKOPEE...REDWOOD FALLS...NEW ULM...ST. PETER... LE SUEUR...FARIBAULT...ST. JAMES...MANKATO...WASECA...OWATONNA... FAIRMONT...BLUE EARTH...ALBERT LEA 111 PM CDT SAT MAY 5 2012 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN HAS ISSUED A FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL...CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA FROM 4 PM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. * FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA...EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS...IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA...KANDIYOHI...MCLEOD...MEEKER... RENVILLE...SIBLEY...STEARNS AND WRIGHT. IN EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...CARVER AND SCOTT. IN SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA... BLUE EARTH...BROWN...FARIBAULT...FREEBORN...LE SUEUR... MARTIN...NICOLLET...RICE...STEELE...WASECA AND WATONWAN. IN SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA...REDWOOD. IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA... CHIPPEWA...LAC QUI PARLE...POPE...STEVENS...SWIFT AND YELLOW MEDICINE. * FROM 4 PM CDT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING * HEAVY RAINFALL RE-DEVELOPING OVERNIGHT WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ADDITIONAL ONE TO THREE INCHES BY SUNDAY MORNING. * LOCALIZED FLOODING IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS...AND THE POTENTIAL OF RAPIDLY RISING STREAMS AND FLOODED DITCHES. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED. && $$ JLT
2 follow-up statements
204 WGUS63 KMPX 060154 FFAMPX FLOOD WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 854 PM CDT SAT MAY 5 2012 ...HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBLE OVERNIGHT ACROSS WEST CENTRAL THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA... .A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT OVERNIGHT FOR WEST CENTRAL THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA. THE WATCH AREA IS GENERALLY ALONG AND WEST OF A LINE FROM ST CLOUD TO ALBERT LEA. TWO BATCHES OF HEAVY RAINFALL HAVE OCCURRED ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH AREA SINCE FRIDAY MORNING. RAINFALL TOTALS HAVE RANGED FROM ONE TO THREE INCHES. MORE HEAVY RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE OVER MUCH OF THE WATCH AREA TONIGHT...WITH ANOTHER ONE TO THREE INCHES OF RAINFALL POSSIBLE. DUE TO THE ADDITIONAL PROSPECTS OF HEAVY RAINFALL OCCURRING...AREAL FLOODING...WITH SOME FLASH FLOODING MAY OCCUR. MNZ047>049-054>059-064>069-073>077-082>085-091>093-061000- /O.CON.KMPX.FF.A.0001.000000T0000Z-120506T1200Z/ /00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/ STEVENS-POPE-STEARNS-LAC QUI PARLE-SWIFT-CHIPPEWA-KANDIYOHI- MEEKER-WRIGHT-YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-MCLEOD-SIBLEY-CARVER-SCOTT- REDWOOD-BROWN-NICOLLET-LE SUEUR-RICE-WATONWAN-BLUE EARTH-WASECA- STEELE-MARTIN-FARIBAULT-FREEBORN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MORRIS...GLENWOOD...ST. CLOUD... MADISON...BENSON...MONTEVIDEO...WILLMAR...LITCHFIELD... MONTICELLO...GRANITE FALLS...OLIVIA...HUTCHINSON...GAYLORD... CHASKA...SHAKOPEE...REDWOOD FALLS...NEW ULM...ST. PETER... LE SUEUR...FARIBAULT...ST. JAMES...MANKATO...WASECA...OWATONNA... FAIRMONT...BLUE EARTH...ALBERT LEA 854 PM CDT SAT MAY 5 2012 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM CDT SUNDAY... THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR * PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA...EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING AREAS...IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA...KANDIYOHI...MCLEOD...MEEKER...RENVILLE...SIBLEY... STEARNS AND WRIGHT. IN EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...CARVER AND SCOTT. IN SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...BLUE EARTH...BROWN... FARIBAULT...FREEBORN...LE SUEUR...MARTIN...NICOLLET...RICE... STEELE...WASECA AND WATONWAN. IN SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA... REDWOOD. IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...CHIPPEWA...LAC QUI PARLE...POPE...STEVENS...SWIFT AND YELLOW MEDICINE. * UNTIL 7 AM CDT SUNDAY * HEAVY RAINFALL RE-DEVELOPING OVERNIGHT WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ADDITIONAL ONE TO THREE INCHES BY SUNDAY MORNING. * LOCALIZED FLOODING IN FLOOD PRONE AREAS...AND THE POTENTIAL OF RAPIDLY RISING STREAMS AND FLOODED DITCHES. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP THAT LEAD TO FLASH FLOODING. FLASH FLOODING IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLASH FLOOD WARNINGS BE ISSUED. && $$
689 WGUS63 KMPX 060910 FFAMPX FLOOD WATCH NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 410 AM CDT SUN MAY 6 2012 ...HEAVY RAIN AND FLASH FLOOD THREAT IS OVER... .THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT BROUGHT HEAVY RAINFALL OVERNIGHT HAVE MOVED EAST AND WEAKENED. LIGHT RAIN WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS...BUT THE THREAT FOR FLASH FLOODING IS OVER. MNZ047>049-054>059-064>069-073>077-082>085-091>093-061015- /O.CAN.KMPX.FF.A.0001.000000T0000Z-120506T1200Z/ /00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/ STEVENS-POPE-STEARNS-LAC QUI PARLE-SWIFT-CHIPPEWA-KANDIYOHI- MEEKER-WRIGHT-YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-MCLEOD-SIBLEY-CARVER-SCOTT- REDWOOD-BROWN-NICOLLET-LE SUEUR-RICE-WATONWAN-BLUE EARTH-WASECA- STEELE-MARTIN-FARIBAULT-FREEBORN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MORRIS...GLENWOOD...ST. CLOUD... MADISON...BENSON...MONTEVIDEO...WILLMAR...LITCHFIELD... MONTICELLO...GRANITE FALLS...OLIVIA...HUTCHINSON...GAYLORD... CHASKA...SHAKOPEE...REDWOOD FALLS...NEW ULM...ST. PETER... LE SUEUR...FARIBAULT...ST. JAMES...MANKATO...WASECA...OWATONNA... FAIRMONT...BLUE EARTH...ALBERT LEA 410 AM CDT SUN MAY 6 2012 ...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS CANCELLED... THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA...EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA HAS BEEN CANCELLED. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE MOVE EAST OF THE AREA...AND THE THREAT FOR HEAVY RAIN HAS ENDED. $$ JRB
The office that day
Everything else NWS Twin Cities, MN issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 5, 12:39 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | MPX | Brown, Martin, Watonwan | 51 min |
| May 5, 12:54 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | MPX | Nicollet, Sibley | 66 min |
| May 5, 1:02 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Blue Earth, Brown, Nicollet, Sibley | 43 min |
| May 5, 1:07 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | MPX | Blue Earth | 38 min |
| May 5, 1:26 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | MPX | Blue Earth, Le Sueur, Rice, Scott, Waseca | 64 min |
| May 5, 1:36 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Faribault, Martin | 24 min |
| May 5, 1:50 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Blue Earth, Faribault, Freeborn, Waseca | 40 min |
| May 5, 2:08 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | MPX | Dakota, Rice, Steele, Waseca | 52 min |
| May 5, 2:23 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | MPX | Freeborn, Steele | 52 min |
| May 5, 2:37 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | MPX | Goodhue | 53 min |
| May 5, 6:43 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | MPX | Anoka, Sherburne | 62 min |
Nearby
Flash Flood Watches in Minnesota, 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.