Alert archive / Minnesota / Tornado Warnings in 2012

Tornado Warning 4, NWS Twin Cities, MN

April 15, 2012Carver County, McLeod County, Wright County, Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this tornado warning at Apr 15, 2012, 5:43 PM CDT for Carver County, McLeod County, Wright County, Minnesota. It was in force for 32 min. 1 report 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
Apr 15, 2012, 5:43 PM CDT (22:43 UTC)
Expired
Apr 15, 2012, 6:15 PM CDT
In force
32 min
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Carver County, MN, McLeod County, MN, Wright County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 38 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:43 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
Apr 15, 5:50 PM CDTHAIL 1Glencoe, MNHAIL ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF THE CITY

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
Apr 15, 3:37 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 10.7 hours before the alert went out and 35 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 2012-04-15Temperature 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, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 2012-04-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 125 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 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
502 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
79 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
125 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
222 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.

313 
WFUS53 KMPX 152243
TORMPX
MNC019-085-171-152315-
/O.NEW.KMPX.TO.W.0004.120415T2243Z-120415T2315Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
543 PM CDT SUN APR 15 2012

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN THE TWIN CITIES HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  WESTERN CARVER COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...
  EASTERN MCLEOD COUNTY IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA...
  SOUTH CENTRAL WRIGHT COUNTY IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

* UNTIL 615 PM CDT

* AT 538 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED A STORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A
  TORNADO. THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THE STORM WAS NEAR PLATO...OR
  OVER PLATO...AND MOVING NORTH AT 45 MPH.

* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE...
  PLATO...
  NORWOOD/YOUNG AMERICA...
  HAMBURG...
  GLENCOE...
  LESTER PRAIRIE...
  NEW GERMANY...
  MAYER...
  WINSTED...

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 1100 PM CDT SUNDAY EVENING
FOR SOUTHERN MINNESOTA AND NORTHWESTERN WISCONSIN.

&&

LAT...LON 4504 9413 4504 9383 4472 9391 4472 9417
TIME...MOT...LOC 2243Z 186DEG 41KT 4481 9403

$$

JLT
3 follow-up statements
744 
WWUS53 KMPX 152253
SVSMPX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
553 PM CDT SUN APR 15 2012

MNC019-085-171-152315-
/O.CON.KMPX.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-120415T2315Z/
CARVER MN-MCLEOD MN-WRIGHT MN-
553 PM CDT SUN APR 15 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTH CENTRAL WRIGHT...
NORTHEASTERN MCLEOD AND NORTHWESTERN CARVER COUNTIES UNTIL 615 PM
CDT...

AT 547 PM CDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A ROTATING WALL 
CLOUD.  THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR LESTER PRAIRIE...OR 18 MILES 
EAST OF HUTCHINSON...MOVING NORTH AT 45 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  WINSTED.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TO REPEAT...DOPPLAR RADAR INDICATED A STORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A 
TORNADO. TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST 
FLOOR OF A STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME...A 
VEHICLE OR OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND 
PROTECT YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 4484 9391 4475 9417 4504 9413 4504 9383
TIME...MOT...LOC 2253Z 186DEG 41KT 4492 9401

$$

JRB
783 
WWUS53 KMPX 152302
SVSMPX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
602 PM CDT SUN APR 15 2012

MNC085-152317-
/O.CAN.KMPX.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-120415T2315Z/
MCLEOD MN-
602 PM CDT SUN APR 15 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHEASTERN MCLEOD COUNTY IS CANCELLED...

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

LAT...LON 4485 9400 4503 9401 4504 9383 4484 9391
TIME...MOT...LOC 2302Z 187DEG 39KT 4496 9398

$$

MNC019-171-152315-
/O.CON.KMPX.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-120415T2315Z/
CARVER MN-WRIGHT MN-
602 PM CDT SUN APR 15 2012

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR SOUTH CENTRAL WRIGHT AND
NORTHWESTERN CARVER COUNTIES UNTIL 615 PM CDT...

AT 601 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS DANGEROUS STORM
WAS LOCATED NEAR WINSTED...OR 16 MILES SOUTH OF BUFFALO...MOVING
NORTH AT 45 MPH.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF EXTREME NORTHWESTERN CARVER AND SOUTHERN
  WRIGHT COUNTIES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW. MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR OF A
STURDY BUILDING. AVOID WINDOWS. IF IN A MOBILE HOME...A VEHICLE OR
OUTDOORS...MOVE TO THE CLOSEST SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER AND PROTECT
YOURSELF FROM FLYING DEBRIS.

&&

LAT...LON 4485 9400 4503 9401 4504 9383 4484 9391
TIME...MOT...LOC 2302Z 187DEG 39KT 4496 9398

$$

JRB
683 
WWUS53 KMPX 152309
SVSMPX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
609 PM CDT SUN APR 15 2012

MNC019-171-152323-
/O.EXP.KMPX.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-120415T2315Z/
CARVER MN-WRIGHT MN-
609 PM CDT SUN APR 15 2012

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTH CENTRAL WRIGHT AND NORTHWESTERN 
CARVER COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 615 PM CDT...

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

ADDITIONAL STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE STILL POSSIBLE...AND A TORNADO 
WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1100 PM CDT.

LAT...LON 4485 9400 4503 9401 4504 9383 4484 9391
TIME...MOT...LOC 2308Z 187DEG 39KT 4502 9396

$$

JRB

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 15, 4:02 AM CDTWind AdvisoryMPXBlue Earth, Chippewa, Douglas, Faribault, Freeborn, Kandiyohi and 11 more33 hr
Apr 15, 4:02 AM CDTWind AdvisoryMPXBlue Earth, Brown, Faribault, Freeborn, Le Sueur, McLeod and 8 more33 hr
Apr 15, 12:05 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXBenton, Chisago, Douglas, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs and 6 more55 min
Apr 15, 3:28 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXChippewa, Lac qui Parle, Yellow Medicine62 min
Apr 15, 4:19 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXBrown41 min
Apr 15, 4:20 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXChippewa, Yellow Medicine40 min
Apr 15, 4:52 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXRenville, Sibley26 min
Apr 15, 4:54 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXNicollet36 min
Apr 15, 5:23 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXBlue Earth, Le Sueur52 min
Apr 15, 5:23 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXMcLeod, Sibley37 min
Apr 15, 5:38 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXMcLeod, Sibley16 min
Apr 15, 5:44 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXWright21 min
Apr 15, 6:30 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXHennepin30 min
Apr 15, 6:59 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXAnoka, Ramsey, Washington31 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Minnesota, 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.