Alert archive / Minnesota / Blizzard Warnings in 2014
Blizzard Warning 6, NWS Sioux Falls, SD
NWS Sioux Falls, SD issued this blizzard warning at Feb 20, 2014, 7:44 PM CST for 5 counties in Iowa; 8 counties in Minnesota. It was in force for 8 hr. 2 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.
The facts
- Issued
- Feb 20, 2014, 7:44 PM CST (01:44 UTC)
- Expired
- Feb 21, 2014, 3:24 AM CST
- In force
- 8 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Sioux Falls, SD
Counties Buena Vista County, IA, Clay County, IA, Dickinson County, IA, O'Brien County, IA, Osceola County, IA, Cottonwood County, MN, Jackson County, MN, Lincoln County, MN, Lyon County, MN, Murray County, MN, Nobles County, MN, Pipestone County, MN, Rock County, MN
The radar
The Sioux Falls radar (KFSD), 89 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:46 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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 21, 12:00 AM CST | SNOW 3.7 | 1 E Spirit Lake, IA | COOP OBSERVER STATION SPIRIT LAKE /SPRI4/ SNOW DURATION 24 HOURS |
| Feb 21, 12:00 AM CST | SNOW 4.6 | 4 Nw Okoboji, IA | COOP OBSERVER STATION VICKS CORNER-SPIRIT LAKE IOWA /VICI4/ SNOW DURATION 24 HOURS |
Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.
The nearest sounding before it
Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 00:00Z, 1.7 hours before the alert went out and 209 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
- 444 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 32 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 83 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 90 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.
145 WWUS43 KFSD 210144 WSWFSD URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD 744 PM CST THU FEB 20 2014 IAZ002-003-013-014-022-MNZ080-081-089-090-210945- /O.UPG.KFSD.WW.Y.0008.000000T0000Z-140221T0600Z/ /O.NEW.KFSD.BZ.W.0006.140221T0144Z-140221T1000Z/ OSCEOLA-DICKINSON-OBRIEN-CLAY-BUENA VISTA-MURRAY-COTTONWOOD- NOBLES-JACKSON- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SIBLEY...SPIRIT LAKE...MILFORD... ARNOLDS PARK...SHELDON...HARTLEY...SANBORN...SPENCER... STORM LAKE...SLAYTON...FULDA...WINDOM...MOUNTAIN LAKE... WORTHINGTON...JACKSON...LAKEFIELD 744 PM CST THU FEB 20 2014 ...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM CST FRIDAY... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SIOUX FALLS HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARD WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM CST FRIDAY. THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. * TIMING...STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUST TO 45 MPH THROUGHOUT THE EVENING WILL GRADUALLY DECREASE AFTER MIDNIGHT. THESE STRONG WINDS WILL PRODUCE AREAS OF WHITE OUT CONDITIONS...REDUCING VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES. THE BLOWING SNOW MAY FREEZE ON AREA ROADWAYS...CREATING TREACHEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS. * WIND AND VISIBILITY...NORTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 35 MPH...WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH WILL CONTINUE THIS EVENING. VISIBILITY WILL BE REDUCED TO AN EIGHTH OF A MILE OR LESS AT TIMES IN BLOWING SNOW. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS AND POOR VISIBILITIES ARE LIKELY. THIS WILL LEAD TO WHITEOUT CONDITIONS...MAKING TRAVEL EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. DO NOT TRAVEL. IF YOU MUST...HAVE A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT WITH YOU. IF YOU GET STRANDED...STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE. && $$ MNZ071-072-097-098-210945- /O.NEW.KFSD.BZ.W.0006.140221T0144Z-140221T1000Z/ LINCOLN-LYON-PIPESTONE-ROCK- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...TYLER...HENDRICKS...LAKE BENTON... IVANHOE...MARSHALL...PIPESTONE...LUVERNE 744 PM CST THU FEB 20 2014 ...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM CST FRIDAY... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SIOUX FALLS HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARD WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM CST FRIDAY. * TIMING...STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUST TO 45 MPH THROUGHOUT THE EVENING WILL GRADUALLY DECREASE AFTER MIDNIGHT. THESE STRONG WINDS WILL PRODUCE AREAS OF WHITE OUT CONDITIONS...REDUCING VISIBILITY TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES. THE BLOWING SNOW MAY FREEZE ON AREA ROADWAYS...CREATING TREACHEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS. * WIND AND VISIBILITY...NORTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 35 MPH...WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH WILL CONTINUE THIS EVENING. VISIBILITY WILL BE REDUCED TO AN EIGHTH OF A MILE OR LESS AT TIMES IN BLOWING SNOW. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS AND POOR VISIBILITIES ARE LIKELY. THIS WILL LEAD TO WHITEOUT CONDITIONS...MAKING TRAVEL EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. DO NOT TRAVEL. IF YOU MUST...HAVE A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT WITH YOU. IF YOU GET STRANDED...STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE. && $$ IAZ021-032-210600- /O.CON.KFSD.WW.Y.0008.000000T0000Z-140221T0600Z/ CHEROKEE-IDA- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CHEROKEE...IDA GROVE...HOLSTEIN... BATTLE CREEK 744 PM CST THU FEB 20 2014 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT... * TIMING...STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CREATE AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW THROUGHOUT THE EVENING HOURS. THE BLOWING SNOW MAY FREEZE ON AREA ROADWAYS CAUSING DIFFICULT TRAVEL CONDITIONS. * WIND AND VISIBILITY...NORTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 35 MPH...WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH WILL CONTINUE THIS EVENING. VISIBILITY WILL BE REDUCED TO A MILE OR LESS AT TIMES DUE TO BLOWING SNOW. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW MEANS THAT VISIBILITIES WILL BE LIMITED DUE FALLING AND/OR BLOWING SNOW. USE CAUTION WHEN TRAVELING...ESPECIALLY IN OPEN AREAS. && $$
2 follow-up statements
437 WWUS43 KFSD 210622 WSWFSD URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD 1222 AM CST FRI FEB 21 2014 IAZ002-013-022-MNZ071-072-080-089-097-098-210730- /O.CAN.KFSD.BZ.W.0006.000000T0000Z-140221T1000Z/ OSCEOLA-OBRIEN-BUENA VISTA-LINCOLN-LYON-MURRAY-NOBLES-PIPESTONE- ROCK- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SIBLEY...SHELDON...HARTLEY...SANBORN... STORM LAKE...TYLER...HENDRICKS...LAKE BENTON...IVANHOE... MARSHALL...SLAYTON...FULDA...WORTHINGTON...PIPESTONE...LUVERNE 1222 AM CST FRI FEB 21 2014 ...BLIZZARD WARNING IS CANCELLED... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SIOUX FALLS HAS CANCELLED THE BLIZZARD WARNING. PER REPORTS FROM AREA LAW ENFORCEMENT...VISIBILITY HAS IMPROVED ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA AND NORTHWEST IOWA AS WINDS HAVE DECREASED AND SNOW SHOWERS HAVE DIMINISHED ACROSS THE REGION. ROADS REMAIN AT LEAST PARTIALLY SNOW COVERED AND SLIPPERY DUE TO DRIFTING SNOW. THEREFORE TRAVEL WILL STILL BE DIFFICULT ACROSS THE REGION...AND MOTORISTS MAY WANT TO CONSIDER POSTPONING TRAVEL PLANS UNTIL ROAD CONDITIONS IMPROVE. $$ IAZ021-032-210730- /O.EXP.KFSD.WW.Y.0008.000000T0000Z-140221T0600Z/ CHEROKEE-IDA- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CHEROKEE...IDA GROVE...HOLSTEIN... BATTLE CREEK 1222 AM CST FRI FEB 21 2014 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY HAS EXPIRED... VISIBILITY HAS IMPROVED ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA AND NORTHWEST IOWA AS WINDS HAVE DECREASED AND SNOW SHOWERS HAVE DIMINISHED ACROSS THE REGION. ROADS REMAIN AT LEAST PARTIALLY SNOW COVERED AND SLIPPERY DUE TO DRIFTING SNOW. THEREFORE TRAVEL WILL STILL BE DIFFICULT ACROSS THE REGION...AND MOTORISTS MAY WANT TO CONSIDER POSTPONING TRAVEL PLANS UNTIL ROAD CONDITIONS IMPROVE. $$ IAZ003-014-MNZ081-090-211000- /O.CON.KFSD.BZ.W.0006.000000T0000Z-140221T1000Z/ DICKINSON-CLAY-COTTONWOOD-JACKSON- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SPIRIT LAKE...MILFORD...ARNOLDS PARK... SPENCER...WINDOM...MOUNTAIN LAKE...JACKSON...LAKEFIELD 1222 AM CST FRI FEB 21 2014 ...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 AM CST EARLY THIS MORNING... * TIMING...STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS WILL SLOWLY DECREASE THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS. AS THE WINDS DECREASE...VISIBILITY WILL LIKEWISE SLOWLY IMPROVE. BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO CREATE TREACHEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS. * WIND AND VISIBILITY...NORTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 35 MPH...WITH GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH WILL PRODUCE AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW...REDUCING VISIBILITY TO A QUARTER MILE OR LESS AT TIMES. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS AND POOR VISIBILITIES ARE LIKELY. THIS WILL LEAD TO WHITEOUT CONDITIONS...MAKING TRAVEL EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. DO NOT TRAVEL. IF YOU MUST...HAVE A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT WITH YOU. IF YOU GET STRANDED...STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE. && $$
062 WWUS43 KFSD 210924 WSWFSD URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD 324 AM CST FRI FEB 21 2014 IAZ003-014-MNZ081-090-211030- /O.CAN.KFSD.BZ.W.0006.000000T0000Z-140221T1000Z/ DICKINSON-CLAY-COTTONWOOD-JACKSON- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SPIRIT LAKE...MILFORD...ARNOLDS PARK... SPENCER...WINDOM...MOUNTAIN LAKE...JACKSON...LAKEFIELD 324 AM CST FRI FEB 21 2014 ...BLIZZARD WARNING IS CANCELLED... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SIOUX FALLS HAS CANCELLED THE BLIZZARD WARNING. VISIBILITY HAS IMPROVED ACROSS MUCH OF SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA AND NORTHWEST IOWA AS WINDS HAVE DECREASED...AND SNOW SHOWERS HAVE DIMINISHED ACROSS THE REGION. ROADS REMAIN AT LEAST PARTIALLY SNOW COVERED AND SLIPPERY DUE TO DRIFTING SNOW. THEREFORE TRAVEL WILL STILL BE DIFFICULT ACROSS THE REGION...AND MOTORISTS MAY WANT TO CONSIDER POSTPONING TRAVEL PLANS UNTIL ROAD CONDITIONS IMPROVE. $$
Nearby
Blizzard Warnings in Minnesota, 2014Blizzard Warnings in Iowa, 2014Every blizzard warning in 2014
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.