Alert archive / North Dakota / Tornado Warnings in 2015

Tornado Warning 4, NWS Bismarck, ND

June 20, 2015McHenry County, Pierce County, North Dakota

NWS Bismarck, ND issued this tornado warning at Jun 20, 2015, 8:27 PM CDT for McHenry County, Pierce County, North Dakota. It was in force for 33 min. 3 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
Jun 20, 2015, 8:27 PM CDT (01:27 UTC)
Expired
Jun 20, 2015, 9:00 PM CDT
In force
33 min
Issued by
NWS Bismarck, ND
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
1.0 in

Counties McHenry County, ND, Pierce County, ND

The radar

The Minot AFB radar (KMBX), 36 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:29 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
Jun 20, 8:34 PM CDTTSTM WND GST 70Towner, ND
Jun 20, 8:34 PM CDTHAIL 1.75Towner, NDMAINLY HALF DOLLAR SIZED HAIL WITH SOME GOLF BALL SIZED.
Jun 20, 8:40 PM CDTHAIL 1.75Towner, NDHAIL LASTED 10 MINUTES.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Bismarck Municip, ND (KBIS), launched 00:00Z, 1.5 hours before the alert went out and 176 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, Bismarck Municip, ND at 00:00Z on 2015-06-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 16 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Bismarck Municip, ND at 00:00Z on 2015-06-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 12 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
16 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-62 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
2184 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
41 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
12 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
46 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.

719 
WFUS53 KBIS 210127
TORBIS
NDC049-069-210200-
/O.NEW.KBIS.TO.W.0004.150621T0127Z-150621T0200Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
827 PM CDT SAT JUN 20 2015

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BISMARCK HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHEASTERN MCHENRY COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...
  WEST CENTRAL PIERCE COUNTY IN NORTH CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA...

* UNTIL 900 PM CDT
    
* AT 826 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A
  TORNADO WAS LOCATED OVER TOWNER...OR 19 MILES WEST OF RUGBY...
  MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

  HAZARD...TORNADO AND QUARTER SIZE HAIL. 

  SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION. 

  IMPACT...FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE CAUGHT WITHOUT 
           SHELTER. MOBILE HOMES WILL BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. 
           DAMAGE TO ROOFS...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES WILL OCCUR.  TREE 
           DAMAGE IS LIKELY. 

* THIS DANGEROUS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  TOWNER AROUND 830 PM CDT.

OTHER LOCATIONS IMPACTED BY THIS TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM INCLUDE
BERWICK.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

LAT...LON 4837 10059 4850 10042 4837 10018 4823 10019
      4819 10036
TIME...MOT...LOC 0126Z 313DEG 30KT 4839 10043 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.00IN

$$

SIMOSKO
2 follow-up statements
267 
WWUS53 KBIS 210138
SVSBIS

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
838 PM CDT SAT JUN 20 2015

NDC049-069-210200-
/O.CON.KBIS.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-150621T0200Z/
MCHENRY ND-PIERCE ND-
838 PM CDT SAT JUN 20 2015

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT FOR EAST
CENTRAL MCHENRY AND WEST CENTRAL PIERCE COUNTIES...
    
AT 836 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED OVER TOWNER...OR 16 MILES WEST OF RUGBY...MOVING
SOUTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

HAZARD...TORNADO AND GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL.

SOURCE...RADAR AND SPOTTER INDICATED ROTATION AND GOLF BALL SIZE 
HAIL. 

IMPACT...FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE CAUGHT WITHOUT 
         SHELTER. MOBILE HOMES WILL BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. DAMAGE 
         TO ROOFS...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES WILL OCCUR.  TREE DAMAGE IS 
         LIKELY. 

THIS TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WILL REMAIN OVER MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF
EAST CENTRAL MCHENRY AND WEST CENTRAL PIERCE COUNTIES...INCLUDING THE
FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...BERWICK.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

LAT...LON 4838 10055 4846 10035 4837 10018 4823 10019
      4819 10036
TIME...MOT...LOC 0136Z 318DEG 28KT 4833 10036 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.75IN

$$

SIMOSKO
657 
WWUS53 KBIS 210145
SVSBIS

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BISMARCK ND
845 PM CDT SAT JUN 20 2015

NDC049-069-210200-
/O.CON.KBIS.TO.W.0004.000000T0000Z-150621T0200Z/
MCHENRY ND-PIERCE ND-
845 PM CDT SAT JUN 20 2015

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM CDT FOR EAST
CENTRAL MCHENRY AND NORTHWESTERN PIERCE COUNTIES...
    
AT 845 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED 8 MILES SOUTHEAST OF TOWNER...OR 14 MILES SOUTHWEST OF
RUGBY...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

HAZARD...TORNADO AND GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL. 

SOURCE...RADAR AND SPOTTER INDICATED ROTATION. 

IMPACT...FLYING DEBRIS WILL BE DANGEROUS TO THOSE CAUGHT WITHOUT 
         SHELTER. MOBILE HOMES WILL BE DAMAGED OR DESTROYED. DAMAGE 
         TO ROOFS...WINDOWS AND VEHICLES WILL OCCUR.  TREE DAMAGE IS 
         LIKELY. 

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...TOWNER AND BERWICK. 

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

LAT...LON 4837 10044 4840 10027 4837 10018 4823 10019
      4819 10036
TIME...MOT...LOC 0145Z 315DEG 33KT 4827 10027 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.75IN

$$

SIMOSKO

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 20, 7:00 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBISBottineau30 min
Jun 20, 7:33 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBISBottineau27 min
Jun 20, 8:05 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBISMcHenry25 min
Jun 20, 8:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBISMcHenry, Pierce66 min
Jun 20, 8:49 PM CDTTornado WarningBISMcHenry, Pierce26 min
Jun 20, 9:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBISPierce, Sheridan, Wells59 min
Jun 20, 10:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBISWells43 min
Jun 20, 11:00 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBISWells30 min
Jun 21, 2:26 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBISDivide49 min
Jun 21, 2:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBISDivide, Williams54 min
Jun 21, 3:14 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBISBurke31 min
Jun 21, 3:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBISBurke, Mountrail, Ward51 min
Jun 21, 4:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBISMountrail, Renville, Ward30 min
Jun 21, 5:31 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBISBottineau29 min
Jun 21, 5:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBISBowman55 min
Jun 21, 6:23 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBISWard37 min
Jun 21, 6:28 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBISBowman62 min
Jun 21, 6:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningBISAdams, Bowman, Hettinger, Slope64 min
Jun 21, 6:58 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementBISPierce32 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in North Dakota, 2015Every tornado warning in 2015Tornadoes in 2015

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.