Alert archive / Minnesota / Tornado Warnings in 2015

Tornado Warning 39, NWS Grand Forks, ND

July 12, 2015Polk County, Minnesota; Grand Forks County, North Dakota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this tornado warning at Jul 12, 2015, 4:03 PM CDT for Polk County, Minnesota; Grand Forks County, North Dakota. It was in force for 42 min. 8 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, 2015, 4:03 PM CDT (21:03 UTC)
Expired: Jul 12, 2015, 4:45 PM CDT
In force: 42 min
Issued by: NWS Grand Forks, ND
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 1.75 in

Counties Polk County, MN, Grand Forks County, ND

The radar

The Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 51 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:05 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
Jul 12, 4:09 PM CDT	HAIL 0.75	5 Sw Grand Forks, ND	NEAR MERRIFIELD.
Jul 12, 4:14 PM CDT	HAIL 1	2 W Grand Forks, ND	QUARTER HAIL AT THE BUFFALO RANCH.
Jul 12, 4:15 PM CDT	FUNNEL CLOUD	2 Sw Grand Forks, ND	PERSISTENT WALL CLOUD WITH FUNNEL VIEWED FROM NWS FORECAST OFFICE...PASSING JUST SOUTH OF LOCATION.
Jul 12, 4:15 PM CDT	HAIL 1	3 W Grand Forks, ND
Jul 12, 4:19 PM CDT	HAIL 0.75	1 S Grand Forks, ND	NEAR ALTRU HOSPITAL.
Jul 12, 4:30 PM CDT	FUNNEL CLOUD	6 Wnw Grand Forks, ND	FUNNEL CLOUD OBSERVED PASSING OVER GRAND FORKS AIRPORT AREA UNTIL 437 PM CDT.
Jul 12, 4:37 PM CDT	HAIL 1	3 Sw Grand Forks, ND	AT 32ND AVENUE OFF OF INTERSTATE 29.
Jul 12, 4:50 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	5 W Tabor, MN	SEVERAL 3-4 INCH BRANCHES CRACKED AND/OR BROKEN OFF. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.

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.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Jul 12, 3:06 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

International Fa, MN (KINL), launched 12:00Z, 9.1 hours before the alert went out and 285 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 1379 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -61 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 658 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 24 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 42 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 70 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 1.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

021 
WFUS53 KFGF 122103
TORFGF
MNC119-NDC035-122145-
/O.NEW.KFGF.TO.W.0039.150712T2103Z-150712T2145Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
403 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 2015

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  NORTHWESTERN POLK COUNTY IN NORTHWESTERN MINNESOTA...
  NORTHEASTERN GRAND FORKS COUNTY IN NORTHEASTERN NORTH DAKOTA...

* UNTIL 445 PM CDT
    
* AT 403 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A
  TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR HOLMES...OR 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF GRAND
  FORKS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.

  HAZARD...TORNADO AND GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL. 

  SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION. 

  IMPACT...EXPECT DAMAGE TO MOBILE HOMES...ROOFS AND VEHICLES. 

* THIS DANGEROUS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  MERRIFIELD AROUND 415 PM CDT.
  GRAND FORKS AROUND 420 PM CDT.
  EAST GRAND FORKS AROUND 430 PM CDT.
  SHERACK AROUND 445 PM CDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER CONTACT YOUR NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.
THEY WILL SEND YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN
GRAND FORKS.

&&

LAT...LON 4781 9703 4797 9738 4816 9717 4802 9669
      4785 9685
TIME...MOT...LOC 2103Z 226DEG 30KT 4781 9728 

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

$$

DK

2 follow-up statements

147 
WWUS53 KFGF 122137
SVSFGF

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
437 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 2015

MNC119-NDC035-122145-
/O.CON.KFGF.TO.W.0039.000000T0000Z-150712T2145Z/
POLK MN-GRAND FORKS ND-
437 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 2015

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 445 PM CDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN POLK AND NORTHEASTERN GRAND FORKS COUNTIES...
    
AT 436 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED NEAR GRAND FORKS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

HAZARD...TORNADO AND GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL. 

SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION. 

IMPACT...EXPECT DAMAGE TO MOBILE HOMES...ROOFS AND VEHICLES. 

THIS TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WILL REMAIN OVER MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF
NORTHWESTERN POLK AND NORTHEASTERN GRAND FORKS COUNTIES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IF A TORNADO OR OTHER SEVERE WEATHER IS SPOTTED...REPORT IT TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OR YOUR LOCAL NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY
WHO WILL SEND YOUR REPORT. THIS ACT MAY SAVE LIVES OF OTHERS IN THE
PATH OF DANGEROUS WEATHER.

&&

LAT...LON 4781 9703 4797 9738 4816 9717 4802 9669
      4785 9685
TIME...MOT...LOC 2136Z 223DEG 20KT 4795 9705 

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

$$

DTR/DK

218 
WWUS53 KFGF 122143
SVSFGF

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND
443 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 2015

MNC119-NDC035-122153-
/O.EXP.KFGF.TO.W.0039.000000T0000Z-150712T2145Z/
POLK MN-GRAND FORKS ND-
443 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 2015

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHWESTERN POLK AND NORTHEASTERN GRAND
FORKS COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 445 PM CDT...
        
THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS WEAKENED BELOW SEVERE LIMITS
AND EXITED THE WARNED AREA. THEREFORE THE WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO
EXPIRE.

A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN MINNESOTA AND NORTHEASTERN NORTH DAKOTA.

LAT...LON 4781 9703 4797 9738 4816 9717 4802 9669
      4785 9685
TIME...MOT...LOC 2200Z 226DEG 30KT 4795 9705 

$$
DTR

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Jul 12, 4:50 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Marshall, Pennington, Polk	55 min
Jul 12, 6:25 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	FGF	Roseau	65 min
Jul 12, 6:48 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Lake of the Woods	42 min
Jul 12, 7:21 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	FGF	Beltrami	54 min
Jul 12, 7:28 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	FGF	Lake of the Woods	32 min
Jul 12, 8:23 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	FGF	Beltrami	67 min
Jul 12, 3:53 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FGF	Clay, Otter Tail, Wilkin	52 min
Jul 12, 4:21 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FGF	Becker, Clay, Otter Tail, Wilkin	39 min
Jul 12, 4:36 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FGF	Otter Tail, Wilkin	39 min
Jul 12, 4:46 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Kittson, Marshall	59 min
Jul 12, 4:49 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Marshall, Polk	43 min
Jul 12, 5:04 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FGF	Kittson, Marshall	41 min
Jul 12, 5:07 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FGF	Grant, Otter Tail, Wilkin	38 min
Jul 12, 5:18 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FGF	Becker, Otter Tail, Wadena, Wilkin	42 min
Jul 12, 5:37 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	FGF	Grant, Otter Tail, Wilkin	38 min
Jul 12, 5:40 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	FGF	Marshall	12 hr
Jul 12, 5:43 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Kittson, Marshall, Pennington, Roseau	62 min
Jul 12, 5:49 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FGF	Otter Tail, Wadena	41 min
Jul 12, 6:08 PM CDT	Areal Flood Advisory	FGF	Otter Tail	12 hr
Jul 12, 6:15 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FGF	Grant, Otter Tail	45 min
Jul 12, 6:23 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FGF	Clay, Wilkin	52 min
Jul 12, 6:25 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FGF	Otter Tail, Wadena	50 min
Jul 12, 6:56 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FGF	Grant	49 min
Jul 11, 8:54 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	FGF	Benson	66 min
Jul 11, 9:17 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Benson, Towner	58 min
Jul 11, 10:10 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FGF	Benson	50 min
Jul 11, 11:01 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Benson, Ramsey, Towner	59 min
Jul 11, 11:24 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Benson, Ramsey	36 min
Jul 12, 12:19 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	FGF	Benson	56 min
Jul 12, 2:41 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	FGF	Nelson	34 min
Jul 12, 3:48 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	FGF	Grand Forks	57 min
Jul 12, 2:48 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Benson, Ramsey	46 min
Jul 12, 3:37 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FGF	Grand Forks, Steele, Traill	38 min
Jul 12, 3:55 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Nelson, Ramsey, Walsh	65 min
Jul 12, 3:57 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FGF	Grand Forks, Traill	38 min
Jul 12, 4:14 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	FGF	Grand Forks, Nelson, Walsh	46 min
Jul 12, 5:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FGF	Walsh	34 min

Nearby

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