Alert archive / Minnesota / Tornado Warnings in 2015

Tornado Warning 46, NWS Grand Forks, ND

July 12, 2015Grant County, Otter Tail County, Wilkin County, Minnesota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this tornado warning at Jul 12, 2015, 5:37 PM CDT for Grant County, Otter Tail County, Wilkin County, Minnesota. It was in force for 38 min. 5 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, 5:37 PM CDT (22:37 UTC)
Expired
Jul 12, 2015, 6:15 PM CDT
In force
38 min
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Observed
Hail
1.75 in

Counties Grant County, MN, Otter Tail County, MN, Wilkin County, MN

The radar

The Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 190 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:40 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
Jul 12, 5:48 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUD2 Wsw Wendell, MN
Jul 12, 5:48 PM CDTTORNADO5 N Vining, MNBETWEEN OTTER TAIL AND VINING.
Jul 12, 6:03 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUDDeer Creek, MN
Jul 12, 6:10 PM CDTTSTM WND DMGDeer Creek, MNTREES BROKEN DOWN AND GARDENS FLATTENED. REPORTED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.
Jul 12, 6:25 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUD2 Se Elbow Lake, MNPERSISTENT WALL CLOUD WITH POSSIBLE FUNNEL.

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
Jul 12, 3:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 10.6 hours before the alert went out and 229 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 2015-07-12Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1730 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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 2015-07-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 21 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
1730 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-145 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
756 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
24 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
21 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
60 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
-0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

932 
WFUS53 KFGF 122237
TORFGF
MNC051-111-167-122315-
/O.NEW.KFGF.TO.W.0046.150712T2237Z-150712T2315Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHEASTERN WILKIN COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...
  SOUTHERN OTTER TAIL COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...
  NORTHERN GRANT COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

* UNTIL 615 PM CDT

* AT 535 PM CDT...A CONFIRMED TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR FERGUS
  FALLS...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. OTHER TORNADOS HAVE BEEN
  REPORTED WEST AND SOUTHWEST OF FERGUS FALLS AND NEAR THE 
  GRANT AND OTTER TAIL COUNTY LINE.

  HAZARD...TORNADO AND GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL. 

  SOURCE...WEATHER SPOTTERS CONFIRMED TORNADO. 

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

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  DALTON AROUND 550 PM CDT.
  UNDERWOOD AROUND 555 PM CDT.
  PHELPS AROUND 605 PM CDT.
  BATTLE LAKE...CLITHERALL...SOUTHWESTERN OTTERTAIL LAKE AND VINING
  AROUND 615 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.

IF ON OR NEAR BATTLE LAKE...GET AWAY FROM THE WATER AND
MOVE TO SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE
CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN
PRODUCE LARGE CAPSIZING WAVES...EVEN ON SMALL BODIES OF WATER. MOVE
INTO DOCK AND SEEK SAFE SHELTER NOW. DO NOT BE CAUGHT ON THE WATER IN
A THUNDERSTORM.

&&

LAT...LON 4602 9626 4602 9639 4638 9633 4650 9519
      4611 9515 4611 9577 4590 9576 4590 9626
TIME...MOT...LOC 2235Z 261DEG 24KT 4624 9607 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
HAIL...1.75IN

$$
SPEICHER
1 follow-up statement
218 
WWUS53 KFGF 122253
SVSFGF

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

MNC051-111-167-122315-
/O.CON.KFGF.TO.W.0046.000000T0000Z-150712T2315Z/
WILKIN MN-OTTER TAIL MN-GRANT MN-
553 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 2015

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 615 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN WILKIN...SOUTHERN OTTER TAIL AND NORTHERN GRANT
COUNTIES...
    
AT 552 PM CDT...A CONFIRMED TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR WENDELL...OR 11
MILES SOUTH OF FERGUS FALLS...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.

HAZARD...TORNADO AND GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL. 

SOURCE...WEATHER SPOTTERS CONFIRMED TORNADO NEAR THE GRANT COUNTY LINE
         IN SOUTH CENTRAL OTTER TAIL COUNTY.

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

THIS TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  DALTON AND ASHBY AROUND 615 PM CDT.

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.

IF ON OR NEAR BATTLE LAKE...GET AWAY FROM THE WATER AND
MOVE TO SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE
CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAN
PRODUCE LARGE CAPSIZING WAVES...EVEN ON SMALL BODIES OF WATER. MOVE
INTO DOCK AND SEEK SAFE SHELTER NOW. DO NOT BE CAUGHT ON THE WATER IN
A THUNDERSTORM.

&&

LAT...LON 4602 9631 4639 9627 4650 9519 4611 9515
      4611 9577 4590 9576 4590 9626 4602 9626
TIME...MOT...LOC 2252Z 261DEG 15KT 4611 9608 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
HAIL...1.75IN

$$
SPEICHER

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 12, 4:50 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFMarshall, Pennington, Polk55 min
Jul 12, 6:25 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementFGFRoseau65 min
Jul 12, 6:48 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFLake of the Woods42 min
Jul 12, 7:21 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementFGFBeltrami54 min
Jul 12, 7:28 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementFGFLake of the Woods32 min
Jul 12, 8:23 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementFGFBeltrami67 min
Jul 12, 3:53 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFClay, Otter Tail, Wilkin52 min
Jul 12, 4:03 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFPolk42 min
Jul 12, 4:21 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFBecker, Clay, Otter Tail, Wilkin39 min
Jul 12, 4:36 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFOtter Tail, Wilkin39 min
Jul 12, 4:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFKittson, Marshall59 min
Jul 12, 4:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFMarshall, Polk43 min
Jul 12, 5:04 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFKittson, Marshall41 min
Jul 12, 5:07 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFGrant, Otter Tail, Wilkin38 min
Jul 12, 5:18 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFBecker, Otter Tail, Wadena, Wilkin42 min
Jul 12, 5:40 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryFGFMarshall12 hr
Jul 12, 5:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFKittson, Marshall, Pennington, Roseau62 min
Jul 12, 5:49 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFOtter Tail, Wadena41 min
Jul 12, 6:08 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryFGFOtter Tail12 hr
Jul 12, 6:15 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFGrant, Otter Tail45 min
Jul 12, 6:23 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFClay, Wilkin52 min
Jul 12, 6:25 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFOtter Tail, Wadena50 min
Jul 12, 6:56 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFGrant49 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Minnesota, 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.