Alert archive / Minnesota / Tornado Warnings in 2015

Tornado Warning 47, NWS Grand Forks, ND

July 12, 2015Otter Tail County, Wadena County, Minnesota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this tornado warning at Jul 12, 2015, 5:49 PM CDT for Otter Tail County, Wadena County, Minnesota. It was in force for 41 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
Jul 12, 2015, 5:49 PM CDT (22:49 UTC)
Expired
Jul 12, 2015, 6:30 PM CDT
In force
41 min
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
1.75 in

Counties Otter Tail County, MN, Wadena County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 207 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:50 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, 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, 6:40 PM CDTTSTM WND DMGVerndale, MNTREES BLOWN DOWN AND A ROOF BLOWN OFF IN TOWN. NUMEROUS TREES AND AND LEAST 8 TO 10 POWER POLES SNAPPED OFF EAST OF TOWN.

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, 10.8 hours before the alert went out and 206 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°0°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.

118 
WFUS53 KFGF 122249
TORFGF
MNC111-159-122330-
/O.NEW.KFGF.TO.W.0047.150712T2249Z-150712T2330Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  WADENA COUNTY IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA...
  NORTHEASTERN OTTER TAIL COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

* UNTIL 630 PM CDT
    
* AT 548 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A
  TORNADO WAS LOCATED OVER OTTERTAIL...OR 26 MILES NORTHEAST OF
  FERGUS FALLS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 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...
  NEW YORK MILLS AND DEER CREEK AROUND 605 PM CDT.
  BLUFFTON AROUND 615 PM CDT.
  SEBEKA AND BLUE GRASS AROUND 630 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 OTTER TAIL 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 4637 9473 4637 9515 4631 9516 4625 9575
      4647 9584 4679 9495 4650 9478 4639 9478
      4640 9476 4638 9475 4638 9473
TIME...MOT...LOC 2248Z 245DEG 32KT 4644 9555 

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

$$

SPEICHER
1 follow-up statement
449 
WWUS53 KFGF 122303 RRA
SVSFGF

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

MNC111-159-122330-
/O.CON.KFGF.TO.W.0047.000000T0000Z-150712T2330Z/
WADENA MN-OTTER TAIL MN-
603 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 2015

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 630 PM CDT FOR WADENA
AND NORTHEASTERN OTTER TAIL COUNTIES...
    
AT 602 PM CDT...A CONFIRMED TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR DEER CREEK...OR
32 MILES EAST OF FERGUS FALLS...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

HAZARD...TORNADO AND GOLF BALL SIZE HAIL. 

SOURCE...PUBLIC CONFIRMED FUNNEL CLOUDS OVER OTTER TAIL LAKE. 

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

THIS TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  DEER CREEK AND NEW YORK MILLS AROUND 610 PM CDT.
  BLUFFTON AROUND 620 PM CDT.
  WADENA AROUND 625 PM CDT.
  VERNDALE AROUND 630 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.

&&

LAT...LON 4637 9473 4637 9515 4631 9516 4629 9560
      4649 9566 4679 9495 4650 9478 4639 9478
      4640 9476 4638 9475 4638 9473
TIME...MOT...LOC 2302Z 261DEG 27KT 4643 9543 

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, 5:37 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedFGFGrant, Otter Tail, Wilkin38 min
Jul 12, 5:40 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryFGFMarshall12 hr
Jul 12, 5:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFKittson, Marshall, Pennington, Roseau62 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.