Alert archive / Minnesota / Tornado Warnings in 2015

Tornado Warning 48, NWS Grand Forks, ND

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

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this tornado warning at Jul 12, 2015, 6:15 PM CDT for Grant County, Otter Tail County, Minnesota. It was in force for 45 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, 6:15 PM CDT (23:15 UTC)
Expired
Jul 12, 2015, 7:00 PM CDT
In force
45 min
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
1.5 in

Counties Grant County, MN, Otter Tail County, MN

The radar

The Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 203 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:16 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, 6:22 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUD5 Wsw Barrett, MNPHOTO POSTED TO SOCIAL MEDIA. VIEWED FROM NEAR HERMAN.
Jul 12, 6:25 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUD2 Se Elbow Lake, MNPERSISTENT WALL CLOUD WITH POSSIBLE FUNNEL.
Jul 12, 6:50 PM CDTTSTM WND DMG4 Nw Hoffman, MNNUMEROUS LARGE TREES BROKEN DOWN ALONG HIGHWAY 55 CORRIDOR...BETWEEN BARRETT AND HOFFMAN.

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, 11.3 hours before the alert went out and 214 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.

469 
WFUS53 KFGF 122315
TORFGF
MNC051-111-130000-
/O.NEW.KFGF.TO.W.0048.150712T2315Z-150713T0000Z/

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

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A

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

* UNTIL 700 PM CDT
    
* AT 615 PM CDT...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
  WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM NEAR DALTON TO 7 MILES
  EAST OF NORCROSS...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.

  HAZARD...TORNADO AND PING PONG BALL SIZE HAIL. 

  SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION. 

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

* THESE DANGEROUS STORMS WILL BE NEAR...
  DALTON AND UNDERWOOD AROUND 620 PM CDT.
  ASHBY AROUND 635 PM CDT.
  BARRETT AROUND 640 PM CDT.
  ERDAHL AROUND 645 PM CDT.
  HOFFMAN AND CLITHERALL AROUND 655 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 ELBOW 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 4590 9623 4628 9607 4631 9515 4626 9515
      4611 9528 4611 9577 4576 9576
TIME...MOT...LOC 2315Z 280DEG 18KT 4621 9593 4591 9606 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.50IN

$$
SPEICHER
2 follow-up statements
401 
WWUS53 KFGF 122328
SVSFGF

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

MNC051-111-130000-
/O.CON.KFGF.TO.W.0048.000000T0000Z-150713T0000Z/
OTTER TAIL MN-GRANT MN-
628 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 2015

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN OTTER TAIL AND EASTERN GRANT COUNTIES...
    
AT 627 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED OVER ELBOW LAKE...OR 22 MILES SOUTH OF FERGUS FALLS...
MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.

HAZARD...TORNADO AND PING PONG BALL SIZE HAIL. 

SOURCE...RADAR INDICATED ROTATION.

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

THIS DANGEROUS STORM WILL BE NEAR...
  BARRETT AROUND 630 PM CDT.
  ERDAHL AROUND 640 PM CDT.
  ASHBY AROUND 645 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 ELBOW 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 4588 9613 4623 9589 4623 9518 4611 9528
      4611 9577 4576 9576
TIME...MOT...LOC 2327Z 262DEG 18KT 4598 9592 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.50IN

$$
SPEICHER
689 
WWUS53 KFGF 122347
SVSFGF

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

MNC051-111-130000-
/O.CON.KFGF.TO.W.0048.000000T0000Z-150713T0000Z/
OTTER TAIL MN-GRANT MN-
647 PM CDT SUN JUL 12 2015

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 700 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN OTTER TAIL AND EASTERN GRANT COUNTIES...
    
AT 646 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED NEAR ERDAHL...OR 20 MILES WEST OF ALEXANDRIA...MOVING
EAST AT 25 MPH.

HAZARD...TORNADO AND PING PONG 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
SOUTHEASTERN OTTER TAIL AND EASTERN GRANT 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 4587 9602 4618 9573 4617 9523 4611 9528
      4611 9577 4576 9576
TIME...MOT...LOC 2346Z 271DEG 20KT 4595 9579 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...1.50IN

$$

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, 5:49 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFOtter Tail, Wadena41 min
Jul 12, 6:08 PM CDTAreal Flood AdvisoryFGFOtter Tail12 hr
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.