Alert archive / Minnesota / Tornado Warnings in 2015

Tornado Warning 12, NWS Twin Cities, MN

May 16, 2015Meeker County, Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this tornado warning at May 16, 2015, 7:40 PM CDT for Meeker County, Minnesota. It was in force for 35 min. 2 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
May 16, 2015, 7:40 PM CDT (00:40 UTC)
Expired
May 16, 2015, 8:15 PM CDT
In force
35 min
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.75 in

County Meeker County, MN

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 16, 7:50 PM CDTTORNADO3 Wsw Darwin, MNLAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED THAT TORNADO HIT A FARMSTEAD 3 MILES WSW OF DARWIN. ALL OUTBUILDINGS WERE DESTROYED. HOUSE WAS OK. IN ADDITION, TWO IRRIGATORS WERE BLOWN INTO A FIELD.
May 16, 7:58 PM CDTHAIL 15 Nne Cedar Mills, MNNICKEL TO QUARTER SIZED HAIL REPORTED IN THE GREENLEAF AREA.

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
May 16, 5:25 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC5 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 00:00Z, 0.7 hours before the alert went out and 68 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 00:00Z on 2015-05-17Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 440 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 00:00Z on 2015-05-17The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 234 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
440 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-31 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1055 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
43 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
234 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
286 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.6
Supercell composite
11.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

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

713 
WFUS53 KMPX 170040
TORMPX
MNC093-170115-
/O.NEW.KMPX.TO.W.0012.150517T0040Z-150517T0115Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
740 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 2015

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN THE TWIN CITIES HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  CENTRAL MEEKER COUNTY IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

* UNTIL 815 PM CDT
    
* AT 739 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A
  TORNADO WAS LOCATED OVER GREENLEAF...OR 9 MILES NORTHWEST OF
  HUTCHINSON...MOVING NORTH AT 20 MPH TOWARD DARWIN.

  HAZARD...TORNADO. 

  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...
  DASSEL AROUND 800 PM CDT.

OTHER LOCATIONS IMPACTED BY THIS TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM INCLUDE
GREENLEAF AND DARWIN.

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 4510 9430 4498 9442 4498 9448 4499 9454
      4514 9448
TIME...MOT...LOC 0039Z 201DEG 18KT 4500 9449 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

CLF
2 follow-up statements
558 
WWUS53 KMPX 170055
SVSMPX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
755 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 2015

MNC093-170115-
/O.CON.KMPX.TO.W.0012.000000T0000Z-150517T0115Z/
MEEKER MN-
755 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 2015

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 815 PM CDT FOR CENTRAL
MEEKER COUNTY...
    
AT 754 PM CDT...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO
WAS LOCATED OVER DARWIN...OR 15 MILES NORTH OF HUTCHINSON...MOVING
NORTH AT 30 MPH BETWEEN LITCHFIELD AND DARWIN.

HAZARD...TORNADO. 

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 TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WILL REMAIN OVER MAINLY RURAL AREAS OF
CENTRAL MEEKER COUNTY...INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS...DARWIN.

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 4511 9433 4506 9441 4506 9451 4514 9448
TIME...MOT...LOC 0054Z 197DEG 25KT 4511 9446 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...<.75IN

$$

CLF
017 
WWUS53 KMPX 170108
SVSMPX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
808 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 2015

MNC093-170118-
/O.EXP.KMPX.TO.W.0012.000000T0000Z-150517T0115Z/
MEEKER MN-
808 PM CDT SAT MAY 16 2015

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR CENTRAL MEEKER COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT 815
PM CDT...
        
THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT OF THE AREA.
THEREFORE THE WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.  HOWEVER GUSTY WINDS
ARE STILL POSSIBLE WITH THIS THUNDERSTORM.

A TORNADO WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR CENTRAL
MINNESOTA.

LAT...LON 4511 9433 4506 9441 4506 9451 4514 9448
TIME...MOT...LOC 0106Z 201DEG 18KT 4511 9446 

$$

CLF

The office that day

Everything else NWS Twin Cities, MN issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 16, 7:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXMeeker, Renville27 min
May 16, 7:15 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXMcLeod, Meeker, Renville30 min
May 16, 7:34 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXChippewa, Swift26 min
May 16, 7:35 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXMeeker25 min
May 16, 7:44 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXDouglas, Pope31 min
May 16, 8:10 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXStearns50 min
May 16, 8:25 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXMeeker, Stearns35 min
May 16, 9:21 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXCarver, Sherburne, Wright39 min
May 16, 10:39 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXSherburne, Wright2 hr
May 17, 7:27 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXRenville33 min
May 17, 7:55 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXChippewa, Renville, Swift35 min
May 17, 9:38 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXDouglas, Pope, Stevens, Swift, Todd52 min
May 17, 1:51 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXFaribault24 min
May 17, 2:03 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXStearns27 min
May 17, 2:07 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXChippewa23 min
May 17, 2:15 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXMeeker30 min
May 17, 2:18 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXWaseca27 min
May 17, 2:30 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXFaribault30 min
May 17, 2:49 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXWaseca26 min
May 17, 3:01 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXMeeker29 min
May 17, 3:08 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXWaseca37 min
May 17, 3:16 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXBenton29 min
May 17, 3:32 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXMeeker28 min
May 17, 3:39 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXBenton36 min
May 17, 3:42 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXSherburne33 min
May 17, 3:54 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXMeeker36 min
May 17, 4:03 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXDakota27 min
May 17, 4:12 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXMille Lacs33 min
May 17, 4:17 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXSherburne28 min
May 17, 4:28 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXSherburne32 min
May 17, 5:11 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXGoodhue34 min
May 17, 6:16 PM CDTWind AdvisoryMPXBlue Earth, Brown, Carver, Chippewa, Dakota, Douglas and 26 more10 hr

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.