Alert archive / Minnesota / Tornado Warnings in 2016

Tornado Warning 30, NWS Twin Cities, MN

July 11, 2016Meeker County, Stearns County, Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this tornado warning at Jul 11, 2016, 5:40 PM CDT for Meeker County, Stearns County, Minnesota. It was in force for 35 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 11, 2016, 5:40 PM CDT (22:40 UTC)
Expired
Jul 11, 2016, 6:15 PM CDT
In force
35 min
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Observed
Hail
1.0 in

Counties Meeker County, MN, Stearns County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 76 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:44 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 11, 5:45 PM CDTTORNADO1 W Forest City, MNBRIEF TOUCHDOWN. NO DAMAGE.
Jul 11, 5:55 PM CDTTORNADOWatkins, MNSEVERAL REPORTS OF DAMAGE IN WATKINS, INCLUDING AT A MOBILE HOME PARK. PHOTOS OF DAMAGE RELAYED VIA TWITTER. .
Jul 11, 6:05 PM CDTTORNADO3 N Watkins, MNTORNADO CAUGHT ON VIDEO. TORNADO WAS ON GROUND FOR ABOUT 1.5 MILES.

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 11, 3:48 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC7 hr
Jul 11, 5:31 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC4 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 10.7 hours before the alert went out and 74 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 2016-07-11Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1818 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 2016-07-11The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 226 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
1818 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-153 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
882 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
34 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
226 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
235 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
2.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

918 
WFUS53 KMPX 112240
TORMPX
MNC093-145-112315-
/O.NEW.KMPX.TO.W.0030.160711T2240Z-160711T2315Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
540 PM CDT MON JUL 11 2016

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN THE TWIN CITIES HAS ISSUED A

* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
  SOUTHEASTERN STEARNS COUNTY IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA...
  NORTHEASTERN MEEKER COUNTY IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

* UNTIL 615 PM CDT

* AT 540 PM CDT...A CONFIRMED TORNADO WAS LOCATED OVER FOREST
  CITY...OR 23 MILES NORTH OF HUTCHINSON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30
  MPH.

  HAZARD...DAMAGING TORNADO AND QUARTER SIZE HAIL. 

  SOURCE...WEATHER SPOTTERS CONFIRMED TORNADO. 

  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. 

* THE TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  WATKINS AROUND 555 PM CDT. 
  KIMBALL AROUND 600 PM CDT. 

OTHER LOCATIONS IMPACTED BY THIS TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM INCLUDE ST
NICHOLAS...FAIRHAVEN AND FOREST CITY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TO REPEAT...A TORNADO IS ON THE GROUND. 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 4533 9415 4531 9418 4531 9425 4526 9426
      4513 9445 4523 9459 4544 9441
TIME...MOT...LOC 2240Z 217DEG 28KT 4522 9447 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
HAIL...1.00IN

$$
2 follow-up statements
758 
WWUS53 KMPX 112251
SVSMPX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
551 PM CDT MON JUL 11 2016

MNC093-145-112315-
/O.CON.KMPX.TO.W.0030.000000T0000Z-160711T2315Z/
STEARNS MN-MEEKER MN-
551 PM CDT MON JUL 11 2016

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 615 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN STEARNS AND NORTHEASTERN MEEKER COUNTIES...
    
AT 550 PM CDT...A CONFIRMED TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR WATKINS...OR 23
MILES SOUTHWEST OF ST. CLOUD...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

HAZARD...DAMAGING TORNADO AND QUARTER SIZE HAIL. 

SOURCE...WEATHER SPOTTERS CONFIRMED TORNADO. 

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 TORNADO WILL BE NEAR...
  WATKINS AROUND 555 PM CDT. 
  KIMBALL AROUND 605 PM CDT. 

OTHER LOCATIONS IMPACTED BY THIS TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM INCLUDE ST
NICHOLAS AND FAIRHAVEN.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TO REPEAT...A TORNADO IS ON THE GROUND. 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 4533 9415 4531 9418 4531 9425 4526 9426
      4522 9437 4529 9454 4544 9441
TIME...MOT...LOC 2250Z 210DEG 25KT 4528 9445 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
HAIL...1.00IN

$$
295 
WWUS53 KMPX 112307
SVSMPX

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
607 PM CDT MON JUL 11 2016

MNC093-145-112316-
/O.EXP.KMPX.TO.W.0030.000000T0000Z-160711T2315Z/
STEARNS MN-MEEKER MN-
607 PM CDT MON JUL 11 2016

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN STEARNS AND NORTHEASTERN
MEEKER COUNTIES WILL EXPIRE AT 615 PM CDT...
        
THE STORM WHICH PROMPTED THE WARNING HAS MOVED OUT MEEKER COUNTY.
THEREFORE THE WARNING WILL BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.

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

REMEMBER...A TORNADO WARNING STILL REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR STEARNS
COUNTY UNTIL 630 PM.

LAT...LON 4533 9415 4531 9418 4531 9425 4526 9426
      4522 9437 4529 9454 4544 9441
TIME...MOT...LOC 2305Z 217DEG 28KT 4528 9445 

$$

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 11, 2:31 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXDouglas, Todd74 min
Jul 11, 3:01 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXPope, Stevens44 min
Jul 11, 3:29 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXMorrison, Pope, Stearns, Todd61 min
Jul 11, 4:20 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXKanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison40 min
Jul 11, 4:24 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXKanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison51 min
Jul 11, 6:50 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXChippewa, Lac qui Parle, Swift, Yellow Medicine85 min
Jul 11, 7:37 AM CDTAreal Flood WarningMPXChippewa, Lac qui Parle, Swift113 min
Jul 11, 9:22 AM CDTAreal Flood WarningMPXChippewa, Lac qui Parle, Swift6 hr
Jul 11, 9:35 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXKandiyohi, Morrison, Redwood, Renville, Stearns, Todd55 min
Jul 11, 10:04 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXBenton, McLeod, Meeker, Mille Lacs71 min
Jul 11, 11:21 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXBenton, Stearns24 min
Jul 11, 11:35 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXBenton, Sherburne, Stearns29 min
Jul 11, 12:41 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXMorrison49 min
Jul 11, 1:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXBenton, Mille Lacs, Morrison37 min
Jul 11, 1:52 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXTodd38 min
Jul 11, 1:56 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXKanabec, Mille Lacs34 min
Jul 11, 2:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXKanabec35 min
Jul 11, 3:10 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXTodd35 min
Jul 11, 3:57 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXIsanti, Sherburne33 min
Jul 11, 4:43 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXIsanti47 min
Jul 11, 5:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXChisago, Isanti42 min
Jul 11, 5:13 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXMeeker32 min
Jul 11, 5:56 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedConsiderable damage threatMPXMeeker, Stearns34 min
Jul 11, 6:02 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXMorrison, Stearns28 min
Jul 11, 6:09 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXMorrison17 min
Jul 11, 6:19 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXBenton, Stearns26 min
Jul 11, 6:43 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedMPXBenton, Stearns32 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Minnesota, 2016Every tornado warning in 2016Tornadoes in 2016

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.