Alert archive / North Dakota / Tornado Warnings in 2021

Tornado Warning 5, NWS Grand Forks, ND

August 9, 2021Grand Forks County, Nelson County, Steele County, North Dakota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this tornado warning at Aug 9, 2021, 9:20 PM CDT for Grand Forks County, Nelson County, Steele County, North Dakota. It was in force for 40 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
Aug 9, 2021, 9:20 PM CDT (02:20 UTC)
Expired
Aug 9, 2021, 10:00 PM CDT
In force
40 min
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
1.75 in

Counties Grand Forks County, ND, Nelson County, ND, Steele County, ND

The radar

The Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 40 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:19 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
Aug 9, 9:20 PM CDTTORNADO 25 Nne Sharon, NDA TORNADO TRACKED EASTWARD FOR ROUGHLY 3 MILES FROM FAR NORTHEAST SHARON TOWNSHIP ACROSS FAR NORTHWESTERN WESTFIELD TOWNSHIP TO AROUND 7 NE SHARON BY 928 PM CDT. A TORNADO DEBRIS SIGNATURE WAS EVIDENT ON KMVX RADAR. THE TORNADO COMPLETELY DISMANTLED AND DESTRO
Aug 9, 9:28 PM CDTFUNNEL CLOUD8 Ne Sharon, NDA WELL DEVELOPED WALL CLOUD WITH POSSIBLE FUNNEL WAS REPORTED BY A STORM CHASER/STORM SPOTTER.
Aug 9, 9:42 PM CDTTORNADO 15 Wnw Northwood, NDA FEW COTTONWOOD TREES WERE SNAPPED OR UPROOTED IN A SHELTERBELT BETWEEN ABOUT 942 AND 943 PM CDT. LIKELY A BRIEF TORNADO TOUCHDOWN BASED ON RADAR SIGNATURE. PEAK WINDS ESTIMATED TO 90 MPH. MAXIMUM WIDTH TO 150 YARDS. TIME ESTIMATED BASED ON RADAR.

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
Aug 9, 4:01 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Bismarck Municip, ND (KBIS), launched 00:00Z, 2.3 hours before the alert went out and 241 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, Bismarck Municip, ND at 00:00Z on 2021-08-10Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 296 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, Bismarck Municip, ND at 00:00Z on 2021-08-10The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -40 square meters per square second.1939587897Sfc1 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
296 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-462 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1238 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
56 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-40 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
31 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

485 
WFUS53 KFGF 100220
TORFGF
NDC035-063-091-100300-
/O.NEW.KFGF.TO.W.0005.210810T0220Z-210810T0300Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
920 PM CDT Mon Aug 9 2021

The National Weather Service in Grand Forks has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Southwestern Grand Forks County in northeastern North Dakota...
  Southeastern Nelson County in northeastern North Dakota...
  North central Steele County in southeastern North Dakota...

* Until 1000 PM CDT.
    
* At 920 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located near Aneta, or 40 miles west of Grand Forks, moving
  east at 15 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado and golf ball size hail.

  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
  southwestern Grand Forks, southeastern Nelson and north central
  Steele Counties.

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 4763 9791 4772 9796 4779 9769 4767 9756
TIME...MOT...LOC 0220Z 256DEG 11KT 4768 9787 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.75 IN

$$

TG
1 follow-up statement
231 
WWUS53 KFGF 100229
SVSFGF

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
929 PM CDT Mon Aug 9 2021

NDC063-100238-
/O.CAN.KFGF.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-210810T0300Z/
Nelson ND-
929 PM CDT Mon Aug 9 2021

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN NELSON COUNTY IS CANCELLED...
    
The tornadic thunderstorm which prompted the warning has moved out 
of the warned area. Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 1100 PM CDT for
southeastern and northeastern North Dakota.

LAT...LON 4779 9769 4767 9756 4764 9782 4772 9788
      4774 9788
TIME...MOT...LOC 0228Z 256DEG 12KT 4769 9781 

$$

NDC035-091-100300-
/O.CON.KFGF.TO.W.0005.000000T0000Z-210810T0300Z/
Grand Forks ND-Steele ND-
929 PM CDT Mon Aug 9 2021

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1000 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN GRAND FORKS AND NORTH CENTRAL STEELE COUNTIES...
    
At 928 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 7 miles northeast of Sharon, or 38 miles southwest of
Grand Forks, moving east at 15 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and golf ball size hail.

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
southwestern Grand Forks and north central Steele Counties.

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.

Heavy rainfall may hide this tornado. Do not wait to see or hear the
tornado. TAKE COVER NOW!

&&

LAT...LON 4779 9769 4767 9756 4764 9782 4772 9788
      4774 9788
TIME...MOT...LOC 0228Z 256DEG 12KT 4769 9781 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.75 IN

$$

TG

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 9, 7:04 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFCavalier, Ramsey, Towner56 min
Aug 9, 7:11 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFCavalier, Ramsey, Towner34 min
Aug 9, 7:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatFGFEddy, Griggs, Nelson46 min
Aug 9, 7:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFCavalier, Pembina, Ramsey, Walsh63 min
Aug 9, 8:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFGrand Forks, Nelson27 min
Aug 9, 8:12 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatFGFEddy, Griggs, Nelson63 min
Aug 9, 8:28 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFGriggs, Nelson32 min
Aug 9, 8:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFCavalier, Pembina38 min
Aug 9, 9:09 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatFGFGrand Forks, Griggs, Nelson, Steele66 min
Aug 9, 9:42 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFGrand Forks48 min
Aug 9, 9:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatFGFGrand Forks, Steele66 min
Aug 9, 10:08 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementFGFPembina52 min
Aug 9, 10:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatFGFGrand Forks, Steele, Traill30 min
Aug 9, 10:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatFGFGrand Forks, Traill63 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in North Dakota, 2021Every tornado warning in 2021Tornadoes in 2021

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.