Alert archive / Minnesota / Mesoscale Discussions in 2021

Mesoscale Discussion 1378

July 28, 202113 counties in Minnesota; 11 counties in Wisconsin

The Storm Prediction Center issued this mesoscale discussion at Jul 28, 2021, 5:09 PM CDT for 13 counties in Minnesota; 11 counties in Wisconsin. It was in force for 2 hr.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
Jul 28, 2021, 5:09 PM CDT (22:09 UTC)
Expired
Jul 28, 2021, 7:15 PM CDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
the Storm Prediction Center
Concerning
Severe potential...tornado watch likely
Chance of a watch
95%
All 24 counties

Aitkin County, MN, Anoka County, MN, Benton County, MN, Carlton County, MN, Chisago County, MN, Crow Wing County, MN, Isanti County, MN, Kanabec County, MN, Mille Lacs County, MN, Pine County, MN, Ramsey County, MN, Sherburne County, MN, Washington County, MN, Barron County, WI, Bayfield County, WI, Burnett County, WI, Chippewa County, WI, Douglas County, WI, Dunn County, WI, Polk County, WI, Rusk County, WI, Saint Croix County, WI, Sawyer County, WI, Washburn County, WI

The radar

The Duluth radar (KDLH), 94 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:12 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.

The watches that followed

Watches SPC issued over any of the same counties within four hours of this discussion.

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 10.2 hours before the alert went out and 167 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 2021-07-28Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1458 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 2021-07-28The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 1 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
1458 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-205 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1435 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
29 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
1 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
154 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

354 
ACUS11 KWNS 282209
SWOMCD
SPC MCD 282209 
WIZ000-MNZ000-290015-

Mesoscale Discussion 1378
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
0509 PM CDT Wed Jul 28 2021

Areas affected...portions of east-central and northeast
MN...northern WI

Concerning...Severe potential...Tornado Watch likely 

Valid 282209Z - 290015Z

Probability of Watch Issuance...95 percent

SUMMARY...Rapid development of supercell thunderstorms is
anticipated in the next few hours, with a risk for very large hail,
damaging winds, and potentially a few tornadoes.  A Tornado Watch
will likely be issued prior to 00z.

DISCUSSION...A warm front extended south/southeast across
central/southern MN at 22z, and this front will continue to move
east through this evening as a weak surface low moves east across
central MN. Latest visible imagery reveals moderate/towering cumulus
over central MN north of the Twin Cities area, embedded within a
larger area of clouds over central/northern MN and northern WI.
Current expectations are for thunderstorms to develop in the next
few hours near the warm front and move southeast during the evening.
Northwesterly deep-layer shear of 45-55 kts in the vicinity of the
front will support intense supercells initially, and
locally-enhanced 0-3 km SRH will be favorable for low-level rotation
and potential for tornado development. Steep mid-level lapse rates
will also support a risk for very large hail, and damaging winds are
also expected.  Current thinking is that the tornado threat will
warrant a Tornado Watch for the first few hours after initiation
given the near-storm environment, with eventual transition into a
fast-moving MCS with widespread damaging wind potential later this
evening/overnight.  

A Tornado Watch will likely be coordinated with affected NWS Weather
Forecast Offices prior to 00z.

..Bunting/Goss.. 07/28/2021

...Please see www.spc.noaa.gov for graphic product...

ATTN...WFO...DLH...ARX...MPX...

LAT...LON   45009333 45859421 46629429 47149383 47309309 46959223
            46869141 46549074 46259042 45789046 45209061 44779106
            44629200 45009333

SPC that day

Everything else SPC issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 27, 7:33 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCDakota, Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston and 8 more87 min
Jul 27, 8:03 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPCDakota, Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston and 8 more6 hr
Jul 27, 10:35 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCDodge, Fillmore, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Winona55 min
Jul 28, 2:48 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCBig Stone, Chippewa, Douglas, Grant, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle and 12 more2 hr
Jul 28, 10:28 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCAitkin, Beltrami, Cass, Clearwater, Hubbard, Itasca2 hr
Jul 28, 12:59 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCKoochiching, Lake, Lake of the Woods, Saint Louis2 hr
Jul 28, 3:32 PM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCBeltrami, Clearwater, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Red Lake118 min
Jul 28, 12:50 AM CDTMesoscale DiscussionSPCGrant, Iowa, Lafayette, Richland55 min

Nearby

Mesoscale Discussions in Minnesota, 2021Mesoscale Discussions in Wisconsin, 2021Every mesoscale discussion 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.