Alert archive / Minnesota / Tornado Warnings in 2024

Tornado Warning 18, NWS Twin Cities, MN

August 5, 2024Watonwan County, Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this tornado warning at Aug 5, 2024, 5:34 PM CDT for Watonwan County, Minnesota. It was in force for 26 min. 1 report 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 5, 2024, 5:34 PM CDT (22:34 UTC)
Expired
Aug 5, 2024, 6:00 PM CDT
In force
26 min
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.75 in

County Watonwan County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 125 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:36 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 5, 5:35 PM CDTTORNADO5 Wsw La Salle, MNSeveral reports of trees downed and power line damage. Relayed via County Dispatch. Time estimated from 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 5, 5:24 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 10.6 hours before the alert went out and 123 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 2024-08-05Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 2024-08-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 11 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
700 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
30 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
11 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
145 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

724 
WFUS53 KMPX 052234
TORMPX
MNC165-052300-
/O.NEW.KMPX.TO.W.0018.240805T2234Z-240805T2300Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
534 PM CDT Mon Aug 5 2024

The National Weather Service in the Twin Cities has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Central Watonwan County in south central Minnesota...

* Until 600 PM CDT.

* At 533 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located near St. James, or 20 miles southwest of New Ulm,
  moving southeast at 25 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado.

  SOURCE...Weather spotters reported funnel cloud.

  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...
  St. James around 540 PM CDT.

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include St
James Airport and Grogan.

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 4402 9471 4407 9467 4403 9442 4392 9457
TIME...MOT...LOC 2233Z 294DEG 23KT 4404 9465 

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

$$

Dye
2 follow-up statements
790 
WWUS53 KMPX 052244
SVSMPX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
544 PM CDT Mon Aug 5 2024

MNC165-052300-
/O.CON.KMPX.TO.W.0018.000000T0000Z-240805T2300Z/
Watonwan MN-
544 PM CDT Mon Aug 5 2024

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 PM CDT FOR CENTRAL
WATONWAN COUNTY...

At 544 PM CDT, a confirmed tornado was located near St. James, or 21
miles south of New Ulm, moving southeast at 25 mph.

HAZARD...Damaging tornado.

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 tornadic thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of
central Watonwan County, including the following locations... St
James Airport and Grogan.

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 4401 9467 4406 9463 4403 9442 4392 9457
TIME...MOT...LOC 2244Z 294DEG 23KT 4401 9456 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN

$$

Dye
376 
WWUS53 KMPX 052255
SVSMPX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
555 PM CDT Mon Aug 5 2024

MNC165-052304-
/O.EXP.KMPX.TO.W.0018.000000T0000Z-240805T2300Z/
Watonwan MN-
555 PM CDT Mon Aug 5 2024

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR CENTRAL WATONWAN COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT 600
PM CDT...

The Tornado Warning that was previously in effect has been reissued 
for eastern Watonwan County and is in effect until 630 PM CDT. 
Please refer to that bulletin for the latest severe weather 
information.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until midnight CDT for south
central Minnesota.

To report severe weather, contact your nearest law enforcement
agency. They will relay your report to the National Weather Service
the Twin Cities.

Remember, a Tornado Warning still remains in effect for eastern 
Watonwan county.

&&

LAT...LON 4401 9467 4406 9463 4403 9442 4392 9457
TIME...MOT...LOC 2254Z 294DEG 23KT 4399 9449 

$$

Dye

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 5, 3:20 AM CDTFlood WatchMPXDakota, Goodhue, Rice18 hr
Aug 5, 4:53 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXYellow Medicine37 min
Aug 5, 5:19 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXWatonwan26 min
Aug 5, 5:53 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXBlue Earth, Watonwan37 min
Aug 5, 5:59 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXBlue Earth, Nicollet31 min
Aug 5, 6:20 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXWaseca25 min
Aug 5, 6:20 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXBlue Earth, Faribault25 min
Aug 5, 6:22 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXBlue Earth, Waseca23 min
Aug 5, 6:36 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXFaribault24 min
Aug 5, 6:39 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedMPXSteele, Waseca36 min
Aug 5, 6:54 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXDakota36 min
Aug 5, 6:59 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXFaribault, Freeborn31 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Minnesota, 2024Every tornado warning in 2024Tornadoes in 2024

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.