Alert archive / Minnesota / Tornado Warnings in 2025

Tornado Warning 3, NWS Grand Forks, ND

May 15, 2025Polk County, Minnesota

NWS Grand Forks, ND issued this tornado warning at May 15, 2025, 5:17 PM CDT for Polk County, Minnesota. It was in force for 28 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
May 15, 2025, 5:17 PM CDT (22:17 UTC)
Expired
May 15, 2025, 5:45 PM CDT
In force
28 min
Issued by
NWS Grand Forks, ND
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Observed
Hail
0.75 in

County Polk County, MN

The radar

The Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 74 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:17 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 nearest sounding before it

International Fa, MN (KINL), launched 12:00Z, 10.3 hours before the alert went out and 254 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, International Fa, MN at 12:00Z on 2025-05-15Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 126 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, International Fa, MN at 12:00Z on 2025-05-15The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 97 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
126 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-97 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
957 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
14 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
97 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
103 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

016 
WFUS53 KFGF 152217
TORFGF
MNC119-152245-
/O.NEW.KFGF.TO.W.0003.250515T2217Z-250515T2245Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
517 PM CDT Thu May 15 2025

The National Weather Service in Grand Forks has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Northwestern Polk County in northwestern Minnesota...

* Until 545 PM CDT.

* At 517 PM CDT, a confirmed tornado was located near Euclid, or 22
  miles east of Grand Forks, moving northwest at 45 mph.

  HAZARD...Damaging tornado.

  SOURCE...Law enforcement 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.

* Locations impacted include...
  Euclid, Angus, Tabor, and Sherack.

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 4798 9648 4788 9648 4783 9664 4817 9707
      4817 9658
TIME...MOT...LOC 2217Z 145DEG 37KT 4791 9657 

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

$$

Thomas
2 follow-up statements
284 
WWUS53 KFGF 152231
SVSFGF

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
531 PM CDT Thu May 15 2025

MNC119-152245-
/O.CON.KFGF.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-250515T2245Z/
Polk MN-
531 PM CDT Thu May 15 2025

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 545 PM CDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN POLK COUNTY...

At 531 PM CDT, a confirmed tornado was located over Angus, or 21
miles northeast of Grand Forks, moving northwest at 55 mph.

HAZARD...Damaging tornado.

SOURCE...Law enforcement 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.

Locations impacted include...
Angus and Sherack.

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 4806 9652 4798 9676 4817 9695 4817 9658
TIME...MOT...LOC 2231Z 153DEG 48KT 4809 9670 

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

$$

Thomas
730 
WWUS53 KFGF 152240
SVSFGF

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
540 PM CDT Thu May 15 2025

MNC119-152249-
/O.EXP.KFGF.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-250515T2245Z/
Polk MN-
540 PM CDT Thu May 15 2025

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR NORTHWESTERN POLK COUNTY WILL EXPIRE AT
545 PM CDT...

The tornadic thunderstorm which prompted the warning has weakened.
Therefore, the warning will be allowed to expire.  However, gusty 
winds and heavy rain are still possible with this thunderstorm.

&&

LAT...LON 4806 9652 4798 9676 4817 9695 4817 9658
TIME...MOT...LOC 2239Z 145DEG 37KT 4815 9677 

$$

Thomas

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 15, 1:35 PM CDTWind AdvisoryFGFClay, Kittson, Marshall, Norman, Polk35 hr
May 15, 2:21 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFGrant, Otter Tail, Wilkin39 min
May 15, 2:49 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFWadena41 min
May 15, 3:45 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFPennington, Polk, Red Lake60 min
May 15, 3:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFBecker, Clay, Clearwater, Mahnomen, Norman35 min
May 15, 4:04 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatFGFBeltrami, Kittson, Marshall, Pennington, Roseau41 min
May 15, 4:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFBecker, Clay, Clearwater, Mahnomen, Norman, Polk50 min
May 15, 4:33 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFPolk42 min
May 15, 4:43 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFGFKittson, Marshall, Roseau62 min
May 15, 5:43 PM CDTTornado WarningFGFMarshall, Roseau32 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Minnesota, 2025Every tornado warning in 2025Tornadoes in 2025

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.