High Wind, Wilkin
- When
- February 13, 5:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
- Where
- Wilkin forecast zone
- Measured
- 35 kt (40 mph) measured sustained
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 46.357, -96.468 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
High Wind in Minnesota, February 13, 2011
An Alberta Clipper tracked from southeast Saskatchewan into the Great Lakes, accompanied by very strong winds. For most of the 13th, wind directions were from the west, which helped transport some very mild air into the region.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 2
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
What happened
The episode as NWS FGF wrote it up.
An Alberta Clipper tracked from southeast Saskatchewan into the Great Lakes, accompanied by very strong winds. For most of the 13th, wind directions were from the west, which helped transport some very mild air into the region. Afternoon high temperatures topped out in the low to mid 40s. Once wind directions began to switch to the west-northwest, some stronger winds began to mix down to the surface along with cooler temperatures. The higher elevations from Baker to New Rockford to Lisbon saw late afternoon and early evening sustained wind speeds around 40 mph with gusts up to about 50 mph.
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Grand Forks, ND wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 13, 2:27 PM CST, 2 hours 33 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 13, 2:27 PM CST, 2 hours 33 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
227 PM CST SUN FEB 13 2011
.SHORT TERM...
WINDS WILL BE THE MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE IN THE SHORT TERM OTHER
THAN THE MILD TEMPS. NO REAL MODEL PREFERENCE TODAY SO WILL LEAN A
BIT MORE ON THE ECMWF THAN THE AMERICAN MODELS. THE MINOR QPF
EVENTS OF LATE HAVE REALLY BEEN OVERDONE AND THE ECMWF IS DRIEST.
TONIGHT...STILL WATCHING WIND SPEEDS OUT ACROSS THE FA THIS
AFTERNOON. FINALLY SEEING SOME ADVISORY LEVEL WIND SPEEDS MOVING
INTO THE FAR WESTERN FA AND THESE WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EVENING.
THE SFC LOW NOW OVER SOUTHEAST MANITOBA WILL QUICKLY PUSH INTO THE
MN ARROWHEAD BY 00Z MON AND THEN WELL INTO NORTHERN MI BY 06Z MON.
COLD ADVECTION WILL BE SOMEWHAT LIMITED TONIGHT BY THE WEST-NW
WINDS WHICH PARALLEL THE NORTHWEST TO SE THERMAL GRADIENT. 850MB
TEMPS ACROSS THE NORTHERN FA DO GO FROM -2C AT 00Z MON TO ABOUT
-5C BY 12Z MON. NOT A TRUE SURGE OF COLD AIR BY ANY MEANS. HOWEVER
THERE SHOULD BE DECENT PRESSURE RISES BEHIND THE DEPARTING LOW
TONIGHT AND THINK THE BEST CHANCES FOR GETTING INTO HIGH WIND
WARNING CRITERIA MAY BE IN THE EARLY EVENING TIME FRAME AS SFC
WINDS TRY TO TURN FROM STRAIGHT WEST TO NW. THE TIME WINDOW COULD
BE FAIRLY SHORT AS THE SFC LOW IS MOVING SO FAST. THEREFORE THE
END TIME OF THE CURRENT WIND HEADLINES OF 06Z MON STILL LOOKS
GOOD. WINDS SHOULD FALL OFF FAIRLY SIGNIFICANTLY BY 12Z MON. TEMPS
ARE STILL VERY MILD OUT THERE WELL UP INTO SOUTHERN CANADA.
UPSTREAM CANADIAN RADARS ARE SHOWING SOME ECHOES BUT THEY APPEAR
TO BE DRYING UP AS THEY MOVE SOUTH. SFC OBS REPORT SOME LIGHT SNOW
OR FLURRIES IN SPOTS SO THINK THERE MAY BE SOME FLURRIES BY LATER
EVENING AS THE COLDER AIR SLOWLY SINKS SOUTH...BUT NOT EXPECTING
MUCH. AT THIS POINT AM ALSO THINKING THAT THERE WILL NOT BE ENOUGH
OF THIS LIGHT SNOW OR FLURRIES TO BLOW AROUND.
MON-WED...850MB REBOUND A LITTLE AGAIN ON MON BUT IT WILL NOT BE
AS WARM AS TODAY. MUCH LIGHTER SOUTH WIND FLOW WILL NOT BE
CONDUCIVE FOR TEMPS GETTING TOO WARM. HOWEVER SINCE WINDS WILL BE
SO MUCH LIGHTER...IT WILL STILL FEEL NICE. WINDS INCREASE MON
NIGHT INTO TUE AND GO FROM SOUTH TO MORE A WEST-SW DIRECTION AGAIN
FOR TUE. THEREFORE TUE SHOULD BE MUCH MILDER THAN MON WITH QUITE A
FEW AREAS PUSHING 40F AGAIN. COULD BE A BIT MORE CLOUD COVER
AROUND ON WED ESPECIALLY IN THE NORTH WITH 850MB TEMPS DROPPING
JUST A BIT TOO...SO THINK WED TEMPS WILL BE A BIT LOWER THAN TUE.
ALL SAID PRETTY QUIET AND MILD ALL THREE DAYS.
.LONG TERM (WED NIGHT-SUN)...
CHANGE TO MORE ACTIVE PATTERN COMES DURING THIS EXTENDED PERIOD WITH
LESS PRONOUNCED LONG WAVE SITUATION LEADING TO MORE SW FLOW FOR THE
NORTHERN PLAINS. GFS/GEM DIFFER WITH ECMWF WITH RESPECT TO
STRENGTH/SPEED OF POTENTIAL SURFACE SYSTEM WITH THE LATTER MUCH
STRONGER IN TERMS OF QPF (0.50 OR MORE) ALONG WITH HEARTIER WINDS.
TEND TO FAVOR GFS/GEM FOR NOW WHICH PORTRAYS MILD TEMPS LEADING TO A
MIXED BAG OF PCPN TYPES LATE THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY AS ABOVE FREEZING
850/925HPA TEMPS TREND DOWNWARD WITH TIME.
FCST GRIDS REFLECT FZRA/RA/SN MIX AT VARIOUS TIMES OVER DISPARATE
AREAS AS TRANSITION OCCURS. WILL ALL DEPEND ON THERMAL COLUMN TEMP
COMPOSITION IN TIME/SPACE AS SYSTEM MOVES THROUGH. GOOD GRADIENT
WILL ALLOW FOR WIND POTENTIAL EXCEEDING 20KTS...LEADING TO BLSN AND
REDUCED VIS. GRIDS BUSY ENOUGH NOW...THIS PARAMETER CAN BE ADDED BY
SUBSEQUENT SHIFTS AFTER CLOSER SCRUTINY. COLD ADVECTION WILL DROP
TEMPS BELOW
NORMAL FROM FRIDAY INTO THE WEEKEND...BUT NOT AS BITTER AS THE
PREVIOUS COUPLE OF SNAPS.
&&
.AVIATION...
MAIN CHALLENGE IS ROBUST CHARACTER OF WINDS WHICH HAVE/WILL
INCREASE(D) IN EARNEST WITH SHIFT TO WEST AND NORTHWEST. HIGHEST
EXPECTED AT KDVL...A BIT LOWER FOR THE VALLEY OWING TO NON-DUE NORTH
DIRECTION...BUT STILL CLOSE TO WIND WARNING CRITERIA. SNOW
DE-EMPHASIZED TO THE LEVEL OF -SHSN FOR MOST PART...EXPECT VSBY TO
STAY ABOVE IFR LEVEL. DIMINISHING WINDS AND CLEARING SKIES FROM WEST
TO EAST BY LATE TONIGHT/MON MORNING.
&&
.FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
ND...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR NDZ006-007-
014>016-024-026>030-038-039-049-052>054.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR NDZ008.
MN...HIGH WIND WARNING UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR MNZ001>003-027-
029-030-040.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT FOR MNZ004-007-008-
013>016-022-023-028-031-032.
&&
GODON/WJBHazardous weather outlook, Feb 13, 3:04 PM CST, 1 hour 56 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND 304 PM CST SUN FEB 13 2011 MNZ001>009-013>017-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ006>008-014>016-024- 026>030-038-039-049-052>054-142115- WEST POLK-NORMAN-CLAY-KITTSON-ROSEAU-LAKE OF THE WOODS- WEST MARSHALL-EAST MARSHALL-NORTH BELTRAMI-PENNINGTON-RED LAKE- EAST POLK-NORTH CLEARWATER-SOUTH BELTRAMI-MAHNOMEN- SOUTH CLEARWATER-HUBBARD-WEST BECKER-EAST BECKER-WILKIN- WEST OTTER TAIL-EAST OTTER TAIL-WADENA-GRANT-TOWNER-CAVALIER- PEMBINA-BENSON-RAMSEY-EASTERN WALSH COUNTY-EDDY-NELSON- GRAND FORKS-GRIGGS-STEELE-TRAILL-BARNES-CASS-RANSOM-SARGENT- RICHLAND-WESTERN WALSH COUNTY- 304 PM CST SUN FEB 13 2011 ...VARIOUS HIGH WIND PRODUCTS ARE IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF THE AREA THROUGH MIDNIGHT... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA...WEST CENTRAL AND NORTHWEST MINNESOTA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT GUSTY WEST NORTHWEST WINDS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE REGION TONIGHT. A HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR AREAS ALONG AND WEST OF A LINE FROM LANGDON TO GRAND FORKS TO DETROIT LAKES AND FERGUS FALLS. THESE AREAS MAY SEE A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME TONIGHT WITH SUSTAINED 40 MPH WINDS WITH HIGHER GUSTS. A WIND ADVISORY IS ALSO IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT FOR A COUNTY OR TWO EAST OF THE HIGH WIND WARNING AREA. THESE AREAS WILL SEE WIND GUSTS JUST A BIT LOWER THAN AREAS IN THE HIGH WIND WARNING. THE STRONG WINDS SHOULD BEGIN TO DIMINISH AFTER MIDNIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY IT WILL REMAIN MILD THIS WEEK...AND FOG FORMATION IS POSSIBLE TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY MORNING. COLDER AIR WILL FILTER BACK INTO THE REGION BY THURSDAY AND FRIDAY...AND THERE IS THE THREAT THAT A STORM MAY AFFECT THE REGION FRIDAY WITH ACCUMULATING SNOW ALONG WITH BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
2 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
High Wind, Grant
- When
- February 13, 5:00 PM CST to 8:00 PM CST
- Where
- Grant forecast zone
- Measured
- 35 kt (40 mph) measured sustained
- Reported by
- Mesonet
- Coordinates
- 45.934, -96.012 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
What these are
- High Wind
- Sustained non-thunderstorm winds of 40 mph or more for an hour, or gusts of 58 mph or more.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- High Wind in North Dakota, February 13, 2011
- High Wind in Montana, February 13, 2011
- High Wind in North Dakota, February 13, 2011
- High Wind in South Dakota, February 13, 2011
- Blizzard and High Wind in Alaska, February 13 to 15, 2011
- Wildfire in Arkansas, February 13 to 17, 2011
- High Wind in Nebraska, February 13, 2011
- Flash Flood and Flooding in Montana, February 13 to 25, 2011
- High Wind in Colorado, February 13, 2011
- Winter Storm in Wyoming, February 13, 2011
- High Wind in Idaho, February 13, 2011
- High Wind in South Dakota, February 13, 2011
More
Every storm in Minnesota in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, February 2011
Sources
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 284271, 284272.