Updraft: August 8, 2009 Archive

Heavy rain overnight: Stormy and steamy weekend

Posted at 2:47 AM on August 8, 2009 by Paul Huttner

Heavy rains overnight along an active warm front dupmed 3" to over 4" of rain in some areas in and around the metro. NWS storm total doppler rainfall estimates show the heaviest band from near Glencoe to Norwood, Young America, Chaska, Shakopee and through the south metro into Wisconsin.

Storm report:
MPX: Shakopee [Scott Co, MN] law enforcement reports FLASH FLOOD at 02:10 AM CDT -- county dispatch reported cars stalled out in high water at several locations across shakopee.

The sun should break out into a steamy air mass Saturday. This will likely trigger another round of storms Saturday afternoon and evening in much of central Minnesota near the front. The rainfall is welcome. We could do without the severe weather but it's been a quiet summer and the law of averages says we're due. Keep an eye and ear out this weekend for severe storms.

With the front draped right near the Twin Cities Saturday we could see a big temperature contrast from north to south. It could be in the 90s in Lakeville and closer to 80 in Elk River. If the front slides north, the entire metro could simmer in the 90s.

Farmers around Minnesota could use some heat to develop crops in the next week. Good news, it looks like heat is on the way.

Here are some resources to keep track of severe weather this weekend.

PH

-NOAA Storm Prediction Center
-Twin Cities NWS watches and warnings
-Twin Cities radar loop
-NWS storm reports

Grapefruit size hail near Sioux Falls

Posted at 2:09 PM on August 8, 2009 by Paul Huttner

NWS doppler radar loop at 2pm shows possible tornadic supercell with rotation and large hail moving toward northern Sioux Falls.

Update 3:15pm: It appears the severe threat has largely passed in Sioux Falls. Severe storms remain a threat in southwest Minnesota and northwest Iowa.

PH

Batten down the hatches in and north of Sioux Falls. Tornado warnings are posted for this storm headed through early this afternoon. Southwest Minnesota towns in the Pipestone area should be on alert for this storm as we approach 3pm.

Additional storms are developing southwest of Sioux Falls and moving northeast. These storms are producing damaging winds and extreme hail up to grapefruit size.

-Severe weather warnings from the
-Sioux Falls NWS
-Sioux Falls doppler radar loop
-SPC tornado watch area

PH

Storm reports:

FSD: Pipestone [Pipestone Co, MN] law enforcement reports HAIL of quarter size (E1.00 INCH) at 03:14 PM CDT --

FSD: 6 Ne Tyndall [Bon Homme Co, SD] trained spotter reports HAIL of baseball size (E2.75 INCH) at 02:40 PM CDT --

FSD: 1 W Montrose [Mccook Co, SD] storm chaser reports HAIL of golf ball size (E1.75 INCH) at 02:08 PM CDT --

FSD: 11 Ssw Mitchell [Davison Co, SD] amateur radio reports HAIL of grapefruit size (E4.00 INCH) at 12:45 PM CDT --

Severe weather threat this evening

Posted at 2:28 PM on August 8, 2009 by Paul Huttner (1 Comments)

Twin Cities NWS plot shows tornado watch in yellow. The Twin Cities area is included in the watch until 10pm tonight..

Update 5:45pm: It looks like the debris clouds may have won the battle today and will limit storms this evening. There is still a shot at isolated severe storms developing.

SPC has locked onto this in the past few minutes as well. This is from the latest mesoscale update issued at 5:36pm.

"UNCERTAINTY EXISTS AS TO WHETHER ADDITIONAL SURFACE-BASED STORM
DEVELOPMENT WILL OCCUR ACROSS REGION THIS EVENING. SOME HAIL WILL
REMAIN POSSIBLE WITH ELEVATED STORMS OVER PORTIONS OF WI."

Enjoy the New Orleans humidity with our first widespread 70s dew points this evening, but keep one weather eye on the sky.

PH

Storm reports:

MPX: 7 Nw Walnut Grove [Redwood Co, MN] public reports HAIL of quarter size (E1.00 INCH) at 04:00 PM CDT -- hailed about five minutes. most of the hail was three quarter inch in diameter.

FSD cancels Tornado Watch for Lyon, Osceola [IA] and Cottonwood, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Rock [MN] and Clay, Lincoln, Minnehaha, Moody, Turner, Union, Yankton [SD]

Update 4:20pm: It's not time to let any guard down for sure, but there are a lot of debris clouds which seem to be limiting supercell development. The cells that are forming right now are more "showery" rather than large discrete supercells. There are still plenty of "dynamics" such as lift and shear that may overcome the lack of surface heating caused by the debris clouds. Stay tuned to see how this develops over the next 90 minutes.

Update 4pm: Twin Cities now included in latest tornado watch issued until 10pm. Follow watches and warnings and storm reports here.

PH

Here we go again.

After torrential rains caused flooding last night in and around the Twin Cities, another severe weather day is underway. Severe storms will move through southwest Minnesota this afternoon and head for the Twin Cities area by about 6pm tonight.

A warm front is draped close to the Twin Cities today, and storms will move northeast along the front. Large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes are possible with the stronger storms today. Keep an eye out for severe weather approaching from the west and southwest.

Here's today's mini Weather Lab Weather Center to track the severe threat:

-Twin Cities NWS watches and warnings
-Twin Cities radar loop
-Twin Cities NWS storm reports
-Sioux Falls radar loop
-Sioux Falls NWS watches and warnings
-Sioux Falls NWS storm reports
-SPC watches and discussions

PH

(1 Comments)

Watch out New Richmond Wisconsin

Posted at 10:00 PM on August 8, 2009 by Craig Edwards

A report has been posted from the National Weather Service, received from the television media of wind damage that peeled back a roof in Long Lake in Hennepin County prior to 10pm. A car window was also smashed.

The most dangerous part of the storm is headed towards New Richmond, Wisconsin. Stay in shelter until the storm clears your area.

Severe storms have moved east of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
CE

Tornado threat now in Wisconsin

Posted at 10:38 PM on August 8, 2009 by Craig Edwards

At 1040pm the most dangerous part of a rotating thunderstorm was moving through St. Croix County, Wisconsin. Stay in shelter if you are north of Baldwin or near Baldwin. This storm could turn to the south. Large hail is also likely with this storm.

Severe weather threat has ended in the Twin Cities.
CE