9/16/ DISC: SD/MN *rescued*

[John Erwin]

09/16/06 DISC: North-central U.S. *rescued*

**rescued post**

Andy Wehrle
Location: Green Bay, WI
Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 2:15 pm

Post non-forecast/1st-hand report related comments about today's event here.

For those who were noting the earlier problems with the Sioux Falls radar, here is the explanation:

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/crnews/display_story.php?wfo=fsd&storyid=2907&source=0


Amos Magliocco
Location: Denton, Texas
Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 2:28 pm

Ah, my bad. Posted those others in the FCST thread in my rush to figure out what was happening. I don't see a delete button or I would remove them.

Rean Clover wrote: The Sioux Falls Radar is up. On the main page the black box says "radar not available", but if you click on it, it will bring the radar page up. It appears to be working and current.

Rean, when you say, "click on it," do you mean the black box or is there another link you're using. I'm still having no luck. What's the timestamp on the image you have? This is getting tricky because there's already a severe storm in the FSD CWA, barely visible on the Aberdeen radar extended, and with the warning polygon showing up on GRLevel3 (but without reflectivity data).

Just found this on the FSD site:

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/crnews/display_story.php?wfo=fsd&storyid=2907&source=0


"NWS Sioux Falls radar down for repair

The National Weather Service doppler radar in Sioux Falls, SD...which covers portions of southeast South Dakota, southwest Minnesota, northwest Iowa, and northeast Nebraska...is down for unscheduled maintenance. Electronics techinicians are working on the problem, and it now appears the radar may have taken a lightning strike during early morning thunderstorms. We hope to have it restored ASAP, and sincerely apologize for the inconvenience.

Alternatives radars which cover the NWS Sioux Falls County Warning Area:

Java-enhanced version (high-speed connection recommended):

* Rapid City, SD
* Aberdeen, SD
* Twin Cities/Chanhassen, MN
* Des Moines, IA
* Omaha/Valley, NE
* North Platte, NE

Standard version (better for dial-up/lower speed connections):

* Rapid City, SD
* Aberdeen, SD
* Twin Cities/Chanhassen, MN
* Des Moines, IA
* Omaha/Valley, NE
* North Platte, NE"


Andy Wehrle
Location: Green Bay, WI
Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 5:15 pm

Another possible NOAA problem I've noticed today...anyone think the LSRs are not getting through to SPC, or the WFOs are not issuing them for some reason? Given the number of "Trained spotters reported a tornado...", "law enforcement reported a tornado..." etc phrases in the severe weather statements, I have to think there have been more than the 2 tornado reports on SPC's climo page.



Sam Sagnella
Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2006 8:40 pm

Andy Wehrle wrote: Another possible NOAA problem I've noticed today...anyone think the LSRs are not getting through to SPC, or the WFOs are not issuing them for some reason? Given the number of "Trained spotters reported a tornado...", "law enforcement reported a tornado..." etc phrases in the severe weather statements, I have to think there have been more than the 2 tornado reports on SPC's climo page.

I've noticed that too, although WFO Sioux Falls has been issuing regular updates to its "summary" LSR over the past several hours. The most recent version, as of this writing, has ten tornado reports (duplicates yet to be weeded-out). I'm waiting for Omaha to issue an updated statement on the tornadic activity they've had in the metro area in the past hour.


Jason Bolt
Location: Memphis, TN
Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 12:44 pm

There were two nice videos highlighted on the weather channel. Anyone here shoot them?


Tony Lyza
Location: Schererville, Indiana
Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 1:01 pm

A ten-year-old girl was killed late last night in Rogers, Hennepin County, MN, when a house collapsed on her.

http://wcco.com/local/local_story_260101356.html

rdale
Location: Lansing, MI
Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 1:39 pm

Tony Lyza wrote: The storm had a TOR, but apparently, the tornado hit right as or before the sirens sounded, again highlighting the need for NWRs.


According to the article, the damage occurred around 10pm and there was no tornado warning in effect or even issued remotely around then.

Strangely enough, MPX has a page telling how strong rotation is (100kts) at the time, yet no warning. http://www.crh.noaa.gov/crnews/display_story.php?wfo=mpx&storyid=3690&source=0


Tony Lyza
Location: Schererville, Indiana
Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 1:42 pm

rdale wrote: Tony Lyza wrote: The storm had a TOR, but apparently, the tornado hit right as or before the sirens sounded, again highlighting the need for NWRs.


According to the article, the damage occurred around 10pm and there was no tornado warning in effect at that time.
I know. I realized my mistake on another message board. I'm going to edit my last post.

Also, MPX came out with a statement calling the Rogers damage "tremendous" and indicating there was 100kt of shear with the storm as it struck the town.

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/crnews/display_story.php?wfo=mpx&storyid=3690&source=0



Scott Olson
Moderator
Location: Brookings, South Dakota
Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 1:56 pm


Damage to farmstead 3-4mi NNE of Colton:

More at: http://www.axisofnature.com/WordPress/index.php


Bill Doms
Location: Central Minnesota
Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 2:09 pm

http://www.startribune.com/127/story/682389.html
A little more info on the Rogers situation with damage photos from last night.

This is about 15 miles east of where I live. After getting home from chasing SD yesterday, was actually taking pics of the back of the updraft as the cell moved over the northern metro area. Went out this morning and appears the damage path started out in a corn field about 1.5 miles south of the I94/241 junction then moved northeast over I94 over the northern end of Rogers, over 101 at the highschool, then continued to cross the Mississippi River just to the east of the city of Dayton where I could not follow the path. I'll post some pics later of the initial damage. The damage apeared to be F0/F1 on west side of I94. The development where the most damage is has been sealed by LE for obvious reasons. Devistating is an accurate description.


HAltschule
Location: Albany, New York
Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 3:19 pm


The damage in Rogers, MN has been confirmed as an F2 tornado with 100 mph winds. Path length so far is 6 miles long. Survey will continue tomorrow into the next county to see if the tornado continued into adjacent counties...which would of course increase the path length.



Chris Carlson
Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota
Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 4:46 pm

Man, that Rogers tornado was too close for my taste. According to NWS, TOR was 3.5 west of downtown Rogers. I'm only 5.0 miles away. 1.5 miles isn't that much. I drove around Rogers just after it hit and it looked like a warzone.



Bill Doms
Location: Central Minnesota
Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 6:59 pm


Added some photos of the fatal Rogers, MN F2 damage path from the point of initial touchdown to where it entered the first heavily populated area. This is a MAJOR suburb of the Minneapolis metro area. Very fortunate aside from the one little girl who was killed, there were not more.

http://www.mnwxchaser.com/06sept16.html

 

[John Erwin]

09/16/06 DISC: North-central U.S. - Page 2 *rescued*

**rescued post**

Edward Ballou
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 490
Location: Brookings, SD
Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2006 8:05 pm

This one hits close to home for me. My aunt and her family lived across the street from the little girl who lost her life. They only had moments to react and got caught trying to get to the basement. Thank God they're all ok though. It basically tore away half the house. My uncle was basically fine and we were talking pretty lightly about it, but my aunt was very traumatized by the events. Of course it didn't really help that everyone was calling her and asking what happened. EDIT: I just saw their actual house on the news - looks like a total loss. The house seems to be shifted or rotated on the foundation.

I found all this out just this morning and this afternoon, I visited the farm that was hit in Colton. I'm awaiting permission to publish damage photos and account of our visit on my website from the people who live on the farm. The house suffered a couple debris pock-marks, they lost four buildings and some trees were pretty heavily damaged.

Still working on getting the video gathered together.
_________________
Seize the Storm ~ http://carpetempestas.com


Donald Van Dyke
Joined: 09 Jan 2006
Posts: 20
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 8:57 am

rdale wrote: Tony Lyza wrote: The storm had a TOR, but apparently, the tornado hit right as or before the sirens sounded, again highlighting the need for NWRs.


According to the article, the damage occurred around 10pm and there was no tornado warning in effect or even issued remotely around then.

Strangely enough, MPX has a page telling how strong rotation is (100kts) at the time, yet no warning. http://www.crh.noaa.gov/crnews/display_story.php?wfo=mpx&storyid=3690&source=0

(Seems like they've linked the images to an internal server.)
As Justin pointed out in the other thread in the Weather and Chasing Forum,

"A warning was quickly put in place for the next county..."

http://kamala.cod.edu/offs/KMPX/0609170304.wfus53.html

Anoka County is the county immediately over from Hennepin County, which is where Rogers is located. It's true they never had a tornado warning for Hennepin County though it looks like when that cell hit.
_________________
-FSU grad student


rdale
Joined: 01 Mar 2004
Posts: 1739
Location: Lansing, MI
Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 9:20 am

Agreed - my post was in response to the claim (since retracted) that a TOR was in effect at the time of the death.


Edward Ballou
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 493
Location: Brookings, SD
Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 9:57 am

The Colton tornado that hit the farm was rated an F1. However when I spoke to NWS FSD, they were unaware that four outbuildings were destroyed. They thought only one building was destroyed.

We'll see what happens from here I guess. Still awaiting approval from the family that got hit to release damage photos and also should have my video up tonight.
_________________
Seize the Storm ~ http://carpetempestas.com



Sam Sagnella
Joined: 18 Jul 2004
Posts: 658
Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 2:30 pm

The McCook County SD tornado (one that crossed I-90) has been rated F2, with a path length of 12 miles, by the survey team from WFO FSD. As Edward noted, the Minnehaha county tornado was on the ground for 4 miles and received an F1 rating. The PNS also confirms four additional F0 tornadoes across their county warning area; these occurred in Aurora, Brookings, Hutchinson, and Sanborn Counties in SD.

...DAMAGE SURVEYS COMPLETED FOR MCCOOK COUNTY AND COLTON AREA TORNADOES...
_________________
Sam Sagnella



Brian Stertz
Joined: 28 Nov 2005
Posts: 187
Location: Overland Park KS
Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 2:35 pm
Post subject: NWS Sioux Falls ...Sat. 9/16 tornado ratings assigned
http://vortex-times.com/tornado.jpg

This was the official rating of the two tornadoes that occurred west and northwest of Sioux Falls SD. I was expecting the ratings that were assigned. I thought potentially the McCook Co. tornado would warrant a low end F3, but NWS official damage survey proved a F2 rating. It looks like Sam beat me to this post
_________________
Brian Stertz
Vortex Times
Overland Park KS



Edward Ballou
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 493
Location: Brookings, SD
Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2006 8:12 pm

Just saw my aunt and her house on the Weather Channel. Good grief - talk about the extremes of seeing your first tornado and almost having family killed on the same day. I think it's going to take a while for things to get back to normal in Rogers, MN.
_________________
Seize the Storm ~ http://carpetempestas.com



Bill Doms
Joined: 13 Jan 2005
Posts: 51
Location: Central Minnesota
Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 11:40 am

http://www.startribune.com/462/story/687242.html

Kind of thought something like this was going to come up. Politics aside, you knew the finger pointing would start.
_________________
Bill Doms
Where in the hail is Crow Agency, MT?


rdale
Joined: 01 Mar 2004
Posts: 1739
Location: Lansing, MI
Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 12:02 pm

There's nothing wrong with asking for an investigation - but the way he worded it doesn't make him look like he's out for an independent review.

Sounds like this was a very quick spinup, just in the period of one volume scan. I'm downloading the MPX data right now for GR2AE but at work the pipe is freaking slow...


Kiel Ortega
Joined: 09 Jun 2004
Posts: 194
Location: Norman, OK
Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 1:37 pm

I made some quick images from WDSS-II's gui of the 1.8 degree tilt just about 10 min before Rogers was reported hit. Down low the storm didn't look that great...but the tilts just above the surface up to about 5 degrees looked pretty suspect for a while IMO.

Two more around the time of the tornado from the 00.50 degree tilt.

_________________
Kiel Ortega


Any of my posts made in public forums express my opinion, and not necessarily the opinions of NOAA, NWS, NSSL, CIMMS or OU.



rdale
Joined: 01 Mar 2004
Posts: 1739
Location: Lansing, MI
Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 4:02 pm

To be honest there's nothing worth posting from AE, volume scans show a tremendous overhang out front but there's never even the slightest hint of something that looks like a large rotation in the scans before.

The only thing I see that looks like it might be involved is the merger of a small cell/line from the south, but it's nothing that would ever result in pulling the trigger.



Edward Ballou
Joined: 16 Jun 2004
Posts: 493
Location: Brookings, SD
Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 4:56 pm

For those that are interested, here's the video clip of my aunt's house:
http://www.weather.com/multimedia/videoplayer.html?clip=3746&collection=topstory&from=wxcenter_video

I talked to her briefly today. The entire house has to be bulldozed. They're not sure yet if they want to rebuild or find a new house.
_________________
Seize the Storm ~ http://carpetempestas.com