Finally, the trigger mechanism was forecasted to be present also, in the form of a surface trough. Since the storm in question occurred near 0000 UTC, the 0000 UTC analyses give a reasonable representation of the atmospheric conditions near the storm time. Contour is of 5 degree dewpoint depression. UTC 700 mb upper-air analysis for 23 Aug 1995. 10 o C capping isotherm is bold.
Hatched area is capped.
UTC stability indices indicated that the atmosphere did indeed destabilize in the storm area. Also, lifted indices at 0000 UTC were near -8 o C, very conducive to severe weather development. The first radar echo of storms began to show up on the UND Doppler radar around 2100 UTC, during the time of maximum surface heating, much as expected. By 2300 UTC, three significant thunderstorms were well underway in Minnesota's Kittson County and the studied storm was just beginning to develop. UND Radar also detected a fine line in the reflectivity field.