Funnel clouds sighted above Fargo
FARGO - Reports of funnel clouds in the skies above Fargo and West Fargo were reported by police this afternoon.
Warning sirens were sounded around the metro area.
Dispatchers and police said funnel clouds were spotted near West Acres, and another near First Avenue and 20th Street North.
A dispatcher said they had talked to the National Weather Service in Grand Forks, N.D., and meteorologists said they couldn't pick up tornado activity on the radar if the storm was slow building. Instead, trained weather spotters would be the best source of information.
West Fargo also has called to have its sirens activated, with a funnel cloud sighted, according to dispatch calls.
Weather Service meteorologist Nancy Godon said that as of 2:35 p.m. the storm containing the funnel cloud remained a rainstorm, not a thunderstorm.
She said it is unlikely that a rainstorm would turn tornadic, but she said it was important for people to stay alert for any changes in the situation.
In addition, dispatchers said a funnel cloud has been spotted near the Grandin and Gardner, N.D., area.
As of 3:20 p.m., a "significant weather advisory" was in effect for western Clay County and southwestern Norman County in Minnesota and for northeastern Cass County in North Dakota.
The Weather Service reported that radar indicated a line of showers with funnels extending along a from three miles south of Perley, Minn., to two miles northwest of North River, N.D., to three miles west of Fargo. The line of showers was moving east at 10 mph.
West Fargo school officials said they were releasing students as normal Friday afternoon.
