Severe thunderstorms moved across Minnesota and western Wisconsin on Wednesday, prompting tornado warnings south and north of the Twin Cities and a broader National Weather Service watch that covered parts of both states.
The weather service issued a tornado warning for Dakota and Goodhue counties in Minnesota and Pierce County in Wisconsin through 5:30 p.m. Another warning covered Pine County in Minnesota and Burnett County in Wisconsin through 5:45 p.m. The warnings were issued as storms developed in western Minnesota and tracked eastward during the afternoon.
A tornado watch remained in effect through 9 p.m. Wednesday for 21 Minnesota counties and 12 Wisconsin counties. The watch stretched from south-central Minnesota through the Twin Cities metropolitan area and into northern Wisconsin.
Hail and damaging winds were possible
Forecasters said the storms could produce hail about 1 inch in diameter, wind gusts reaching 60 mph and a few tornadoes. The most favorable period for severe weather in the Twin Cities area was expected between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., with storms continuing into the late afternoon and early evening.
- Tornado warnings covered counties south and north of the Twin Cities.
- The regional tornado watch included 33 counties in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
- The storm threat included large hail, strong winds and isolated tornadoes.
The Twin Cities and communities along a line from Red Wing to Mora and Rice Lake, Wisconsin, were in a slight risk area for severe weather, designated Level 2 of 5 by the Storm Prediction Center. Parts of western, southern and central Minnesota, including Austin, Brainerd, Montevideo and Worthington, were in a marginal-risk area, designated Level 1 of 5.
The severe-weather setup followed a burst of warmth combined with high winds. The National Weather Service said cloud cover and limited heating could reduce the storms’ strength, making conditions less favorable than some of the other ingredients suggested.
October tornadoes are uncommon in Minnesota
Minnesota’s state Climatology Office said tornadoes occur in October or November once every four to five years on average. The late-season timing made the event less typical, although the weather service’s warnings reflected the conditions developing across the region Wednesday.
The severe-weather threat was concentrated in Minnesota and western Wisconsin, with storms expected to move east from western portions of the state toward the Twin Cities and northern Wisconsin. The weather service’s watch and warnings provided the official areas and time windows for the threat as the storms crossed the region.
