4 tornadoes (some damage) reported west; Little metro severe threat

April 21, 2012 12:57 PM

Update 6pm:

It looks like the severe threat is fading tonight. Expect A few scattered showers & T-Showers through this evening. Storm reports from a busy Saturday below!

-Latest Twin Cities radar loop

-Twin Cities NWS

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Update 5:15 pm:

As many as 4 brief tornado touchdowns have been reported.

MPX: 4 E Milan [Chippewa Co, MN] law enforcement reports TORNADO at 03:11 PM CDT -- barn and grainerys damaged
MPX continues Tornado Warning for Chippewa [MN] till 4:15 PM CDT ...AT 353 PM CDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR GLUEK...OR 11 MILES NORTHEAST OF MONTEVIDEO...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
MPX: 6 NNE Walnut Grove [Redwood Co, MN] law enforcement reports TORNADO at 03:23 PM CDT -- multiple reports of funnels with brief touchdowns over 10-15 minutes...time is estimated as is location.
MPX: 6 E BIG Bend City [Swift Co, MN] law enforcement reports TORNADO at 03:28 PM CDT --

Cooler, more stable air near the metro should keep the severe threat minimal tonight, but we may see a few more scattered showers & T-Showers through this evening.

People west of the metro in central and southern Minnesota should stay on alert for possible tornado warnings and hail.

MPR's Rupa Shenoy reports there are some scattered damage reports in west-central Minnesota.

Called sheriffs at Redwood, Swift and Chippewa (for Clara City).
Redwood: One farm site with significant damage. No injuries. Sounds like the house is fine--just the shed was damaged.
Swift: 2 calls in reference to property damage -they don't know how severe. No injuries. Just had high winds.
Chippewa: Big Bend area -some reports of grain bins and barns that were totally flattened, as well as a garage. Nobody hurt.

NOAA's SPC reports 5 (preliminary) tornadoes so far, 3 in Minnesota and 2 in Iowa.

Source: NOAA/SPC

Update 5pm:

MPX issues Tornado Warning for Martin, Watonwan [MN] till 5:45 PM CDT ...* AT 500 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED A STORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THE STORM WAS 8 MILES WEST OF ODIN...OR ABOUT 4 MILES SOUTH OF MOUNTAIN LAKE...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH.

Radar shows strongest storms now along Minnesota River and south into northern Iowa.

[image]

Update 4:50pm:

Latest warnings and reports coming in now from SW MN/NW IA counties

FSD: 10 SSE Dickens [Clay Co, IA] trained spotter reports TORNADO at 04:43 PM CDT -- on the ground for about one minute

FSD issues Tornado Warning for Dickinson [IA] and Jackson [MN] till 5:15 PM CDT ...* AT 438 PM CDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD 6 MILES NORTH OF ORLEANS...OR 7 MILES NORTH OF SPIRIT LAKE. A TORNADO MAY DEVELOP AT ANY TIME! DOPPLER RADAR SHOWED THIS TORNADIC STORM MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH.

MPX continues Tornado Warning for Chippewa, Kandiyohi, Renville [MN] till 4:45 PM CDT ...AT 435 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR PRINSBURG...OR 15 MILES NORTHWEST OF OLIVIA...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

Update 4:30pm:

1st damage report so far...

MPX: 4 E Milan [Chippewa Co, MN] law enforcement reports TORNADO at 03:11 PM CDT -- barn and grainerys damaged

Update 4:15pm:

MPX issues Tornado Warning for Chippewa, Kandiyohi, Renville [MN] till 4:45 PM CDT ...* AT 404 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED A STORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THE STORM WAS NEAR CLARA CITY...OR OVER CLARA CITY...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

This cell is showing rotation and may be producing a tonado near Clara City, moving SE at 25 mph.

People in Sacred heart, Renville, Danube and Olivia & Bird Island should be prepered to take cover as this storm approaches.

[image]

****Earlier posts below.....

A few non-classic but rotating storms have fired this afternoon in west central Minnesota.

Source: WxUnderground/NOAA

The storms have produced hail and funnels, and there is a report of a tornado touchdown.

MPX continues Tornado Warning for Chippewa [MN] till 4:15 PM CDT ...AT 353 PM CDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED A TORNADO. THIS TORNADO WAS LOCATED NEAR GLUEK...OR 11 MILES NORTHEAST OF MONTEVIDEO...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

MPX: 10 S Redwood Falls [Redwood Co, MN] trained spotter reports FUNNEL CLOUD at 03:30 PM CDT -- numerous sightings in past 15 to 20 minutes

MPX: 6 NNE Walnut Grove [Redwood Co, MN] law enforcement reports TORNADO at 03:23 PM CDT -- multiple reports of funnels with brief touchdowns over 10-15 minutes...time is estimated as is location

MPX continues Tornado Warning for Redwood [MN] till 4:15 PM CDT ...AT 346 PM CDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED SEVERAL FUNNEL CLOUDS LIFTING UP AND DOWN OVER SOUTHERN REDWOOD COUNTY. THE STORM PRODUCING THE FUNNEL CLOUDS WAS LOCATED NEAR LAMBERTON...OR 23 MILES SOUTH OF REDWOOD FALLS...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

MPX: 6 E BIG Bend City [Swift Co, MN] law enforcement reports TORNADO at 03:28 PM CDT --

MPX continues Tornado Warning for Chippewa, Swift [MN] till 4:15 PM CDT ...AT 339 PM CDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED SEVERAL FUNNEL CLOUDS NEAR GLUEK AND NORTH OF GLUEK. THIS STORM PRODUCING THE FUNNEL CLOUDS WAS LOCATED 8 MILES NORTHWEST OF GLUEK...OR 11 MILES NORTHEAST OF MONTEVIDEO...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
333 PM CDT SAT APR 21 2012
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN THE TWIN CITIES HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
SOUTH CENTRAL REDWOOD COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA...
* UNTIL 415 PM CDT
* AT 332 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED A STORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A
TORNADO. THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THE STORM WAS 5 MILES NORTH OF
REVERE...AND MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE...
REVERE...
LAMBERTON...
SANBORN...
WALNUT GROVE...
WANDA...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
WHEN A TORNADO WARNING IS ISSUED BASED ON RADAR...IT MEANS THAT
STRONG ROTATION HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE STORM. A TORNADO MAY ALREADY
BE ON THE GROUND...OR IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP SHORTLY.
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
TORNADO WARNING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
329 PM CDT SAT APR 21 2012
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN THE TWIN CITIES HAS ISSUED A
* TORNADO WARNING FOR...
NORTHEASTERN CHIPPEWA COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...
SOUTH CENTRAL SWIFT COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...
* UNTIL 415 PM CDT
* AT 325 PM CDT...LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED A TORNADO 14 MILES
NORTHWEST OF GLUEK...OR ABOUT 7 MILES EAST OF BIG BEND CITY. RADAR
SHOWED THE TORNADIC STORM MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH.
* LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE...
GLUEK...
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
IF IN MOBILE HOMES OR VEHICLES...EVACUATE THEM AND GET INSIDE A
STURDY SHELTER. IF NO SHELTER IS AVAILABLE...LIE FLAT IN THE NEAREST
DITCH OR OTHER LOW SPOT AND COVER YOUR HEAD WITH YOUR HANDS.

The storms may weaken before they approach the metro later today, but we'll have to keep one eye on them. The tornadoes may be "cold air type" tornadoes, which are usually smaller but can touch down and do damage.

If you are in the path of the storms you should still seek shelter.

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