Storms fade: Nicer Wednesday

Update 10PM:

Possible injuries at Turtle Flambeau Flowage northeast of Park Falls, WI.

DLH: Turtle Flambeau Flowage [Iron Co, WI] emergency mngr reports TSTM WND DMG at 07:40 PM CDT -- *** 6 inj *** preliminary report. rescues in progress on the islands.

Storms have passed with little damage in the area. Good news.

Of course all weather is local. Check out the photo below. Lightning hit a tree 100 yards from the weather lab. The tree split and fell across the road, taking a power pole and streetlight down, and taking out power to the Huttner Weather Lab at around 8pm Tuesday evening.

Update 7:40pm:

Some wind damage with storms near Stacy and in western Wisconsin, but so far storms are relatively tame in the metro.

MPX: Balsam Lake [Polk Co, WI] trained spotter reports TSTM WND DMG at 07:20 PM CDT -- signs down. garage damaged. trees up to 5 inches in diameter downed in balsam lake area. time estimated.

MPX: 4 Wnw Stacy [Isanti Co, MN] trained spotter reports TSTM WND DMG at 06:56 PM CDT -- tree branches up to 5 inches in diameter down

MPX: 7 N Range [Polk Co, WI] trained spotter reports TSTM WND DMG at 07:25 PM CDT -- large pines trees toppled.

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED

SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN

731 PM CDT TUE JUL 27 2010

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN THE TWIN CITIES HAS ISSUED A

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...

SOUTHEASTERN POLK COUNTY IN NORTHWEST WISCONSIN...

BARRON COUNTY IN NORTHWEST WISCONSIN...

WESTERN RUSK COUNTY IN NORTHWEST WISCONSIN...

NORTHWESTERN CHIPPEWA COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN...

NORTHEASTERN ST. CROIX COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN...

NORTHERN DUNN COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN...

* UNTIL 815 PM CDT

* AT 727 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...

CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS

OF 65 MPH. THESE STORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 10

MILES NORTHWEST OF BARRONETT TO RANGE TO OSCEOLA...AND MOVING

SOUTHEAST AT 50 MPH. AT 730 PM LARGE TREES WERE REPORTED DOWN NEAR

BALSAM LAKE.

LOCATIONS IN THE WARNING INCLUDE...

AMERY...

RICE LAKE...

DERONDA...

TURTLE LAKE...

COMSTOCK...

BARRONETT...

CUMBERLAND...

STAR PRAIRIE...

CLEAR LAKE...

DEER PARK...

PRAIRIE FARM...

HAUGEN...

Update: 9:00 pm:

The National Weather Service has told Skywarn that severe weather threat has diminished.

The tornado watch remains in effect until 11 p.m.

Update: 8:34 pm:

From MPR News reporter Jess Mador: Xcel Energy is reporting a total of about 1,000 customers lost power across the seven-county metro area. Xcel has about 1 million customers in the metro. An Xcel spokeswoman says so far the system has not suffered much damage from tonight's storm.

Update 8:31 pm:

If the storm has passed you, does it feel a little cooler?

From Twitter: @crossons Temp dropped 20 degrees after intense wind and rain blew thru Roseville. Now strange yellow sunset sky. #mnstorms

Update 8:26 pm:

A trained skywarn spotter says a wall cloud was briefly spotted near downtown Rosemount. No funnel reported.

Update 8:12 pm:

No severe thunderstorm weather warnings in Minnesota at the moment, and tornado watches are expiring as the storm front moves to the southeast.

It's gotten really dark here at MPR HQ in St. Paul; lots of lightning in the air, too.

Little in the way of damage reports still in Minnesota.

Western Wisconsin is seeing the effects of some strong winds...

A garage was damaged in Polk, Wis. where 'large pine trees' were also toppled. Seven-inch-diameter trees were reported blown down in Barron, Wis.

Update 8:04pm:

Online news producer Than Tibbetts here. Paul Huttner reports that he's lost power in the Huttner Weatherlab after a lighting strike in his neighborhood.

Update 7:46pm:

A trained spotter reports 2 inches of rain falling in less than an hour near Hinckley in Pine County.

On twitter, @ironiridis shares a picture of the approaching storm clouds in the western metro.

[image]

Update 7:10pm:

SPC confirms my thinking on the transition to straight line winds in the metro.

THOUGH PRIMARY THREAT HAS

TRANSITIONED TO DAMAGING WIND ALONG THE LINE ACROSS MN INTO NWRN

WI...ISOLATED TORNADOES REMAIN POSSIBLE.

DLH: Askov [Pine Co, MN] trained spotter reports HEAVY RAIN of M1.71 INCH at 07:05 PM CDT -- fell in the last 2 hours

MPX: Richmond [Stearns Co, MN] trained spotter reports TSTM WND DMG at 05:55 PM CDT -- 8 inch diameter tree down. time estimated.

Update 6:45pm:

MPX: 3 Nw St Cloud [Stearns Co, MN] mesonet reports TSTM WND GST of M71.00 MPH at 06:11 PM CDT -- measured by automated sensor kmnstcl06 near veterans golf course.

Storms are moving into the north and northwest metro though 7pm. Expect storms in the NW metro by 7pm, and most of the metro between 8pm and 10pm this evening.

[image]

The good news so far is there are no reports of confirmed tornado touchdowns. The system is evolving into a more linear system, which tends to produce (still potentially damaging) straight line winds.

These storms have a history of heavy rains, hail and wind gusts between 50mph and 71mph.

Be alert for warnings in the metro through 10pm tonight.

PH

Update 6pm:

DLH: 6 W Trego [Washburn Co, WI] trained spotter reports TSTM WND DMG at 06:34 PM CDT -- several trees down 6 inches in diameter

MPX: 1 Ssw St Cloud [Stearns Co, MN] trained spotter reports TSTM WND GST of M59.00 MPH at 06:18 PM CDT --

MPX: 5 E St Cloud [Sherburne Co, MN] asos reports TSTM WND GST of M52 MPH at 06:08 PM CDT -- measured at st cloud airport.

DLH: High Bridge [Ashland Co, WI] amateur radio reports HAIL of golf ball size (M1.75 INCH) at 06:19 PM CDT --

MPX: 3 Ese Belgrade [Stearns Co, MN] mesonet reports TSTM WND GST of M56 MPH at 05:56 PM CDT -- measured at mndot automated weather site on hwy 55 /mile post 98/ by georgeville.

Storms now moving into the St. Cloud area. Expect torrential rains and possible damaging winds and an isolated tornado threat in and near St. Cloud through 7pm.

Line of storms runs along Highway 23 from Willmar through St. Cloud toward Hinckley.

Latest warnings here.

Update 5:36pm:

FGF: Perham [Otter Tail Co, MN] public reports FLASH FLOOD at 03:30 PM CDT -- 4.25 inches of rain fell which caused street flooding.

MPX: 2 Se Sauk Centre [Stearns Co, MN] mesonet reports TSTM WND GST of M67 MPH at 05:27 PM CDT -- measured at mndot automated station at mile post 128.

DLH: Maple [Douglas Co, WI] law enforcement reports TSTM WND DMG at 04:58 PM CDT -- several power lines down.

Possible tornadic circulations with intense line of storms along Highway 23 from near Sandstone and Finlayson east into northwest Wisconsin.

Be prepared for possible damaging winds in these areas.

Update 5:16 pm:

MPX continues Tornado Warning for Benton, Morrison, Stearns [MN] till 6:00 PM CDT ...AT 520 PM CDT...TRAINED WEATHER SPOTTERS REPORTED A WALL CLOUD NEAR ELMDALE...OR 11 MILES SOUTHWEST OF LITTLE FALLS...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

DLH: 2 N Aitkin [Aitkin Co, MN] trained spotter reports TSTM WND DMG at 04:20 PM CDT -- trees down near aiktin with reported wind gust of 50 mph.

Tornado warning now includes Stearns County.

MPX issues Tornado Warning for Benton, Morrison, Stearns [MN] till 6:00 PM CDT ...* AT 512 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED A STORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THE STORM WAS 3 MILES NORTH OF UPSALA...AND MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

FLOOD ADVISORY

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN

508 PM CDT TUE JUL 27 2010

MNC009-041-065-095-097-121-145-153-280100-

/O.NEW.KMPX.FA.Y.0026.100727T2208Z-100728T0100Z/

/00000.N.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

TODD MN-MORRISON MN-MILLE LACS MN-KANABEC MN-DOUGLAS MN-STEARNS MN-

POPE MN-BENTON MN-

508 PM CDT TUE JUL 27 2010

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN THE TWIN CITIES HAS ISSUED AN

* URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY FOR...

BENTON COUNTY IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

DOUGLAS COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

KANABEC COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

MILLE LACS COUNTY IN EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

MORRISON COUNTY IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

POPE COUNTY IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

STEARNS COUNTY IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

TODD COUNTY IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA...

* UNTIL 800 PM CDT

* AT 505 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED

THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAINFALL FROM ONAMIA ON WEST THROUGH

LITTLE FALLS...LONG PRAIRIE AND ALEXANDRIA. THE STORMS ARE MOVING

TO THE EAST AT 30 MPH AND WILL TRAIN ACROSS THE ADVISORY AREA INTO

EARLY THIS EVENING. RAINFALL AMOUNTS UP TO 2 INCHES IN AN HOUR

ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE THUNDERSTORMS AS THEY MOVE ACROSS THE

AREA.

* RUNOFF FROM THIS EXCESSIVE RAINFALL WILL CAUSE MINOR FLOODING TO

OCCUR...ESPECIALLY ALONG SMALL STREAMS AND NEAR LOW WATER

CROSSINGS. SOME LOCATIONS THAT WILL EXPERIENCE MINOR FLOODING

INCLUDE...ALEXANDRIA...GLENWOOD...LITTLE FALLS...LONG PRAIRIE...

MILACA...MORA...PRINCETON...ST CLOUD...ALBANY...AVON...BAYVIEW...

BELGRADE...BOWLES...BRANDON...BROWERVILLE...BUCKMAN...CARLOS...

CLARISSA...CLOTHO...COLD SPRING...COLLEGEVILLE...CUSHING...EAGLE

BEND...ELMDALE...ELROSA...EVANSVILLE...FARMING...FOLEY...FORADA AND

FORESTON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

EXCESSIVE RUNOFF FROM THIS STORM WILL CAUSE MINOR FLOODING OF SMALL

CREEKS AND STREAMS...COUNTRY ROADS...AS WELL AS FARMLAND ALONG THE

BANKS OF CREEKS AND STREAMS.

Update 5pm:

Strongest storms now stretch from near Ortonville through Alex, Little Falls, Mille Lacs and toward Duluth. No tornadoes or damage reports so far.

PH

MPX: Alexandria [Douglas Co, MN] asos reports TSTM WND GST of M53 MPH at 04:55 PM CDT -- measured at alexandria airport

(click for bigger image)

Update 4:20pm:

FGF: 1 W Hoffman [Grant Co, MN] fire dept/rescue reports HAIL of nickel size (E0.88 INCH) at 04:29 PM CDT --

FGF: 5 E Barrett [Grant Co, MN] fire dept/rescue reports FUNNEL CLOUD at 04:29 PM CDT --

MPX issues Tornado Warning for Douglas, Pope, Stevens [MN] till 5:00 PM CDT ...* AT 417 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED A STORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THE MOST DANGEROUS PART OF THE STORM WAS 6 MILES NORTH OF DONNELLY...AND MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH.

Update 4:05pm:

FGF issues Tornado Warning for Grant, Otter Tail [MN] till 5:00 PM CDT ...* AT 358 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO. THE STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR HERMAN...OR 33 MILES SOUTH OF FERGUS FALLS...MOVING TO THE EAST AT 25 MPH. ANOTHER TORNADIC THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 10 MILES SOUTHEAST OF TINTAH.

NOAA's Storm Prediction Center has issued a tornado watch until 11pm tonight for much of central Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. The watch includes the Twin Cities metro.

The increasing heat and humidity will continue to destabilize the atmosphere this evening over southern Minnesota. A "cap" or layer of warm air around 5,000 feet will keep a lid on storms for a while, but it appears storms will blow as we head into the evening hours along the cold front, and move into northern Wisconsin and southern Minnesota later this evening.

There is enough rotation and directional wind shear in the atmosphere that a few of the storms could produce tornadoes, especially from the metro east into Wisconsin.

There is also the possibility of the "usual" damaging winds and hail with storms that do develop this evening.

Intense Heat:

Welcome to the jungle.

Temperature and humidity in much of Minnesota is at Amazon Jungle levels today. Temperatures in the 90s and dew points in the 70s to as high as 82 in St. James have pushed the heat index to over 100 degrees in much of southern Minnesota.

The all time record dew point for Minnesota is 86 degrees in July of 2005 set in St. James and Pipestone.

At 3pm the heat index (or feels like temperature) was a barbaric 114 degrees in St. James!

Here are some other readings as of 3pm:

WEATHER ROUNDUP FOR MINNESOTA

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN

300 PM CDT TUE JUL 27 2010

NOTE: "FAIR" INDICATES FEW OR NO CLOUDS BELOW 12,000 FEET WITH NO

SIGNIFICANT WEATHER AND/OR OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISIBILITY. N/A MEANS

CURRENT SKY AND/OR WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE NOT AVAILABLE.

MNZ060>063-068>070-272100-

Twin Cities Metro

CITY SKY/WX TMP DP RH WIND PRES REMARKS

TWIN CITIES MOSUNNY 91 74 57 S13 29.82F HX 100

ST PAUL SUNNY 90 76 63 S10 29.81F HX 101

CRYSTAL SUNNY 92 74 55 S10G21 29.79F HX 101

BLAINE PTSUNNY 90 75 62 S13G21 29.81F HX 100

EDEN PRAIRIE MOSUNNY 93 74 53 S10G22 29.81F HX 103

LAKEVILLE SUNNY 88 77 70 S9 29.84S HX 100

SOUTH ST PAUL SUNNY 91 73 56 S12 29.82F HX 99

LAKE ELMO FAIR 90 73 58 S12 29.83F HX 98

APPLETON SUNNY 90 79 70 S7 29.75F HX 105

BENSON MOSUNNY 91 75 59 SW14G20 29.79F HX 102

MONTEVIDEO SUNNY 90 79 70 SW13G20 29.75S HX 105

GRANITE FALLS MOSUNNY 91 74 57 S15G21 29.78F HX 101

CANBY MOSUNNY 93 73 51 S9G16 29.78S HX 101

MARSHALL SUNNY 90 73 58 SW18 29.80F HX 98

REDWOOD FALLS SUNNY 93 74 53 S16G26 29.79F HX 103

MANKATO SUNNY 90 77 66 SW14G22 29.84S HX 102

NEW ULM SUNNY 90 73 58 S16 29.83S HX 98

ST JAMES SUNNY 91 82 75 S16 29.86S HX 114

FAIRMONT SUNNY 90 75 62 SW15G21 29.90F HX 100

Stay cool, and stay tuned for the possibility of storms in the metro alter this evening. The best window for storms in the metro still appears to be anytime after 8pm and through midnight.

PH