Tornado watch includes Twin Cities metro this afternoon and early evening
The Storm Prediction Center of the National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch that's valid until 9 p.m. for parts of eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin:
The tornado watch includes most of the Twin Cities metro area.
Details of the tornado watch:
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URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Tornado Watch Number 183
NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
1235 PM CDT Sun Jun 17 2018
The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a
* Tornado Watch for portions of
East-central Minnesota
Northwest Wisconsin
Lake Superior
* Effective this Sunday afternoon and evening from 1235 PM until
900 PM CDT.
* Primary threats include...
A couple tornadoes possible
Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph likely
Isolated very large hail events to 2 inches in diameter possible
SUMMARY...A cluster of strong to severe storms should develop east
from central Minnesota this afternoon. Damaging winds should be the
primary hazard, but a couple tornadoes and large hail will be
possible as well.
The tornado watch area is approximately along and 65 statute miles
north and south of a line from 25 miles north northwest of Saint
Cloud MN to 60 miles south southeast of Kennedy WI. For a complete
depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline update
(WOUS64 KWNS WOU3).
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
REMEMBER...A Tornado Watch means conditions are favorable for
tornadoes and severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch
area. Persons in these areas should be on the lookout for
threatening weather conditions and listen for later statements
and possible warnings.
&&
AVIATION...Tornadoes and a few severe thunderstorms with hail
surface and aloft to 2 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind
gusts to 60 knots. A few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 500. Mean
storm motion vector 26025.
Updated weather information can be heard on the Minnesota Public Radio Network, and updates are also posted on the MPR News live weather blog.
Isolated severe thunderstorms will also be possible outside of the watch area.
_____________________________________________________________________________
6 p.m. Update
Some counties have been dropped from the tornado watch.
The counties that remain in the watch until 9 p.m. are within the red outline:
Details of the counties that remain in the watch, via the Twin Cities NWS:
TORNADO WATCH 183 REMAINS VALID UNTIL 9 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR
THE FOLLOWING AREAS
IN MINNESOTA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 4 COUNTIES
IN EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA
ANOKA HENNEPIN RAMSEY
WASHINGTON
IN WISCONSIN THIS WATCH INCLUDES 7 COUNTIES
IN NORTHWEST WISCONSIN
BARRON POLK RUSK
IN WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN
CHIPPEWA DUNN EAU CLAIRE
ST. CROIX
THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF BLAINE, CHIPPEWA FALLS, EAU CLAIRE,
HUDSON, LADYSMITH, MENOMONIE, MINNEAPOLIS, OSCEOLA, RICE LAKE,
ST PAUL, AND STILLWATER.
_____________________________________________________________________________
2:50 p.m. update
Parts of eastern Minnesota, including most of the Twin Cities metro area, and portions of western Wisconsin are in a flash flood watch from 4 p.m. this afternoon until 7 a.m. Monday:
Flash Flood Watch
Flood Watch
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
244 PM CDT Sun Jun 17 2018
...HEAVY RAINFALL MAY PRODUCE FLASH FLOODING LATE THIS AFTERNOON
AND TONIGHT...
.Multiple thunderstorms are expected over portions of west central
Wisconsin, as well as east central, central and southeast
Minnesota this afternoon. They will persist into this evening and
the late night hours. Several inches of rain are possible,
leading to potential flash flooding.
MNZ044-045-051>053-059>063-070-078-WIZ014>016-023>028-180345-
/O.NEW.KMPX.FF.A.0003.180617T2100Z-180618T1200Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Mille Lacs-Kanabec-Sherburne-Isanti-Chisago-Wright-Hennepin-Anoka-
Ramsey-Washington-Dakota-Goodhue-Polk-Barron-Rusk-St. Croix-
Pierce-Dunn-Pepin-Chippewa-Eau Claire-
Including the cities of Princeton, Mora, Elk River, Cambridge,
Center City, Monticello, Minneapolis, Blaine, St Paul,
Stillwater, Hastings, Red Wing, Osceola, Rice Lake, Ladysmith,
Hudson, River Falls, Prescott, Menomonie, Durand, Chippewa Falls,
and Eau Claire
244 PM CDT Sun Jun 17 2018
...FLASH FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY MORNING...
The National Weather Service in Twin Cities/Chanhassen has issued
a
* Flash Flood Watch for portions of Minnesota and Wisconsin,
including the following areas, in Minnesota, Anoka, Chisago,
Dakota, Goodhue, Hennepin, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs,
Ramsey, Sherburne, Washington, and Wright. In Wisconsin,
Barron, Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Rusk,
and St. Croix.
* Through Monday morning
* Very heavy rainfall associated with several rounds of
thunderstorms may lead to flash flooding. Localized rainfall
totals of 3 to 5 inches are possible.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A Flash Flood Watch means that conditions may develop that lead
to flash flooding. Flash flooding is a very dangerous situation.
You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action
should Flash Flood Warnings be issued.
______________________________________________________________________________
Programming note
You can hear my live weather updates on Minnesota Public Radio at 7:49 a.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and at 7:35 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 4:35 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.