Sometimes the end of summer is quite defined and the Summer of 2017 was over in the course of an hour on Labor Day.
While not a severe line of storms, a line of heavy thunderstorms with a potent gust front swept southward across the Twin Cities during the late afternoon Hours of Labor Day, September 4, 2017. The day began with sunshine and temperatures rising to the middle 70's. Billowing clouds filled the early afternoon skies with darker clouds to the north. Out ahead of the storms were strong winds from the north with a peak gust of 51mph reported at the Twin Cities International Airport at 4:33pm. Rain-cooled air put an abrupt end to summer with temperatures falling from the mid-70's to the mid 50's. At the International Airport, the temperature fell 17 degrees in one hour from 74 to 57. Small pea-sized hail was reported across the eastern Twin Cities with small branches down in various areas. Some tree damage was later reported in the Owatonna area.
The cold air and the rain caused much scurrying at the Minnesota State Fair, with fair goers packing the food building and ponchos were a hot ticket item at the radio station booths. Many a Labor Day picnic found an indoor venue quickly. There was a report of some boats capsizing on Lake Minnetonka, but due to life vest use all were rescued safe.
Below is a list of storm reports gathered by the National Weather Service
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 458 PM CDT MON SEP 4 2017 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0430 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 S LONG LAKE 44.94N 93.56W 09/04/2017 HENNEPIN MN BROADCAST MEDIA BOATS CAPSIZED ON LAKE MINNETONKA. NO REPORTS OF INJURIES. TIME ESTIMATED. PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 459 PM CDT MON SEP 4 2017 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0433 PM TSTM WND GST 3 E RICHFIELD 44.88N 93.22W 09/04/2017 M51 MPH HENNEPIN MN ASOS MEASURED 51 MPH WIND GUST AT MSP INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 514 PM CDT MON SEP 4 2017 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0427 PM TSTM WND GST 2 ESE ST. PAUL 44.93N 93.06W 09/04/2017 M49 MPH RAMSEY MN ASOS 49 MPH GUST MEASURED AT ST. PAUL DOWNTOWN HOLMAN FIELD. PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 523 PM CDT MON SEP 4 2017 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0446 PM TSTM WND GST 2 SW EDEN PRAIRIE 44.83N 93.46W 09/04/2017 M39 MPH HENNEPIN MN ASOS 39 MPH GUST MEASURED AT FLYING CLOUD AIRPORT. 0418 PM TSTM WND GST 1 SW BROOKLYN CENTER 45.06N 93.35W 09/04/2017 M40 MPH HENNEPIN MN ASOS 40 MPH MEASURED GUST AT CRYSTAL AIRPORT. 0329 PM TSTM WND GST 5 E ST. CLOUD 45.55N 94.06W 09/04/2017 M43 MPH SHERBURNE MN ASOS 43 MPH GUST MEASURED AT ST. CLOUD AIRPORT. PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 530 PM CDT MON SEP 4 2017 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0513 PM TSTM WND GST 3 E GLENWOOD 45.65N 95.32W 09/04/2017 M47 MPH POPE MN ASOS 47 MPH GUST MEASURED AT GLENWOOD AIRPORT. 0512 PM TSTM WND GST 4 SSE LAKEVILLE 44.63N 93.23W 09/04/2017 M39 MPH DAKOTA MN AWOS 39 MPH GUST MEASURED AT AIRLAKE AIRPORT. 0453 PM TSTM WND GST 2 SW ALEXANDRIA 45.87N 95.40W 09/04/2017 M45 MPH DOUGLAS MN ASOS 45 MPH GUST MEASURED AT CHANDLER FIELD. PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 717 PM CDT MON SEP 4 2017 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0555 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 ENE OWATONNA 44.10N 93.20W 09/04/2017 STEELE MN TRAINED SPOTTER TREES OF 10 TO 24 INCHES IN DIAMETER UPROOTED AT THE BROOKTREE GOLF COURSE. PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 628 PM CDT MON SEP 4 2017 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0555 PM TSTM WND DMG OWATONNA 44.09N 93.22W 09/04/2017 STEELE MN 911 CALL CENTER POWER POLES DOWN ACROSS OWATONNA. PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 626 PM CDT MON SEP 4 2017 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0535 PM TSTM WND DMG JANESVILLE 44.12N 93.71W 09/04/2017 WASECA MN 911 CALL CENTER A LARGE TREE OVER 6 INCHES IN DIAMETER WAS KNOCKED OVER. PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 548 PM CDT MON SEP 4 2017 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0534 PM TSTM WND GST 3 NW FARIBAULT 44.33N 93.31W 09/04/2017 M54 MPH RICE MN AWOS 54 MPH GUST MEASURED AT FARIBAULT AIRPORT.