Image credit: National Weather Service, La Crosse, WI.
Severe Thunderstorm season got off to a bang in Minnesota on Tuesday April 12th, with semi trucks blown off of I-35, two confirmed tornadoes in southeastern parts of the state, and numerous reports of large hail, as heavy snows pounded far northwestern Minnesota and a ferocious blizzard raged in neighboring North Dakota. These hazards from entirely different seasons were all caused by the same weather system, as a large, long-lasting, and strong spring storm affected Minnesota for parts of four days. This was the fourth week in a row with a large mid-week weather system in Minnesota.
An intense and complex low-pressure are tracked into the Plains from Colorado, and then split near Sioux City, Iowa on Tuesday, with one circulation heading north into North Dakota and another heading towards Wisconsin. This complicated system pumped warm air, with temperatures as high as 80 degrees F, into Iowa, and dragged much colder air, often near or below freezing, into North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. Thunderstorms formed from Minnesota down to Texas, while extremely heavy snows with winds of 35-50 mph lashed North Dakota.
Isolated thunderstorms first formed in south-central Minnesota on Tuesday afternoon and raced eastward and northeastward into Wisconsin. One storm surged in intensity rapidly and produced a powerful gust of wind that blew nine semi trailer-trucks over on I-35, near Faribault. The winds uprooted trees and knocked out power in parts of Rice County, while hail pelted areas near Northfield, Cannon Falls, and Red Wing. This was not the "main event" for severe weather, however.
Late in the afternoon, numerous intense thunderstorms exploded in southeastern South Dakota, Iowa, and southwestern Minnesota, lifting northeastward through 1 AM Wednesday. These storms produced many reports of large hail in Minnesota, as well as several confirmed tornadoes in Iowa.
After dark, two tornadoes struck parts of extreme southeastern Minnesota. An EF-2 tornado, with winds estimated to 130 mph, injured two people and caused extensive damage in the town of Taopi, in Mower County. The tornado destroyed or damaged many structures, snapped trees, and rolled and tossed cars. An EF-1 tornado with winds estimated to 100 mph destroyed farm buildings in Fillmore County, to the southwest of Spring Valley.
Image credit: Minnesota State Climatology Office
Lightning flashed throughout the evening in central, eastern, and southern Minnesota, but most of the severe storms were confined to south of line from Marshall to Forest Lake.
The thunderstorms produced narrow swaths of heavy rain, and several stations with over 50 years of observation set daily precipitation records. These included 3.05 inches at Grand Meadow, 2.46 inches at Bricelyn, 2.25 inches at Rochester, 1.74 inches at Elgin, 1.58 inches at Theilman, and 1.19 inches at Cambridge. The heavy rains caused brief flooding of the Whitewater River near Whitewater State Park.
Elsewhere in Minnesota, intense snows from the major North Dakota blizzard crept over the Red River into far northwestern Minnesota, where extreme snowfall rates of 2 inches per hour were observed during the evening. The snow had subsided by Wednesday morning, but area accumulations of 6-10 inches were common in and around Crookston and Thief River Falls. In Key West, MN, just to the east of Grand Forks, an observer reported 14 inches, which is consistent with what this wave of snow produced in the Grand Forks area.
The main low pressure are in North Dakota stayed nearly stationary during Wednesday, but its circulation pushed a strong cold front across Minnesota. Rain broke out Wednesday afternoon in northeastern Minnesota, turning to snow and slush overnight Wednesday and into Thursday.
Just after midnight on Thursday, a wave of strong winds pushed across much of Minnesota, lasting over 24 hours in some places. Winds gusted to well over 50 mph across much of the state, with gusts of 59 mph reported at Duluth, Redwood Falls, and the Twin Cities. Skies cleared out but some strong gusts continued in to Friday April 15.
Despite being large, strong, and producing an array of hazardous weather in Minnesota, this system produced mostly moderate precipitation for this time of year. About two-thirds of the state received over a half-inch of precipitation, and about one-third of the area received an inch or more. Areas of central, western, and southwestern Minnesota received under a half-inch of precipitation.
The National Weather Service offices in the Twin Cities and Duluth provided the following wind gust reports.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 716 PM CDT THU APR 14 2022 ..HIGHEST WIND REPORTS LOCATION SPEED TIME/DATE PROVIDER REDWOOD FALLS AP 59 MPH 0109 PM 04/14 ASOS MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL AP 59 MPH 0213 PM 04/14 ASOS ALEXANDRIA MN ASOS 56 MPH 0410 PM 04/14 ASOS HANLEY FALLS MN-23 MILE POST 55 MPH 0750 AM 04/14 MNDOT FAIRMONT AP 54 MPH 1036 AM 04/14 AWOS ST. JAMES AP 54 MPH 1136 AM 04/14 AWOS EAU CLAIRE AP 54 MPH 0244 PM 04/14 ASOS MAPLE LAKE 54 MPH 0245 PM 04/14 CWOP MADISON AP 53 MPH 0155 PM 04/14 AWOS EDINA 53 MPH 0415 PM 04/14 CWOP BLUE EARTH 2NW 53 MPH 0420 PM 04/14 MNDOT NEW ULM AP 52 MPH 1135 AM 04/14 AWOS GRANITE FALLS AP 52 MPH 1135 AM 04/14 AWOS CRYSTAL AP 52 MPH 0143 PM 04/14 ASOS CANBY AP 52 MPH 0155 PM 04/14 AWOS WINTHROP 2W 52 MPH 0200 PM 04/14 MNDOT EDEN PRAIRIE AP 52 MPH 0224 PM 04/14 ASOS ST. CLOUD AP 52 MPH 0456 PM 04/14 ASOS STARBUCK 8SSW 52 MPH 0500 PM 04/14 MNDOT MANKATO AP 51 MPH 1008 AM 04/14 AWOS MARIETTA 5SSW 51 MPH 1105 AM 04/14 MNDOT OLIVIA AP 51 MPH 1135 AM 04/14 AWOS MENOMONIE AP 51 MPH 0235 PM 04/14 AWOS BURNSVILLE 2NNW 51 MPH 0430 PM 04/14 MNDOT CANNON FALLS 7SSE 50 MPH 1120 AM 04/14 MNDOT ELLENDALE 5NNE 50 MPH 1151 AM 04/14 MNDOT NEW GERMANY 1NW 50 MPH 1205 PM 04/14 MNDOT LYDIA 50 MPH 0435 PM 04/14 CWOP MONTEVIDEO AP 49 MPH 1115 AM 04/14 AWOS WASECA 1SSE 49 MPH 1146 AM 04/14 MNDOT APPLETON AP 49 MPH 1253 PM 04/14 AWOS NEW PRAGUE 2W 49 MPH 0235 PM 04/14 MNDOT MORRIS AP 49 MPH 0355 PM 04/14 AWOS CLARA CITY 2WSW 49 MPH 0400 PM 04/14 MNDOT VICTORIA 48 MPH 1031 AM 04/14 CWOP MANKATO US-169 MILE POST 52 48 MPH 1050 AM 04/14 MNDOT MADELIA 3ENE 48 MPH 1150 AM 04/14 MNDOT EAU CLAIRE 48 MPH 0149 PM 04/14 CWOP GIBBON 48 MPH 0216 PM 04/14 CWOP SAUK CENTRE AP 48 MPH 0355 PM 04/14 AWOS HENDERSON 4ENE 48 MPH 0416 PM 04/14 MNDOT BELGRADE 3ESE 48 MPH 0545 PM 04/14 MNDOT MORTON MN-19 MILE POST 78 47 MPH 0805 AM 04/14 MNDOT BENSON AP 47 MPH 0855 AM 04/14 AWOS MINNESOTA LAKE 47 MPH 0930 AM 04/14 CWOP RED WING 4W 47 MPH 1120 AM 04/14 MNDOT WASECA AP 47 MPH 0204 PM 04/14 AWOS SILVER LAKE 3E 47 MPH 0251 PM 04/14 MNDOT LITCHFIELD 3S 47 MPH 0311 PM 04/14 RAWS ST. PAUL DWTN AP 47 MPH 0314 PM 04/14 ASOS BLAINE AP 47 MPH 0350 PM 04/14 AWOS STAR PRAIRIE 47 MPH 0408 PM 04/14 RAWS ALEXANDRIA 2SSE 47 MPH 0420 PM 04/14 MNDOT HOPE 46 MPH 1030 AM 04/14 CWOP EASTON 46 MPH 1200 PM 04/14 CWOP MAYER 1NE 46 MPH 0215 PM 04/14 MNDOT MOUND 46 MPH 0300 PM 04/14 CWOP OWATONNA AP 46 MPH 0333 PM 04/14 AWOS GLENWOOD AP 46 MPH 0435 PM 04/14 AWOS HUTCHINSON AP 45 MPH 1055 AM 04/14 AWOS ALBERT LEA AP 45 MPH 1155 AM 04/14 AWOS WILLMAR AP 45 MPH 1228 PM 04/14 AWOS COON RAPIDS 45 MPH 0339 PM 04/14 CWOP PAYNESVILLE AP 44 MPH 1155 AM 04/14 AWOS BUFFALO AP 44 MPH 1215 PM 04/14 AWOS DUNDAS 5WNW 44 MPH 0315 PM 04/14 MNDOT LITCHFIELD AP 44 MPH 0315 PM 04/14 AWOS RED WING 44 MPH 0325 PM 04/14 CWOP LAKE ELMO AP 44 MPH 0335 PM 04/14 AWOS ELKO NEW MARKET 44 MPH 0450 PM 04/14 CWOP COMFREY 43 MPH 0950 AM 04/14 CWOP ROSCOE 43 MPH 1205 PM 04/14 CWOP ROSCOE 43 MPH 1205 PM 04/14 CWOP FARIBAULT AP 43 MPH 0155 PM 04/14 AWOS PRIOR LAKE 43 MPH 0330 PM 04/14 CWOP CHETEK AP 43 MPH 0335 PM 04/14 AWOS EAU CLAIRE 43 MPH 0348 PM 04/14 CWOP SPRING LAKE PARK 43 MPH 0415 PM 04/14 CWOP CLEARWATER 1SE 43 MPH 0445 PM 04/14 MNDOT SAUK CENTRE 2SE 43 MPH 0450 PM 04/14 MNDOT HILLMAN 43 MPH 0538 PM 04/14 CWOP MADISON 42 MPH 0816 AM 04/14 CWOP GANOE HILL 42 MPH 0307 PM 04/14 RAWS ALBANY 42 MPH 0515 PM 04/14 CWOP GLENCOE AP 41 MPH 0115 PM 04/14 AWOS EAU CLAIRE 41 MPH 0149 PM 04/14 CWOP CARVER 3S 41 MPH 0349 PM 04/14 RAWS LAKEVILLE AP 41 MPH 0355 PM 04/14 AWOS NEW RICHMOND AP 41 MPH 0415 PM 04/14 AWOS SARTELL 41 MPH 0415 PM 04/14 CWOP FARIBAULT 41 MPH 0615 PM 04/14 CWOP TONY AP 41 MPH 0635 PM 04/14 AWOS BLAINE 40 MPH 0855 AM 04/14 CWOP CUMBERLAND AP 40 MPH 0135 PM 04/14 AWOS SOUTH ST. PAUL AP 40 MPH 0155 PM 04/14 AWOS COLFAX 7ESE 40 MPH 0230 PM 04/14 CWOP STANTON AP 40 MPH 0259 PM 04/14 AWOS ST. PAUL 1NNE 40 MPH 0350 PM 04/14 MNDOT BLAINE 40 MPH 0350 PM 04/14 MESOWEST --- PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN 815 AM CDT WED APR 13 2022 ..HIGHEST WIND REPORTS LOCATION SPEED TIME/DATE PROVIDER DULUTH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 59 MPH 0209 AM 04/13 ASOS BAY OF GRAND MARAIS 55 MPH 0717 AM 04/13 ASOS THOMPSON HILL I-35 MP 248 55 MPH 0224 AM 04/13 MNDOT 1 N PORT WING 53 MPH 1140 PM 04/12 NDBC DULUTH SKY HARBOR AIRPORT 49 MPH 0155 AM 04/13 AWOS DULUTH I-35 AND GARFIELD 49 MPH 0109 AM 04/13 MNDOT TWO HARBORS AIRPORT 48 MPH 0335 AM 04/13 AWOS 4 NE DULUTH 47 MPH 1006 PM 04/12 CWOP DULUTH HARBOR 45 MPH 0112 AM 04/13 NOS-NWLON SAGINAW RAWS 44 MPH 0208 AM 04/13 RAWS DEVILS ISLAND 43 MPH 0500 AM 04/13 NDBC BLATNIK BRIDGE SOUTH 42 MPH 1212 AM 04/13 MNDOT ANDERSON ROAD RWIS 41 MPH 1240 AM 04/13 MNDOT ATKINSON BRIDGE I-35 MP 231 41 MPH 0221 AM 04/13 MNDOT 1 SSE SILVER BAY 41 MPH 0340 AM 04/13 NDBC TWO HARBORS 40 MPH 0205 AM 04/13 CWOP CLOQUET AIRPORT 40 MPH 0135 AM 04/13 AWOS TWIG MN-53 MP 21 40 MPH 0136 AM 04/13 MNDOT CHISHOLM-HIBBING AIRPORT 39 MPH 0340 AM 04/13 ASOS GRAND MARAIS AIRPORT 38 MPH 0756 AM 04/13 AWOS SUPERIOR AIRPORT 38 MPH 1235 AM 04/13 AWOS LA POINTE 37 MPH 0115 AM 04/13 CWOP ESKO 37 MPH 0225 AM 04/13 CWOP LA POINTE AIRPORT 37 MPH 0115 AM 04/13 AWOS COTTON US-53 MP 41 37 MPH 0520 AM 04/13 MNDOT HINCKLEY I-35 MILE POST 181 37 MPH 0545 PM 04/12 MNDOT FRENCH RIVER 36 MPH 0610 AM 04/13 CWOP ISABELLA RAWS 36 MPH 0804 AM 04/13 RAWS HAYWARD AIRPORT 36 MPH 0303 PM 04/12 ASOS PLINY MN-65 MP 98 36 MPH 1051 PM 04/12 MNDOT 1 W BAYFIELD 35 MPH 0329 AM 04/13 CWOP BAYFIELD 35 MPH 0300 AM 04/13 CWOP BRAINERD AIRPORT 35 MPH 0952 PM 04/12 ASOS MCGREGOR AIRPORT 35 MPH 0355 AM 04/13 AWOS INTERNATIONAL FALLS AIRPORT 35 MPH 0216 AM 04/13 ASOS HIBBING RAWS 34 MPH 0507 AM 04/13 RAWS RICE LAKE NWR RAWS 34 MPH 1152 PM 04/12 RAWS DULUTH 1.8 NE 33 MPH 0115 AM 04/13 CWOP CASS LAKE US-2 MP 131 33 MPH 0850 PM 04/12 MNDOT MITCHELL BRIDGE MN-169 MP 34 32 MPH 0405 AM 04/13 MNDOT WINTON 31 MPH 0715 AM 04/13 CWOP DANBURY 31 MPH 0225 PM 04/12 CWOP EVELETH-VIRGINIA AIRPORT 31 MPH 0424 AM 04/13 AWOS SPOONER 31 MPH 0300 PM 04/12 MESOWEST WASHBURN RAWS 31 MPH 0102 AM 04/13 RAWS GRAND PORTAGE 30 MPH 0545 AM 04/13 CWOP HINCKLEY AIRPORT 30 MPH 0535 PM 04/12 AWOS AITKIN AIRPORT 30 MPH 0255 AM 04/13 AWOS ASHLAND AIRPORT 30 MPH 0105 AM 04/13 ASOS PHILLIPS AIRPORT 30 MPH 0515 PM 04/12 AWOS PINE RIVER AIRPORT 30 MPH 0635 PM 04/12 AWOS GRAND PORTAGE RWIS 30 MPH 0635 AM 04/13 MNDOT BALL BLUFF RWIS 30 MPH 0321 AM 04/13 MNDOT SKIBO RAWS 30 MPH 0622 AM 04/13 RAWS OBSERVATIONS ARE COLLECTED FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES WITH VARYING EQUIPMENT AND EXPOSURES. WE THANK ALL VOLUNTEER WEATHER OBSERVERS FOR THEIR DEDICATION. NOT ALL DATA LISTED ARE CONSIDERED OFFICIAL.
The National Weather Service office in La Crosse created this detailed summary of the southeastern Minnesota tornadoes and other severe weather in their forecast area.
Modified April 15, 2022