On April 14th, 1886, a deadly tornado outbreak occurred within tornado alley that produced several devastating tornadoes and lasting impacts on the communities, including the deadliest tornado in recorded Minnesota history. In Minnesota, 74 people were killed and 227 were injured, which again is relative to the sheer devastation of the event. A total of 4 tornadoes touched down in Minnesota while 13 other known tornadoes touched down within the span of the Midwest to North Central Texas. This outbreak is considered the deadliest in Minnesota history and was certainly memorable in the eyes of those impacted.
Four confirmed tornadoes touched down in Minnesota, two of them classified as F4’s and the other two as F2’s. The event started around approximately 3:00 pm CDT when a supercell over Lake Reno produced the first tornado of the day. This tornado was classified as an F2 and it destroyed five farms with a half a dozen barns being damaged or destroyed, alongside unroofing a home while tipping over another as it passed over Lake Mary in Pope/Douglas county with the path length estimated to be 9 miles.
The second tornado of the day, or better known as the deadliest and most notable tornado of this outbreak was the supercell that produced the infamous St.Cloud/Sauk Rapids F4 tornado. This tornado is labeled as the deadliest tornado in Minnesota history that had 72 fatalities and 213 injuries associated with it. The tornado touched down 5 miles SSW of St.Cloud at 4:20 pm CDT and carved its way through the poorest section of the city, demolishing dozens of homes and killing 24 people. Once it crossed into the Mississippi River, it likely became a multi-vortex tornado in the form of two spirals as described by eye-witness accounts, and proceeded to strengthen in intensity from its temporary immobility on the river. Upon that strengthening, it sucked up the water from the river and left the river bed temporarily dry. In this time, it destroyed two spans of the Sauk Rapids wagon bridge and left most of the remnants at the bottom of the Mississippi upon reaching the maximum width of the tornado at 800 yards or a ½ mile wide. Once the tornado crossed the river, it proceeded to devastate the heart of Sauk Rapids, destroying 4/5ths of the buildings within the city. The damaged structures include the Manitoba freight house, which had sustained complete devastation to fifteen freight cars, the iron rails from the tracks, and the freight house itself, costing $3,000 (1886 USD) worth in freight. The businesses lining the main road were completely destroyed alongside the court house, which is where several county officers were sadly killed. The Union School House, two churches, the post-office, a flour mill, and a large machine shop were completely destroyed within an approximate span of 40 seconds, which unfortunately lead to 37 deaths in Sauk Rapids with a damage total of around $250,000 (1886 USD) with only $4,000 insured.
The tornado continued its path of destruction after it left left Sauk Rapids. The tornado traveled northward and shifted NNW, hitting a wedding party about 4 miles SSE of Rice, sadly killing 11 more people including the groom. The tornado then lifted near Buckman, Minnesota, leaving a 25-mile (40 km) swath of damage and even having pieces of debris found as far away as Brainerd. This tornado caused about ~$400,000 dollars (1886 USD) in total damage, the maximum width was 800 yards (~½ mile), and 72 fatalities with 213 injuries reported.
The third tornado touched down at approximately 4:40 pm CDT in Hubbard, Minnesota. It traveled a distance of 10 miles (16 km) with a maximum width of around 200 yards. This tornado destroyed several barns in its wake and also uprooted hundreds of trees. It sucked up water as it passed Long Lake, injuring 7 people in the process. This tornado was rated an F2 and lifted 2 miles E of Park Rapids. The fourth and final known tornado of the day touched down SW of Little Rock, Minnesota at around 4:50 pm CDT. Upon following the northerly track of these tornadoes, it devastated farm buildings across Buckman and Pierz Townships. It completely destroyed all of the buildings on two farms, unfortunately killing 2 men in the process with a maximum width of 200 yards. As it lifted north of the Pierz Township, the landscape was littered with debris from the F4 tornado that hit St. Cloud/Sauk Rapids 30 minutes prior, alongside local farm debris. It is theorized that this tornado was a twin to the multi-vortex F4 tornado from St. Cloud/Sauk Rapids area due to the close time interval and close proximity to each other. This tornado was rated F4 due to the destruction it left behind in its 14-mile (23 km) path.
Overall, this event had lasting impacts on the communities affected by this outbreak, including St. Cloud becoming the dominant business center in the region, overshadowing the nearly demolished city of Sauk Rapids, winning that long-standing economic competition between the two cities. To this day, it is classified as the deadliest outbreak in Minnesota history with a total of 74 fatalities and 227 injuries recorded. This event serves as a reminder to never underestimate the power of mother nature as well as to be grateful for the technological advancements that allow us to closely predict incoming weather.
Posted August 28, 2026
By Climatology Volunteer Mallory Ellison