Northeast Minnesota Severe Thunderstorms, May 18, 2022

enhanced radar image
Radar image from May 18, 2022 at 3 PM CDT, showing severe thunderstorms moving through northeastern Minnesota, with storm report icons from entire event overlaid.
Source: NOAA/National Weather Service

The active severe weather pattern of May set its sights on the northeastern quarter of Minnesota, damaging some trees and powerlines on Wednesday May 18, 2022.

The storms formed as a weak front and disturbance moved through the state during the afternoon and evening. Strong winds aloft and rapid temperature changes with height allowed scattered thunderstorms to develop over central and north-central Minnesota, intensifying as they pushed eastward. Small hail, generally 3/4-inch in diameter or less, was common, but the biggest impacts were from strong downburst winds and also from one confirmed tornado in St. Louis County.

The thunderstorm downburst wind damage, generally in the form of power outages from downed lines, broken limbs, and uprooted trees, was scattered from near Grand Rapids, towards Aitkin, and into the communities of Saginaw and Twig, to the west of Duluth. More substantial damage occurred to the north and northeast of Rice Lake, in the inland portions of southeastern St. Louis County. Here swaths of trees were bent or broken, and the National Weather Service in Duluth attributed this damage to an EF-0 tornado that tracked approximately three miles through mostly wooded areas.

Following is a preliminary damage report from the National Weather Service office in Duluth.

 

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN  
856 AM CDT THU MAY 19 2022  
.TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON  
.DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.  
..REMARKS..  
0331 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     1 ESE MCGREGOR          46.61N 93.29W  
05/18/2022                   AITKIN             MN   PUBLIC             
REPORTER DESCRIBED LOWERING AND SPINNING OF   
CLOUDS UNDER CELL NEAR MCGREGOR.   
0430 PM     HAIL             6 SW FINLAYSON          46.15N 93.03W  
05/18/2022  U0.75 INCH       PINE               MN   PUBLIC             
REPORT FROM MPING: DIME (0.75 IN.).   
0152 PM     HAIL             MARCELL                 47.60N 93.69W  
05/18/2022  U0.75 INCH       ITASCA             MN   PUBLIC             
REPORT FROM MPING: DIME (0.75 IN.).   
0156 PM     HAIL             5 NE DEER RIVER         47.40N 93.72W  
05/18/2022  U0.75 INCH       ITASCA             MN   PUBLIC             
REPORT FROM MPING: DIME (0.75 IN.).   
0233 PM     HAIL             4 SW COHASSET           47.22N 93.67W  
05/18/2022  U0.75 INCH       ITASCA             MN   PUBLIC             
REPORT FROM MPING: DIME (0.75 IN.).   
0234 PM     HAIL             3 E BREVIK              47.09N 94.22W  
05/18/2022  E1.00 INCH       CASS               MN   TRAINED SPOTTER    
0305 PM     HAIL             1 NNE LAKE SHORE        46.51N 94.35W  
05/18/2022  E0.50 INCH       CASS               MN   TRAINED SPOTTER    
0305 PM     HAIL             1 W NISSWA              46.51N 94.32W  
05/18/2022  E0.50 INCH       CROW WING          MN   PUBLIC             
0323 PM     HAIL             EAST GULL LAKE          46.41N 94.35W  
05/18/2022  E0.88 INCH       CASS               MN   PUBLIC             
0335 PM     HAIL             1 W EAST GULL LAKE      46.41N 94.37W  
05/18/2022  E0.25 INCH       CASS               MN   PUBLIC             
0335 PM     HAIL             1 W TAMARACK            46.65N 93.14W  
05/18/2022  E0.88 INCH       AITKIN             MN   TRAINED SPOTTER    
0338 PM     HAIL             TAMARACK                46.65N 93.12W  
05/18/2022  E0.88 INCH       AITKIN             MN   PUBLIC             
COATING THE GROUND.   
0354 PM     HAIL             2 SW SCANLON            46.69N 92.46W  
05/18/2022  E0.50 INCH       CARLTON            MN   PUBLIC             
0359 PM     HAIL             7 SW FLOODWOOD          46.86N 93.02W  
05/18/2022  E0.50 INCH       ST. LOUIS          MN   PUBLIC             
0412 PM     HAIL             1 S WRIGHT              46.66N 93.01W  
05/18/2022  U0.75 INCH       CARLTON            MN   PUBLIC             
REPORT FROM MPING: DIME (0.75 IN.).   
0414 PM     HAIL             1 NNE HERMANTOWN        46.82N 92.24W  
05/18/2022  M0.50 INCH       ST. LOUIS          MN   PUBLIC             
0415 PM     HAIL             3 ESE HERMANTOWN        46.79N 92.18W  
05/18/2022  M0.25 INCH       ST. LOUIS          MN   TRAINED SPOTTER    
0418 PM     HAIL             3 W FOND DU LAC         46.67N 92.33W  
05/18/2022  E0.25 INCH       CARLTON            MN   TRAINED SPOTTER    
0424 PM     HAIL             3 ENE HERMANTOWN        46.82N 92.19W  
05/18/2022  E0.75 INCH       ST. LOUIS          MN   NWS EMPLOYEE       
0439 PM     HAIL             KNIFE RIVER             46.95N 91.78W  
05/18/2022  E0.50 INCH       LAKE               MN   TRAINED SPOTTER    
0500 PM     HAIL             SANDSTONE               46.13N 92.86W  
05/18/2022  E1.00 INCH       PINE               MN   PUBLIC             
0517 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 WSW GRAND RAPIDS      47.22N 93.56W  
05/18/2022                   ITASCA             MN   PUBLIC             
REPORT FROM MPING: 3-INCH TREE LIMBS BROKEN;   
POWER POLES BROKEN.   
0235 PM     TSTM WND DMG     12 N GRAND RAPIDS       47.41N 93.49W  
05/18/2022                   ITASCA             MN   CO-OP OBSERVER     
REPORTS OF SEVERAL TREES DOWN AROUND 4 TO 5   
INCHES IN DIAMETER. POWERLINES WERE ALSO   
DOWN DUE TO TREES FALLING ON THEM, THOUGH   
THE NUMBER OF POWERLINES DOWN IS NOT KNOWN.   
TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.   
0245 PM     TSTM WND DMG     8 SSW BLACKBERRY        47.07N 93.45W  
05/18/2022                   ITASCA             MN   PUBLIC             
CORRECTS PREVIOUS TSTM WND DMG REPORT FROM 8   
SSW BLACKBERRY. BROKEN LARGE TREE BRANCH, A   
TABLE UMBRELLA LOOKS LIKE IT EITHER FELL ON   
OR THROUGH THE TABLE.   
0305 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 E CROSSLAKE           46.69N 94.03W  
05/18/2022                   CROW WING          MN   PUBLIC             
THREE SECTIONS OF DOCK WERE BLOWN INTO   
GOODRICH LAKE BY THE WIND. RELAYED VIA   
SOCIAL MEDIA. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.   
0310 PM     TSTM WND DMG     AITKIN                  46.53N 93.71W  
05/18/2022                   AITKIN             MN   PUBLIC             
TREES DOWN - AROUND A FOOT IN DIAMETER,   
HEALTHY TREE, SNAPPED A COUPLE FEET FROM THE   
GROUND.   
0315 PM     TSTM WND DMG     5 W WEALTHWOOD          46.37N 93.75W  
05/18/2022                   AITKIN             MN   PUBLIC             
TREES DOWN ACROSS A ROAD. SNAPPED WITH A   
ABOUT 20 INCH DIAMETER.   
0347 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 WNW SAGINAW           46.87N 92.47W  
05/18/2022                   ST. LOUIS          MN   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE   
REPORT FROM GRAND LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT   
SOCIAL MEDIA. NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER LINES   
DOWN ACROSS ROADS. TIME ESTIMATED FROM   
RADAR.   
0350 PM     TSTM WND DMG     6 SW LAWLER             46.48N 93.27W  
05/18/2022                   AITKIN             MN   PUBLIC             
A FEW ROOF SINGLES BLOWN OFF A HOME.   
0354 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 SE TWIG               46.87N 92.33W  
05/18/2022                   ST. LOUIS          MN   PUBLIC             
LARGE TREE ON POWERLINE NEAR A1 GARDEN   
CENTER.   
0355 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 SSW SAGINAW           46.84N 92.45W  
05/18/2022                   ST. LOUIS          MN   PUBLIC             
LARGE PINE TREE UPROOTED. TIME APPROXIMATED   
BY RADAR. RELAYED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.   
0355 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 S PAYNE               47.08N 92.59W  
05/18/2022                   ST. LOUIS          MN   TRAINED SPOTTER    
TREE DAMAGE AND POWER OUTAGES WERE REPORTED   
IN THE EASTERN PART OF MEADOWLAND TOWNSHIP.   
0357 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 WSW SAGINAW           46.85N 92.51W  
05/18/2022                   ST. LOUIS          MN   PUBLIC             
MULTIPLE PICTURES VIA SOCIAL MEDIA OF   
NUMEROUS LARGE TREES WITH AN ESTIMATED   
DIAMETER OF OVER 1 FOOT DOWN OR BENT OVER.   
SOME TREES WERE UPROOTED AND OTHERS WERE   
SNAPPED NEAR THE BASE. TIME ESTIMATED FROM   
RADAR.   
0400 PM     TSTM WND DMG     TWIG                    46.89N 92.37W  
05/18/2022                   ST. LOUIS          MN   PUBLIC             
MULTIPLE SMALL BRANCHES DOWN, A FEW LARGE   
BRANCHES. WIND LASTED LESS THAN 5 MINUTES. A   
SMALL AMOUNT OF PEA SIZED HAIL.   
0406 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 S KETTLE RIVER        46.47N 92.88W  
05/18/2022                   CARLTON            MN   PUBLIC             
UPDATES PREVIOUS TSTM WND DMG REPORT FROM 1   
S KETTLE RIVER. OBSERVER REPORTS TREES OF   
FOUR, FIVE, AND EIGHT INCHES IN DIAMETER   
BLOWN DOWN OVER HIGHWAY 73 SOUTH OF KETTLE   
RIVER. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.   
0406 PM     TSTM WND DMG     TWIG                    46.90N 92.36W  
05/18/2022                   ST. LOUIS          MN   PUBLIC             
REPORT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA WITH PICTURE OF   
HEALTHY SPRUCE TREE DOWN WITH ADDITIONAL   
DECIDUOUS TREE BRANCHES ON THE GROUND AROUND   
IT. TIME ESTIMATED VIA RADAR.   
0406 PM     TSTM WND DMG     TWIG                    46.89N 92.36W  
05/18/2022                   ST. LOUIS          MN   PUBLIC             
TREES UPROOTED. POWER OUTAGES.   
0410 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 SE TWIG               46.87N 92.33W  
05/18/2022                   ST. LOUIS          MN   PUBLIC             
REPORT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA WITH PHOTO. LARGE   
PINE TREE DOWN ACROSS POWER LINES AND ROAD   
NEAR A PLUS GARDEN CENTER. TIME ESTIMATED   
FROM RADAR AND NEARBY OBSERVATIONS.   
0412 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 ESE TWIG              46.87N 92.28W  
05/18/2022                   ST. LOUIS          MN   PUBLIC             
REPORT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA WITH PHOTO. LARGE   
TREE HALF SNAPPED OFF NEAR THE BASE AND HALF   
UPROOTED. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR AND   
NEARBY OBSERVATIONS.   
0412 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 ESE TWIG              46.87N 92.28W  
05/18/2022                   ST. LOUIS          MN   BROADCAST MEDIA    
LARGE TREE DOWN AND FALLEN ACROSS UPPER   
BALCONY PORCH OF A HOUSE ALONG PIKE LAKE.   
PHOTO VIA KBJR REPORT. TIME ESTIMATED FROM   
RADAR AND NEARBY OBSERVATIONS.   
0416 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 NNE RICE LAKE         46.94N 92.08W  
05/18/2022                   ST. LOUIS          MN   PUBLIC             
REPORT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA WITH PHOTO OF   
NUMEROUS LARGE PINE TREES DOWN. OBSERVER   
REPORTS THEY LOST SWATHS OF TREES THROUGH   
THE WOODS. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR.   
0543 PM     TSTM WND DMG     STURGEON LAKE           46.38N 92.83W  
05/18/2022                   PINE               MN   PUBLIC             
PATIO FURNITURE TIPPED OVER - METAL CHAIRS   
AND A METAL TABLE.   

 

May 20, 2022

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