Severe Storms Hammer Minnesota and the Upper Midwest, More Severe Weather Expected Today
MINNESOTA - Strong severe thunderstorms, including a few possible embedded tornadoes, swept across west-central Minnesota on Sunday evening, July 27, causing widespread destruction across multiple communities and leaving tens of thousands without power. The most significant damage was reported in Kandiyohi County, particularly near the towns of Sunburg and New London, where residents awoke Monday to several large trees down across their communities.
In the video footage above, captured from New London and nearby rural areas, you get a sense of just some of the aftermath from the storms, showing roofs torn off barns, a damaged silo, a large tree collapsed onto a home, and numerous roadways closed due to fallen trees and debris. Several large trees were uprooted entirely, blocking travel and damaging property across the region. We’ve also received reports from residents on a lake just south of New London that a tree crashed through their garage roof, their pontoon nearly tipped into the water, and their dock is gone.
As the storms progressed eastward into the Twin Cities Metro, damaging winds ranging from 50 to 66 mph led to widespread power outages, affecting approximately 70,000 residents. As of 8 AM Monday, Xcel is still reporting over 36,700 without power. The storms also brought hail ranging from 1.0 to 1.75 inches in diameter, along with flash flooding reported in areas between Maplewood and Falcon Heights. Utility crews were dispatched overnight to begin restoring power and clearing debris.
Tornado Devastates Eastern South Dakota Farm
A large and violent tornado touched down near the town of Henry, in eastern South Dakota, tearing through open farmland before obliterating a nearby farmstead. Video captured by Doug Kiesling of StormChasingVideos shows massive debris being thrown into the air as the tornado rips through a farmstead. Fortunately, no one was home at the time of the tornado, but a horse had to be euthanized due to injuries sustained during the event.
Another Round of Severe Weather Expected Today
The threat of severe weather isn’t over yet! Another round of dangerous storms is likely later today, with growing confidence in the development of a possible derecho, a fast-moving and long-lasting complex of storms capable of producing widespread wind damage.
In the latest forecast from the Storm Prediction Center (SPC), a Moderate risk (Level 4 out of 5) for severe thunderstorms is in place for eastern South Dakota into west-southwestern Minnesota, with the greatest threat at this time for extreme wind gusts being across an area south of I-94 and along the I-90 corridor.
The primary threat is widespread damaging winds, with gusts exceeding 75 mph possible. Isolated higher wind gusts could be possible.
Additional hazards include line-embedded tornadoes, large hail, and flash flooding.
The derecho is expected to form in eastern South Dakota this afternoon and move into southern Minnesota and northern Iowa by this evening. The Twin Cities Metro is likely to be impacted by this evening. While there is a reasonable certainty that scattered damaging straight-line winds and flash flooding will be possible in the Twin Cities Metro, there is some uncertainty as to how far east the axis for the strongest winds will extend.
In addition to wind and hail threats, heavy rainfall over already saturated ground may result in isolated flash flooding. A slight risk (15%) of excessive rainfall is in place for parts of eastern South Dakota, southern Minnesota, and northern Iowa.
Provided by the NWS Twin Cities.
Be Weather Aware
The NWS Twin Cities urges residents across the region to monitor forecasts and alerts throughout the day closely and to have a plan in place. If warnings are issued, people should be prepared to seek shelter immediately in a sturdy building.
Written by: Will Wight
Graphics provided by the National Weather Service - Twin Cities and the Storm Prediction Center.
