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Tornado Confirmed as Giant Hail Strikes Southern Minnesota

Forecasters expect the severe threat to shift into southeast Minnesota on Tuesday.

Overview

  • A tornadic storm produced a confirmed touchdown near Hartland in Faribault County at about 7:20 p.m. CDT Monday, with video from storm chasers showing the funnel on the ground.
  • The National Weather Service issued numerous simultaneous tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings across southern Minnesota in what officials described as an unusually busy evening.
  • Meteorologists identified a rotating supercell west of Amboy that spawned the tornado and sustained the outbreak as it tracked through Blue Earth and nearby counties.
  • Reports from trained spotters and the public logged very large hail up to 3.00 inches in Steele, Blue Earth, and Rice counties, with stones described as tennis-ball to teacup size that can smash car windows and dent roofs.
  • Torrential rain triggered flash flood warnings in parts of the region, and authorities urged residents to shelter, avoid travel during warnings, and monitor updates as storms evolved.