RSS Feeds
June 17, 2009: Tornadoes in Southern Minnesota
Event Synopsis | All Storm Reports
After morning rain, a warm front lifted northward into southern Minnesota late on the afternoon of the 17th. The warmer air combined with the pre-existing moisture led to a rapid destabilization of the atmosphere. Several rotating severe thunderstorms known as supercells developed over far south central and southeast Minnesota, generally between 6 pm and 10 pm. These produced multiple tornadoes, most of them weak. One twister was stronger and longer lived, which struck the north side of Austin and was rated an EF-2 on the Enhanced Fujita scale. Please see this page provided by the NWS in La Crosse, WI for more information on that tornado.
These tornadoes were the first of the year in Minnesota. The only years that had a later start to the Minnesota tornado season were 1951 (June 19) and 1952 (June 23).
|
June 17, 2009: 4 pm Surface Weather Map |
|
|
|
June 17: Reflectivity Loop |
|
|
|
June 17: 7:33 pm Chanhassen Doppler Radar 0.5° Reflectivity |
|
|
| Several supercellular thunderstorms, including one near Geneva that produces a weak tornado. This storm would soon strengthen its rotation and produce the Austin area tornado. Note also the storm developing north of Waseca. |
|
June 17: 8:15 pm Chanhassen Doppler Radar 0.5° Reflectivity |
|
|
| Supercellular thunderstorms now look even more impressive. A brief tornado touches down near this time east northeast of Waseca. This is also just after a tornado moved through the north side of Austin. |
The map above and the below listing are of severe weather reports received during or soon after the event by the National Weather Service from local government officials or trained storm spotters. These reports should be considered preliminary and are open to further quality controlling by NWS officials. For reports from across the country, click here.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
650 AM CDT THU JUN 18 2009
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1025 AM HAIL 1 NNE WALTERS 43.62N 93.67W
06/17/2009 E1.25 INCH FARIBAULT MN TRAINED SPOTTER
1050 AM HAIL 3 N EMMONS 43.55N 93.48W
06/17/2009 M1.00 INCH FREEBORN MN TRAINED SPOTTER
1050 AM TSTM WND DMG 3 N EMMONS 43.55N 93.48W
06/17/2009 FREEBORN MN TRAINED SPOTTER
6 INCH BRANCHES DOWN.
0705 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 2 W GENEVA 43.82N 93.31W
06/17/2009 FREEBORN MN LAW ENFORCEMENT
TROOPER REPORTED FUNNEL CLOSE TO GROUND WEST OF I-35 AND
GENEVA.
0722 PM HAIL 6 SSW WASECA 44.01N 93.55W
06/17/2009 E0.75 INCH WASECA MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0725 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 1 W GENEVA 43.82N 93.29W
06/17/2009 FREEBORN MN TRAINED SPOTTER
NEAR I-35 AND FREEBORN CR 35...ROTATING WALL CLOUD WITH
FUNNEL DROPPING TOWARDS THE GROUND.
0727 PM HAIL 5 E FAIRMONT 43.64N 94.36W
06/17/2009 M0.75 INCH MARTIN MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0730 PM TORNADO GENEVA 43.82N 93.27W
06/17/2009 FREEBORN MN LAW ENFORCEMENT
CONDENSATION FUNNEL CLOSE TO GROUND. DEBRIS CLOUD NOTED
DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH. TREES DAMAGED ON EAST EDGE OF
GENEVA.
0742 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 1 E WATERVILLE 44.22N 93.55W
06/17/2009 LE SUEUR MN TRAINED SPOTTER
ROTATING WALL CLOUD AND FUNNEL CLOUD.
0745 PM HAIL 2 N BLOOMING PRAIRIE 43.90N 93.05W
06/17/2009 M1.75 INCH STEELE MN PUBLIC
NICKEL SIZE HAIL ALSO REPORTED
0750 PM HAIL 3 NE WASECA 44.11N 93.46W
06/17/2009 M0.75 INCH WASECA MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0759 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 3 E WASECA 44.08N 93.44W
06/17/2009 WASECA MN TRAINED SPOTTER
ROATATING WALL CLOUD. BETWEEN WASECA AND STEEL COUNTY
LINE.
0802 PM HAIL 3 SW MORRISTOWN 44.20N 93.49W
06/17/2009 E0.75 INCH WASECA MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0803 PM TORNADO 5 NE WASECA 44.13N 93.43W
06/17/2009 WASECA MN AMATEUR RADIO
DEBRIS IN THE AIR AND ON THE GROUND.
0814 PM TORNADO 1 E WASECA 44.08N 93.48W
06/17/2009 WASECA MN STORM CHASER
TOUCHED DOWN ON CLEAR LAKE THEN MOVED ONSHORE. TREE DOWN
BUT NO PROPERTY DAMAGE.
0814 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 1 NE WASECA 44.09N 93.49W
06/17/2009 WASECA MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0818 PM FUNNEL CLOUD OWATONNA 44.09N 93.22W
06/17/2009 STEELE MN TRAINED SPOTTER
ROTATING WALL CLOUD...MULTIPLE FUNNELLS...SOUTHEAST
SIDE...HAVANA TOWNSHIP.
0825 PM HAIL OWATONNA 44.09N 93.22W
06/17/2009 M0.88 INCH STEELE MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0830 PM HAIL 4 NW WASECA 44.12N 93.56W
06/17/2009 E0.88 INCH WASECA MN TRAINED SPOTTER
NEAR 390TH AVENUE AND 110TH STREET.
0837 PM HAIL OWATONNA 44.09N 93.22W
06/17/2009 M1.50 INCH STEELE MN PUBLIC
HAIL REPORTED ON EAST SIDE OF CITY.
0940 PM HAIL 3 NNW MAIDEN ROCK 44.61N 92.34W
06/17/2009 M0.75 INCH PIERCE WI TRAINED SPOTTER
1100 PM HAIL PRESCOTT 44.75N 92.79W
06/17/2009 M1.00 INCH PIERCE WI TRAINED SPOTTER
ALSO 2.5 INCHES OF RAIN SO FAR
1115 PM HAIL 4 S PRESCOTT 44.69N 92.79W
06/17/2009 M2.00 INCH DAKOTA MN TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
$$
