Alert archive / Minnesota / Tornado Warnings in 2021

Tornado Warning 6, NWS Twin Cities, MN

May 19, 2021Steele County, Waseca County, Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this tornado warning at May 19, 2021, 7:20 PM CDT for Steele County, Waseca County, Minnesota. It was in force for 25 min. 2 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
May 19, 2021, 7:20 PM CDT (00:20 UTC)
Expired
May 19, 2021, 7:45 PM CDT
In force
25 min
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.0 in

Counties Steele County, MN, Waseca County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 83 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:17 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
May 19, 7:25 PM CDTTORNADO4 W Owatonna, MNCORRECTS APPROXIMATE TIME OF PREVIOUS TORNADO REPORT FROM 4 W OWATONNA. SECOND OF TWO TORNADOES WEST OF OWATONNA. LOCATION APPROXIMATE.
May 19, 7:43 PM CDTTORNADO4 W Owatonna, MNSECOND OF TWO TORNADOES WEST OF OWATONNA. LOCATION APPROXIMATE.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 00:00Z, 0.3 hours before the alert went out and 84 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 2021-05-20Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 412 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 2021-05-20The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 84 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
412 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-10 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
825 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
23 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
84 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
92 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.4

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

790 
WFUS53 KMPX 200020
TORMPX
MNC147-161-200045-
/O.NEW.KMPX.TO.W.0006.210520T0020Z-210520T0045Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
720 PM CDT Wed May 19 2021

The National Weather Service in the Twin Cities has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Northwestern Steele County in south central Minnesota...
  Northeastern Waseca County in south central Minnesota...

* Until 745 PM CDT.
    
* At 720 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located 6 miles west of Owatonna, moving north at 20 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

  IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
           shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. 
           Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree 
           damage is likely.

* This tornadic thunderstorm will remain over mainly rural areas of
  northwestern Steele and northeastern Waseca Counties, including the
  following locations... Deerfield.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest
floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a
mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter
and protect yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 4404 9339 4420 9351 4420 9329 4419 9328
      4404 9330
TIME...MOT...LOC 0020Z 172DEG 19KT 4410 9335 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
HAIL...0.00IN

$$

JRB
2 follow-up statements
845 
WWUS53 KMPX 200022
SVSMPX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
722 PM CDT Wed May 19 2021

MNC147-161-200045-
/O.CON.KMPX.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-210520T0045Z/
Steele MN-Waseca MN-
722 PM CDT Wed May 19 2021

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 745 PM CDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN STEELE AND NORTHEASTERN WASECA COUNTIES...
    
At 721 PM CDT, a confirmed tornado was located 6 miles west of
Owatonna, moving north at 20 mph.

HAZARD...Damaging tornado.

SOURCE...Law enforcement confirmed tornado.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is 
         likely.

Locations impacted include...
Deerfield.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

To repeat, a tornado is on the ground. TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a
basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy
building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in
a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect
yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 4404 9339 4420 9351 4420 9329 4419 9328
      4404 9330
TIME...MOT...LOC 0021Z 172DEG 19KT 4411 9335 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
HAIL...0.00IN

$$

JRB
705 
WWUS53 KMPX 200026
SVSMPX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
726 PM CDT Wed May 19 2021

MNC147-161-200045-
/O.CON.KMPX.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-210520T0045Z/
Steele MN-Waseca MN-
726 PM CDT Wed May 19 2021

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 745 PM CDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN STEELE AND NORTHEASTERN WASECA COUNTIES...
    
At 725 PM CDT, a confirmed tornado was located 6 miles southwest of
Medford, or 7 miles northwest of Owatonna, moving north at 20 mph.

HAZARD...Damaging tornado.

SOURCE...Law enforcement confirmed tornado.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without 
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage 
         to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is 
         likely.

Locations impacted include...
Deerfield.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

To repeat, a tornado is on the ground. TAKE COVER NOW! Move to a
basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy
building. Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in
a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect
yourself from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 4408 9338 4420 9351 4420 9329 4419 9328
      4408 9329
TIME...MOT...LOC 0025Z 172DEG 19KT 4413 9336 

TORNADO...OBSERVED
HAIL...0.00IN

$$

JRB

The office that day

Everything else NWS Twin Cities, MN issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 19, 7:39 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXRice36 min
May 19, 7:58 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXCarver, Le Sueur, Scott, Sibley34 min
May 19, 8:05 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXRice40 min
May 19, 8:25 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedMPXDakota, Scott50 min
May 19, 9:58 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXDakota17 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Minnesota, 2021Every tornado warning in 2021Tornadoes in 2021

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.