Alert archive / Minnesota / Tornado Warnings in 2024

Tornado Warning 3, NWS Twin Cities, MN

May 21, 2024Le Sueur County, Waseca County, Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this tornado warning at May 21, 2024, 4:31 PM CDT for Le Sueur County, Waseca County, Minnesota. It was in force for 33 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued.

The facts

Issued
May 21, 2024, 4:31 PM CDT (21:31 UTC)
Expired
May 21, 2024, 5:04 PM CDT
In force
33 min
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.75 in

Counties Le Sueur County, MN, Waseca County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 71 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:32 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.

The watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 21, 1:14 PM CDTTornado Watch PDSSPC8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 9.5 hours before the alert went out and 71 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 12:00Z on 2024-05-21Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 67 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 2024-05-21The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 38 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
67 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-85 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
840 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
17 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
38 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
30 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

454 
WFUS53 KMPX 212131
TORMPX
MNC079-161-212215-
/O.NEW.KMPX.TO.W.0003.240521T2131Z-240521T2215Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
431 PM CDT Tue May 21 2024

The National Weather Service in the Twin Cities has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Southeastern Le Sueur County in south central Minnesota...
  Northwestern Waseca County in south central Minnesota...

* Until 515 PM CDT.

* At 431 PM CDT, severe thunderstorms capable of producing a tornado
  were located along a line extending from Elysian to near St. Clair,
  moving northeast at 40 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.

* These dangerous storms will be near...
  Janesville, Waterville, and Elysian around 435 PM CDT.
  Montgomery around 455 PM CDT.

Other locations impacted by these tornadic storms include Lake
Jefferson, Kilkenny, Smiths Mill, Greenland, and Sakatah Lake State
Park.

This includes U.S. Highway 14 between mile markers 144 and 148.
 
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 4406 9377 4424 9377 4424 9388 4451 9353
      4420 9353
TIME...MOT...LOC 2131Z 210DEG 33KT 4419 9370 4411 9379 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN

$$

Borghoff
3 follow-up statements
419 
WWUS53 KMPX 212143
SVSMPX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
443 PM CDT Tue May 21 2024

MNC079-161-212215-
/O.CON.KMPX.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-240521T2215Z/
Le Sueur MN-Waseca MN-
443 PM CDT Tue May 21 2024

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 515 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN LE SUEUR AND NORTHWESTERN WASECA COUNTIES...

At 442 PM CDT, severe thunderstorms capable of producing tornadoes
were located along a line extending from 5 miles northwest of
Waterville to near Elysian, moving northeast at 40 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.

These dangerous storms will be near...
  Montgomery around 450 PM CDT.

Other locations impacted by these tornadic storms include Lake
Jefferson, Kilkenny, Smiths Mill, Greenland, and Sakatah Lake State
Park.

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 4406 9377 4424 9377 4424 9388 4451 9353
      4420 9353
TIME...MOT...LOC 2142Z 207DEG 35KT 4430 9363 4422 9372 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN

$$

Borghoff
762 
WWUS53 KMPX 212153
SVSMPX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
453 PM CDT Tue May 21 2024

MNC079-161-212215-
/O.CON.KMPX.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-240521T2215Z/
Le Sueur MN-Waseca MN-
453 PM CDT Tue May 21 2024

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 515 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN LE SUEUR AND NORTHWESTERN WASECA COUNTIES...

At 452 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Janesville, or 13 miles east of Mankato, moving
northeast at 60 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 dangerous storm will be near...
  Waterville and Elysian around 500 PM CDT.

Other locations impacted by this tornadic thunderstorm include
Kilkenny, Smiths Mill, Greenland, and Sakatah Lake State Park.

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 4406 9377 4424 9377 4451 9353 4420 9353
TIME...MOT...LOC 2152Z 228DEG 52KT 4413 9371 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN

$$

Borghoff
718 
WWUS53 KMPX 212204
SVSMPX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
504 PM CDT Tue May 21 2024

MNC079-161-212213-
/O.CAN.KMPX.TO.W.0003.000000T0000Z-240521T2215Z/
Le Sueur MN-Waseca MN-
504 PM CDT Tue May 21 2024

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN LE SUEUR AND NORTHWESTERN
WASECA COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe
limits, and no longer appears capable of producing a tornado.
Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 900 PM CDT for south central
Minnesota.

&&

LAT...LON 4406 9377 4424 9377 4451 9353 4420 9353
TIME...MOT...LOC 2202Z 210DEG 33KT 4422 9364 

$$

Borghoff

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 20, 8:01 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXGoodhue29 min
May 20, 8:30 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXGoodhue30 min
May 20, 9:08 PM CDTRiver Flood WarningMPXRedwood, Renville25 hr
May 20, 9:37 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXFreeborn23 min
May 20, 10:45 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXSibley45 min
May 20, 11:08 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXMartin37 min
May 20, 11:24 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXBrown, Redwood, Renville, Sibley36 min
May 20, 11:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatMPXMartin33 min
May 20, 11:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXMcLeod, Renville, Sibley25 min
May 21, 12:18 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXRice27 min
May 21, 12:34 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXMcLeod26 min
May 21, 1:27 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXChisago33 min
May 21, 1:54 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXChisago36 min
May 21, 3:59 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXBlue Earth, Faribault, Martin46 min
May 21, 4:17 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXFaribault, Freeborn, Steele, Waseca43 min
May 21, 4:26 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXBlue Earth34 min
May 21, 4:41 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMPXBlue Earth, Martin, Nicollet, Watonwan3 hr
May 21, 4:46 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXGoodhue44 min
May 21, 4:50 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXGoodhue, Rice, Steele40 min
May 21, 4:53 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXFreeborn, Steele46 min
May 21, 5:20 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXDakota, Goodhue22 min
May 21, 5:21 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXHennepin, Ramsey, Washington54 min
May 21, 6:34 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXRamsey56 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Minnesota, 2024Every tornado warning in 2024Tornadoes in 2024

Sources

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