Alert archive / Minnesota / Tornado Warnings in 2025

Tornado Warning 2, NWS Sioux Falls, SD

May 15, 2025Murray County, Pipestone County, Minnesota

NWS Sioux Falls, SD issued this tornado warning at May 15, 2025, 3:11 AM CDT for Murray County, Pipestone County, Minnesota. It was in force for 12 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 15, 2025, 3:11 AM CDT (08:11 UTC)
Expired: May 15, 2025, 3:23 AM CDT
In force: 12 min
Issued by: NWS Sioux Falls, SD
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 0.75 in

Counties Murray County, MN, Pipestone County, MN

The radar

The Sioux Falls radar (KFSD), 78 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 08:13 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.

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
May 15, 1:36 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Aberdeen, SD (KABR), launched 00:00Z, 8.2 hours before the alert went out and 209 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 194 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: -24 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL: 2669 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 15 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 2 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 5 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

833 
WFUS53 KFSD 150811
TORFSD
MNC101-117-150845-
/O.NEW.KFSD.TO.W.0002.250515T0811Z-250515T0845Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
311 AM CDT Thu May 15 2025

The National Weather Service in Sioux Falls has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Eastern Pipestone County in southwestern Minnesota...
  Northwestern Murray County in southwestern Minnesota...

* Until 345 AM CDT.

* At 311 AM CDT, severe thunderstorms capable of producing both
  tornadoes and extensive straight line wind damage were located near
  Pipestone, moving northeast at 45 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...
  Holland and Woodstock around 315 AM CDT.
  Ruthton around 320 AM CDT.
  Current Lake around 325 AM CDT.

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 4408 9578 4389 9625 4398 9636 4420 9607
      4420 9595
TIME...MOT...LOC 0811Z 232DEG 38KT 4398 9622 

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

$$

IG

1 follow-up statement

388 
WWUS53 KFSD 150823
SVSFSD

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
323 AM CDT Thu May 15 2025

MNC101-117-150831-
/O.CAN.KFSD.TO.W.0002.000000T0000Z-250515T0845Z/
Pipestone MN-Murray MN-
323 AM CDT Thu May 15 2025

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EASTERN PIPESTONE AND NORTHWESTERN MURRAY
COUNTIES IS CANCELLED...

The tornado threat has diminished and the Tornado Warning has been
cancelled. However, large hail and damaging winds remain likely and a
Severe Thunderstorm Warning remains in effect for the area.  However,
gusty winds and heavy rain are still possible with this thunderstorm.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 900 AM CDT for
southwestern Minnesota.

To report severe weather, contact your nearest law enforcement
agency. They will relay your report to the National Weather Service
Sioux Falls.

Remember, a Severe Thunderstorm Warning still remains in effect for 
portions of Brookings, Lincoln, Lyon, Moody, Rock, Nobles, Pipestone 
and Murray county through 415 am.

&&

LAT...LON 4408 9578 4389 9625 4398 9636 4420 9607
      4420 9595
TIME...MOT...LOC 0819Z 232DEG 38KT 4405 9610 

$$

IG

The office that day

Everything else NWS Sioux Falls, SD issued on the same UTC day.

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
May 15, 3:06 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	FSD	Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Rock	69 min
May 15, 2:15 PM CDT	Wind Advisory	FSD	Jackson, Nobles, Rock	29 hr

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Minnesota, 2025 Every tornado warning in 2025 Tornadoes in 2025

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.