Alert archive / Minnesota / Tornado Warnings in 2025

Tornado Warning 7, NWS Sioux Falls, SD

July 18, 2025Cottonwood County, Minnesota

NWS Sioux Falls, SD issued this tornado warning at Jul 18, 2025, 11:11 PM CDT for Cottonwood County, Minnesota. It was in force for 49 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
Jul 18, 2025, 11:11 PM CDT (04:11 UTC)
Expired
Jul 19, 2025, 12:00 AM CDT
In force
49 min
Issued by
NWS Sioux Falls, SD
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
1.25 in

County Cottonwood County, MN

The radar

The Sioux Falls radar (KFSD), 143 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 04:14 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
Jul 18, 8:06 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 00:00Z, 4.2 hours before the alert went out and 146 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 2025-07-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 12 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 00:00Z on 2025-07-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 139 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
12 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-337 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
936 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
55 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
139 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
192 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

298 
WFUS53 KFSD 190411
TORFSD
MNC033-190500-
/O.NEW.KFSD.TO.W.0007.250719T0411Z-250719T0500Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
1111 PM CDT Fri Jul 18 2025

The National Weather Service in Sioux Falls has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Central Cottonwood County in southwestern Minnesota...

* Until midnight CDT.

* At 1110 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a
  tornado was located near Jeffers, or 17 miles north of Windom,
  moving southeast at 20 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado and half dollar size hail.

  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...
  Jeffers around 1115 PM 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.

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

&&

LAT...LON 4391 9507 4411 9531 4419 9520 4416 9510
      4411 9509 4411 9492 4409 9486
TIME...MOT...LOC 0410Z 303DEG 16KT 4412 9519 

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.25 IN

$$

IG
3 follow-up statements
122 
WWUS53 KFSD 190431
SVSFSD

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
1131 PM CDT Fri Jul 18 2025

MNC033-190500-
/O.CON.KFSD.TO.W.0007.000000T0000Z-250719T0500Z/
Cottonwood MN-
1131 PM CDT Fri Jul 18 2025

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT FOR EASTERN
COTTONWOOD COUNTY...

At 1131 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Jeffers, or 13 miles north of Windom, moving
southeast 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
eastern Cottonwood County, including the following locations...
Delft.

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.

If a tornado or other severe weather is spotted, report it to the
National Weather Service or your local nearest law enforcement agency
who will send your report. This act may save lives of others in the
path of dangerous weather.

&&

LAT...LON 4391 9507 4407 9520 4413 9510 4411 9510
      4411 9492 4409 9486
TIME...MOT...LOC 0431Z 303DEG 16KT 4407 9508 

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

$$

IG
620 
WWUS53 KFSD 190442
SVSFSD

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
1142 PM CDT Fri Jul 18 2025

MNC033-190500-
/O.CON.KFSD.TO.W.0007.000000T0000Z-250719T0500Z/
Cottonwood MN-
1142 PM CDT Fri Jul 18 2025

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CDT FOR EAST
CENTRAL COTTONWOOD COUNTY...

At 1142 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 7 miles northwest of Mountain Lake, or 11 miles northeast
of Windom, moving east 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
east central Cottonwood County.

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.

If a tornado or other severe weather is spotted, report it to the
National Weather Service or your local nearest law enforcement agency
who will send your report. This act may save lives of others in the
path of dangerous weather.

&&

LAT...LON 4396 9501 4404 9511 4410 9504 4409 9486
TIME...MOT...LOC 0442Z 288DEG 19KT 4402 9502 

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

$$

IG
567 
WWUS53 KFSD 190453
SVSFSD

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
1153 PM CDT Fri Jul 18 2025

MNC033-190502-
/O.EXP.KFSD.TO.W.0007.000000T0000Z-250719T0500Z/
Cottonwood MN-
1153 PM CDT Fri Jul 18 2025

...THE TORNADO WARNING FOR EAST CENTRAL COTTONWOOD COUNTY WILL EXPIRE
AT MIDNIGHT CDT...

The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe
limits, and no longer appears capable of producing a tornado.
Therefore, the warning will be allowed to expire.  However, small
hail and heavy rain are still possible with this thunderstorm.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 300 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 Cottonwood County through 1215 am.

&&

LAT...LON 4396 9501 4404 9511 4410 9504 4409 9486
TIME...MOT...LOC 0452Z 303DEG 16KT 4400 9497 

$$

IG

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 18, 8:05 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDLyon25 min
Jul 18, 9:16 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningFSDLincoln, Lyon5 hr
Jul 18, 9:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDLyon, Murray48 min
Jul 18, 10:13 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDCottonwood, Lyon, Murray62 min
Jul 18, 10:39 PM CDTTornado WarningFSDCottonwood36 min
Jul 18, 11:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDCottonwood24 min
Jul 19, 1:56 AM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningFSDJackson49 min

Nearby

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