Alert archive / Minnesota / Tornado Warnings in 2025

Tornado Warning 6, NWS Twin Cities, MN

April 28, 20254 counties in Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this tornado warning at Apr 28, 2025, 5:20 PM CDT for 4 counties in 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: Apr 28, 2025, 5:20 PM CDT (22:20 UTC)
Expired: Apr 28, 2025, 5:45 PM CDT
In force: 25 min
Issued by: NWS Twin Cities, MN
Area: Storm-based polygon
Tornado: Radar indicated
Hail: 1.0 in

Counties Le Sueur County, MN, Rice County, MN, Steele County, MN, Waseca County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 75 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:20 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

Time	Report	Where	Remark
Apr 28, 5:38 PM CDT	TORNADO	3 E Morristown, MN	Delayed report A group of trees sustained damage and an outbuilding lost roof and wall panels.
Apr 28, 5:40 PM CDT	TSTM WND DMG	3 E Morristown, MN	Delayed report, time estimated from radar. Roof blown off shed near 250th Street east of Morristown.

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

The watch it was issued in

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

Issued	Product	Office	Lasted
Apr 28, 3:27 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	8 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 10.3 hours before the alert went out and 76 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: 0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 592 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 44 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 323 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity: 334 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter: 0.0
Supercell composite: 0.5

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

674 
WFUS53 KMPX 282220
TORMPX
MNC079-131-147-161-282245-
/O.NEW.KMPX.TO.W.0006.250428T2220Z-250428T2245Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
520 PM CDT Mon Apr 28 2025

The National Weather Service in the Twin Cities has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Southeastern Le Sueur County in south central Minnesota...
  Southwestern Rice County in south central Minnesota...
  Northwestern Steele County in south central Minnesota...
  Northern Waseca County in south central Minnesota...

* Until 545 PM CDT.

* At 520 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a 
  tornado was located 5 miles northwest of Waseca, or 19 miles west 
  of Owatonna, moving northeast at 60 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado and quarter 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.

* Locations impacted include...
  Faribault, Waseca, Janesville, Waterville, Medford, Morristown, 
  Elysian, Warsaw, Clinton Falls, Deerfield, Sakatah Lake State Park 
  and Faribault Airport.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a well-built 
building away from 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 9369 4418 9371 4439 9332 4417 9308
TIME...MOT...LOC 2219Z 239DEG 52KT 4411 9362

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

CTG

1 follow-up statement

926 
WWUS53 KMPX 282235
SVSMPX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
535 PM CDT Mon Apr 28 2025

MNC079-282245-
/O.CAN.KMPX.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-250428T2245Z/
Le Sueur MN-
535 PM CDT Mon Apr 28 2025

...TORNADO WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR SOUTHEASTERN LE SUEUR COUNTY...

The storm which prompted the warning has moved out of the area. 
Therefore, the warning has been cancelled. However, small hail and 
gusty winds are still possible with this thunderstorm.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1100 PM CDT for a portion of 
south central Minnesota.

&&

LAT...LON 4420 9353 4427 9353 4439 9332 4417 9308
      4409 9351 4420 9355
TIME...MOT...LOC 2220Z 239DEG 52KT 4412 9360

$$


MNC131-147-161-282245-
/O.CON.KMPX.TO.W.0006.000000T0000Z-250428T2245Z/
Rice MN-Steele MN-Waseca MN-
535 PM CDT Mon Apr 28 2025

...TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 545 PM CDT FOR 
SOUTHWESTERN RICE, NORTHWESTERN STEELE AND NORTHEASTERN WASECA 
COUNTIES...

At 535 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado 
was located near Warsaw, or 5 miles southwest of Faribault, moving 
northeast at 60 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and quarter 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.

Locations impacted include...
  Faribault, Waseca, Medford, Morristown, Warsaw, Clinton Falls, 
  Deerfield, Faribault Airport and Sakatah Lake State Park.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a well-built 
building away from 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 4420 9353 4427 9353 4439 9332 4417 9308
      4409 9351 4420 9355
TIME...MOT...LOC 2220Z 239DEG 52KT 4412 9360

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

CTG

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 28, 7:44 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	MPX	Wright	31 min
Apr 28, 8:18 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	MPX	Wright	27 min
Apr 28, 8:28 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	MPX	Kandiyohi	32 min
Apr 28, 9:24 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	MPX	Ramsey, Washington	36 min
Apr 28, 3:09 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Brown, Watonwan	36 min
Apr 28, 3:39 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MPX	Meeker, Stearns, Wright	36 min
Apr 28, 3:45 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Blue Earth, Brown, Nicollet, Watonwan	45 min
Apr 28, 3:53 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Martin	67 min
Apr 28, 4:10 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Benton, Morrison, Stearns	35 min
Apr 28, 4:14 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MPX	Benton, Sherburne, Stearns, Wright	31 min
Apr 28, 4:24 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	MPX	Blue Earth, Faribault, Martin	36 min
Apr 28, 4:38 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Blue Earth, Le Sueur, Rice, Scott, Waseca	37 min
Apr 28, 4:43 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MPX	Benton, Isanti, Mille Lacs, Sherburne	22 min
Apr 28, 4:52 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Blue Earth, Faribault, Freeborn, Martin, Waseca	38 min
Apr 28, 5:00 PM CDT	Tornado Warning Tornado observed	MPX	Blue Earth, Faribault, Waseca	45 min
Apr 28, 5:29 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Blue Earth, Faribault, Freeborn, Martin, Steele, Waseca	46 min
Apr 28, 5:41 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MPX	Steele	19 min
Apr 28, 5:44 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MPX	Goodhue, Rice	31 min
Apr 28, 5:56 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MPX	Goodhue, Rice, Steele	34 min
Apr 28, 6:15 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Goodhue, Rice, Steele	45 min
Apr 28, 6:15 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Faribault, Freeborn, Steele, Waseca	45 min
Apr 28, 6:24 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MPX	Faribault, Freeborn	36 min
Apr 28, 6:28 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Goodhue	47 min
Apr 28, 6:56 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Faribault, Freeborn, Steele	34 min

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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.