Alert archive / Minnesota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 71, NWS La Crosse, WI
NWS La Crosse, WI issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 17, 2026, 10:35 PM CDT for Mower County, Minnesota. It was in force for 40 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 17, 2026, 10:35 PM CDT (03:35 UTC)
- Expired
- May 17, 2026, 11:15 PM CDT
- In force
- 40 min
- Issued by
- NWS La Crosse, WI
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Hail
- 0.75 in
- Wind
- 60.0 mph
County Mower County, MN
The radar
The La Crosse radar (KARX), 124 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 03:35 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 17, 10:42 PM CDT | TSTM WND GST 63 | 2 Wsw Austin, MN | |
| May 17, 10:57 PM CDT | TSTM WND GST 61 | Austin Airport, MN |
Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.
Did it verify
Verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow matched 2 storm reports to this severe thunderstorm warning; the first came 7 minutes after it went out.
Cow counts a report within 15 km of the polygon while the warning was in force: a tornado for a tornado warning; hail of 1 inch or more, a gust of 58 mph or more or wind damage for a severe thunderstorm warning; a flash flood report for a flash flood warning.
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 17, 6:12 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 00:00Z, 3.6 hours before the alert went out and 144 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 0 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- No buoyant parcel
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1101 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 42 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 154 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 237 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted.
510
WUUS53 KARX 180335
SVRARX
MNC099-180415-
/O.NEW.KARX.SV.W.0071.260518T0335Z-260518T0415Z/
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
1035 PM CDT Sun May 17 2026
The National Weather Service in La Crosse has issued a
* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
Mower County in southeastern Minnesota...
* Until 1115 PM CDT.
* At 1035 PM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line
extending from near New Richland to near London to near Nora
Springs, moving northeast at 60 mph.
HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.
* Severe thunderstorms will be near...
Austin around 1040 PM CDT.
Brownsdale around 1050 PM CDT.
Grand Meadow around 1100 PM CDT.
Le Roy around 1105 PM CDT.
Other locations impacted by these severe thunderstorms include
Sargeant, County Roads 1 And 7, Mapleview, Lansing, Brookside
Campground, Mayville, and Elkton.
This includes Interstate 90 in Minnesota between mile markers 175 and
204.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 100 AM CDT for northeastern
Iowa...and southeastern Minnesota.
&&
LAT...LON 4385 9305 4385 9269 4383 9269 4383 9245
4350 9245 4350 9255 4362 9255 4361 9305
TIME...MOT...LOC 0335Z 231DEG 52KT 4392 9353 4348 9307 4307 9305
HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH
$$
Falkinham2 follow-up statements
966
WWUS53 KARX 180351
SVSARX
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
1051 PM CDT Sun May 17 2026
MNC099-180415-
/O.CON.KARX.SV.W.0071.000000T0000Z-260518T0415Z/
Mower MN-
1051 PM CDT Sun May 17 2026
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1115 PM CDT
FOR MOWER COUNTY...
At 1050 PM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line
extending from near Owatonna to Rose Creek to near Osage, moving
northeast at 65 mph.
HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.
These severe storms will be near...
Brownsdale around 1055 PM CDT.
Grand Meadow around 1100 PM CDT.
Le Roy around 1105 PM CDT.
Other locations impacted by these severe thunderstorms include
Sargeant, County Roads 1 And 7, Mapleview, Lansing, Brookside
Campground, Mayville, and Elkton.
This includes Interstate 90 in Minnesota between mile markers 175 and
204.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 100 AM CDT for northeastern
Iowa...and southeastern Minnesota.
For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.
&&
LAT...LON 4385 9305 4385 9269 4383 9269 4383 9245
4350 9245 4350 9255 4362 9255 4361 9305
TIME...MOT...LOC 0350Z 231DEG 55KT 4406 9329 4362 9283 4321 9281
HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH
$$
Falkinham260
WWUS53 KARX 180402
SVSARX
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
1102 PM CDT Sun May 17 2026
MNC099-180415-
/O.CON.KARX.SV.W.0071.000000T0000Z-260518T0415Z/
Mower MN-
1102 PM CDT Sun May 17 2026
...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1115 PM CDT
FOR MOWER COUNTY...
At 1101 PM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line
extending from 6 miles east of Medford to near Grand Meadow to near
Riceville, moving northeast at 60 mph.
HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts.
SOURCE...AWOS. At 1058 PM, the Austin Airport reported a 61 mph wind
gust.
IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.
These severe storms will be near...
Grand Meadow and Le Roy around 1105 PM CDT.
Other locations impacted by these severe thunderstorms include
Sargeant, County Roads 1 And 7, Mapleview, Lansing, Brookside
Campground, Mayville, and Elkton.
This includes Interstate 90 in Minnesota between mile markers 175 and
204.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 100 AM CDT for northeastern
Iowa...and southeastern Minnesota.
For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a
building.
&&
LAT...LON 4385 9305 4385 9269 4383 9269 4383 9245
4350 9245 4350 9255 4362 9255 4361 9305
TIME...MOT...LOC 0401Z 231DEG 52KT 4416 9312 4372 9266 4331 9264
HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...<.75 IN
WIND THREAT...OBSERVED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH
$$
FalkinhamWhat forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS La Crosse, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 17, 8:19 PM CDT, 2 hours 16 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- Severe weather possible between 7 PM and 1 AM tonight. All hazards are possible mainly west of the Mississippi River.
- Another round of severe weather possible on Monday night between 9 PM and 4 AM. The main threat will be damaging winds. With isolated threats of hail and maybe a few QLCS tornadoes.
Area forecast discussion, May 17, 8:19 PM CDT, 2 hours 16 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service La Crosse WI 819 PM CDT Sun May 17 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Severe weather possible between 7 PM and 1 AM tonight. All hazards are possible mainly west of the Mississippi River. - Another round of severe weather possible on Monday night between 9 PM and 4 AM. The main threat will be damaging winds. With isolated threats of hail and maybe a few QLCS tornadoes. && .UPDATE... Issued at 805 PM CDT Sun May 17 2026 Ongoing non-severe scattered storms across the local area are inhibiting northward progression of warm front seen through north-central Iowa on surface observations this evening, keeping local severe threat conditional, i.e., lower overall confidence. Intensification of the low level jet, 45 kt south wind on DMX VWP, suggests a northern shift in warm front surging instability farther north in the next 1-2 hours. Therefore, initial threat of surface based, semi-discrete storm mode remains a low confidence scenario to remain cognizant of until the eventual MCS on radar imagery quickly shifting east through central Minnesota arrives in 3+ hours. While main threat with this line will be damaging winds, should the warm front reach farther north, a QLCS tornado threat would exist primarily along the frontal boundary. Therefore, the ongoing Tornado Watch may require a switch to Severe Thunderstorm Watch. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 1257 PM CDT Sun May 17 2026 This Afternoon The remnant MCV which brought rain mainly south of Interstate 94 will continue to move northeast away from the area this afternoon. As it does, the showers and isolated storms currently along Interstates 90 and 94 will move east northeast away from the area. Additional rainfall amounts will be up to a half inch. As a warm front gradually lifts northward, temperatures along and south of Interstate 94 will warm into the 60s and lower 70s, and into 60s north of this Interstate. This will result in surface-based CAPES climbing into the 1000 to 2500 J/kg along and south of Interstate 90 by 7 pm. Tonight Late this afternoon and evening, 2-3K J/kg CAPES will develop ahead of a squall line moving east across eastern South Dakota, eastern Nebraska, northern Iowa, and southern Minnesota. with 0-6 km shear approaching 40 knots, there could potentially be some supercells located along the line (these would likely stay west of the Upper Mississippi River Vally) and along the warm front near the Minnesota and Iowa boarder. In addition to the deep shear, there is 200-300 EHI along the Minnesota and Iowa boarder and downdraft CAPEs up to 1K J/kg. The discrete supercells ahead of the squall line would be capable of producing wet microbursts, large hail, and isolated tornadoes between 7 PM and 10 PM in southeast Minnesota and northeast Iowa. The threat will then shift to more damaging winds and maybe a few QLCS tornadoes as the squall line moves into southeast Minnesota and northeast Iowa between 10 PM and 11 PM. This line will then gradually weaken as the instability wanes. The severe weather threat will likely wane by 1 AM Monday. Monday night A cold front will move east through the area. There will be 1-2K J/kg CAPES ahead of this front. With much of the deep (0-6 km) shear located post frontal, not anticipating any supercells. As a result, if there is severe weather, it would be located along the cold front as a squall line. The primary threat would be damaging winds with secondary threats as hail and QLCS tornadoes. Timing looks to be rather similar tonight with the squall line moving into northeast Iowa and southeast Minnesota between 9 PM and 10 PM. It will exit the area between 2 AM and 4 AM. By this time, the winds will likely be sub-severe. Friday into Saturday A shortwave trough will move east through the area. This will result in another round of showers and isolated storms. With CAPES less than 250 J/kg and 0-3 km and 0-6 km shear less than 25 knots, not anticipating any organized severe weather at this time. && .AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z TUESDAY/... Issued at 636 PM CDT Sun May 17 2026 MVFR to IFR conditions currently present across the region with some isolated instances of LIFR along and south of the I-90 corridor. Low clouds are expected to linger for most areas through later tonight with some low precip chances. The main chance for storms looks to push east into the region late this evening - likely between 04-08Z for the terminals. The main threat with this line of storms will be strong winds and heavy rainfall so have continued with the TEMPO groups that bring stronger winds in for a short time period. Lower rain chances will continue into tomorrow morning behind the line of storms with most locations lifting back to VFR CIGs through the morning. Some lower MVFR/IFR CIGs may linger across portions of SE Minnesota and WC Wisconsin so have kept them at the KRST terminal through the end of the period. && .HYDROLOGY... Issued at 106 AM CDT Sun May 17 2026 One to two inch totals are still forecast across the area, with areas further west more favored for the 2 inch totals. This will likely not cause river flooding, only within bank rises. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...None. MN...None. IA...None. && UPDATE...JAR DISCUSSION...Boyne AVIATION...Barendse HYDROLOGY...Baumgardt
Hazardous weather outlook, May 17, 1:29 PM CDT, 9 hours 6 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service La Crosse WI 129 PM CDT Sun May 17 2026 IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ032>034-041- 181100- Mitchell-Howard-Winneshiek-Allamakee-Floyd-Chickasaw-Fayette- Clayton-Wabasha-Dodge-Olmsted-Winona-Mower-Fillmore-Houston- Buffalo-Trempealeau-Jackson-La Crosse- 129 PM CDT Sun May 17 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of north central Iowa...northeast Iowa...southeast Minnesota and west central Wisconsin. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight Scattered severe storms are possible later this evening and early overnight with damaging wind as the main threat as a line of storms progresses from west to east. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday Scattered severe storms possible Monday evening and overnight with damaging wind the main threat. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Severe storm reports would be greatly appreciated. .EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION... No webinar is scheduled. WIZ017-029-042>044-053>055-061-181100- Taylor-Clark-Monroe-Juneau-Adams-Vernon-Crawford-Richland-Grant- 129 PM CDT Sun May 17 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central Wisconsin...north central Wisconsin...southwest Wisconsin and west central Wisconsin. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight Scattered strong storms are possible overnight with wind gusts as high as 45 mph as a line of storms progresses from west to east. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday Scattered severe storms possible late Monday evening and overnight with damaging wind as the main threat. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Severe storm reports would be greatly appreciated. .EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION... No webinar is scheduled. Boyne
The office that day
Everything else NWS La Crosse, WI issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 17, 10:09 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Mower | 66 min |
| May 17, 10:13 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | ARX | Mower | 62 min |
| May 17, 10:47 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Dodge, Fillmore, Olmsted | 58 min |
| May 17, 11:17 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | ARX | Fillmore, Wabasha, Winona | 58 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Minnesota, 2026Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2026
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.