Alert archive / Minnesota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 189, NWS Twin Cities, MN
NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Sep 1, 2026, 11:23 PM CDT for Steele County, Waseca County, Minnesota. It was in force for 52 min. 1 report 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
- Sep 1, 2026, 11:23 PM CDT (04:23 UTC)
- Expired
- Sep 2, 2026, 12:15 AM CDT
- In force
- 52 min
- Issued by
- NWS Twin Cities, MN
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Hail
- 1.25 in
- Wind
- 60.0 mph
Counties Steele County, MN, Waseca County, MN
The radar
The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 102 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 04:25 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 11:39 PM CDT | HAIL 1 | 3 S Waldorf, MN | quarter sized hail reported on spotter network. |
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 one storm report to this severe thunderstorm warning; the first came 16 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 9:50 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 7 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 00:00Z, 4.4 hours before the alert went out and 102 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
- 1902 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 45 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 17 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 121 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- -0.9
The text
As transmitted.
636
WUUS53 KMPX 020423
SVRMPX
MNC147-161-020515-
/O.NEW.KMPX.SV.W.0189.260902T0423Z-260902T0515Z/
BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
1123 PM CDT Tue Sep 1 2026
The National Weather Service in the Twin Cities has issued a
* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
West Central Steele County in south central Minnesota...
Waseca County in south central Minnesota...
* Until 1215 AM CDT.
* At 1123 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Minnesota
Lake, or 23 miles southeast of Mankato, moving northeast at 30 mph.
HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and half dollar size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to
roofs, siding, and trees.
* Locations impacted include...
Waldorf, Otisco, New Richland, Waseca Airport, Waseca, Lemond and
Hope.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Seek shelter inside a well-built structure and stay away from
windows. This storm is capable of producing damaging winds and large
hail.
&&
LAT...LON 4385 9371 4385 9377 4397 9377 4418 9351
4398 9322 4385 9356
TIME...MOT...LOC 0423Z 230DEG 24KT 4386 9378
HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.25 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH
$$
TDH2 follow-up statements
123
WWUS53 KMPX 020454
SVSMPX
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
1154 PM CDT Tue Sep 1 2026
MNC147-161-020515-
/O.CON.KMPX.SV.W.0189.000000T0000Z-260902T0515Z/
Steele MN-Waseca MN-
1154 PM CDT Tue Sep 1 2026
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1215 AM CDT
FOR WEST CENTRAL STEELE AND SOUTHEASTERN WASECA COUNTIES...
At 1154 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 7 miles south of
Waseca, or 18 miles west of Owatonna, moving northeast at 30 mph.
HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to
roofs, siding, and trees.
Locations impacted include...
Otisco, Waseca Airport, Waseca, Lemond and Hope.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Seek shelter inside a well-built structure and stay away from
windows. This storm is capable of producing damaging winds and large
hail.
&&
LAT...LON 4389 9361 4396 9371 4418 9351 4398 9322
TIME...MOT...LOC 0423Z 230DEG 24KT 4386 9378
HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH
$$
TDH508 WWUS53 KMPX 020511 SVSMPX Severe Weather Statement National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 1211 AM CDT Wed Sep 2 2026 MNC147-161-020521- /O.EXP.KMPX.SV.W.0189.000000T0000Z-260902T0515Z/ Steele MN-Waseca MN- 1211 AM CDT Wed Sep 2 2026 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 1215 AM CDT FOR WEST CENTRAL STEELE AND SOUTHEASTERN WASECA COUNTIES... The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe limits, and no longer poses an immediate threat to life or property. Therefore, the warning will be allowed to expire. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 500 AM CDT Wednesday for a portion of south central Minnesota. && LAT...LON 4389 9361 4396 9371 4418 9351 4398 9322 TIME...MOT...LOC 0454Z 230DEG 24KT 4399 9355 $$ TDH
What 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 Twin Cities, MN wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at Sep 1, 8:43 PM CDT, 2 hours 40 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- Multiple clusters of storms are expected across southern MN tonight to the north of a warm front. There is a level 2 of 5 risk of severe weather, with damaging winds being the highest risk.
- A low confidence precipitation forecast through Labor Day weekend, with multiple low chances for rain.
- Summer-like temperatures and humidity continue through Labor Day weekend.
Area forecast discussion, Sep 1, 8:43 PM CDT, 2 hours 40 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 843 PM CDT Tue Sep 1 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Multiple clusters of storms are expected across southern MN tonight to the north of a warm front. There is a level 2 of 5 risk of severe weather, with damaging winds being the highest risk. - A low confidence precipitation forecast through Labor Day weekend, with multiple low chances for rain. - Summer-like temperatures and humidity continue through Labor Day weekend. && .UPDATE... Issued at 836 PM CDT Tue Sep 1 2026 Regional radar and satellite imagery shows the incoming cluster of showers and storms focused primarily over the monster supercell thunderstorm ongoing over the southeast South Dakota/northeast Nebraska border. The trajectory of this individual storm looks to take it eastwards into Iowa and should remain south of our area for now, however we will keep a close eye on some further development out ahead of it over north- central Iowa that is moving northeast towards our southernmost counties along I-90. The expectation as the night continues to progress is for this cluster of showers and storms to focus along the leading edge of a developing low level jet, which you can see via the SPC mesoanalysis page within the MLCAPE gradient focused over southern Minnesota, and this gradient is where we expect any potential stronger storms or MCS/bowing line segment to favor moving across. This would place the area from roughly Redwood Falls through Mankato and southwards within the most likely area to see a stronger thunderstorm with the potential for severe level wind gusts, especially if it takes on the classic bowing shape indicative of stronger winds. The CAM guidance has been waffling on the pacing of the storms since the afternoon, with each run either speeding or slowing the pace of the line segment as it moves through. At slowest, it is still moving eastwards at around 40-50mph, so some severe level winds up to 60mph are possible despite lower level inversion building underneath the low level jet, with even higher gusts possible mainly within any potential bowing segment. The more recent HRRR runs have favored the bowing shape to occur as it passes through Mankato and approach Rochester in southeastern MN, which mimics the location of the MLCAPE gradient as of 0130z. With the Twin Cities at least 2 tiers of counties north of the gradient, it is looking less favorable to see the stronger portion of the storms, however there is still at least some activity expected north of gradient in the form of some scattered rain showers. These showers look to persist into the mid morning tomorrow before dissipating, and could contain some intermittent lightning but are not expected to be strong whatsoever. For now, we keep a watchful eye on the radar and satellite as we await whatever storms reach us later tonight and into the morning. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 112 PM CDT Tue Sep 1 2026 Water vapor imagery this afternoon shows a subtropical ridge centered over the bootheel of MO, with a monsoon shortwave coming out of Wyoming that will run around the north side of the ridge through the night. At the surface, there's a stationary front a little north of the I-80 corridor in Iowa, with dewpoints pooling up into the upper 70s along it. As we go through the night, the WY shortwave and IA warm front will work together to support an overrunning convective event over southern MN. Current expectations are that storms will develop this afternoon in the Dakotas associated with the shortwave, with elevated storms developing north of the warm front near the MN/IA border shortly after sunset as the LLJ over IA starts to ramp up (eventually getting up into the 35-40 kt range). We're seeing the idea from the HRRR and other CAMS that we could see multiple clusters of storms develop on the nose of the LLJ, with the convection in the Dakotas that develops this afternoon eventually sweeping up any clusters ahead of it late tonight. The favored zone for heavy rain and severe potential will be on the nose of the LLJ and along the MUCAPE gradient. The HREF/REFS continue to show these two features lining up along the MN/IA, with the southern two or three tiers of counties in MN being most at risk for storms, heavy rain, and severe weather tonight, which matches up well with the Day 1 Slight Risk from the SPC. From the severe weather perspective, instability (muCAPE > 3000 j/kg) and deep shear (over 40 kts) are certainly favorable for severe weather, but weak mid- level lapse rates and overnight timing/nocturnal stabilization will be limiting factors that will put a ceiling on this being a significant severe weather setup. For the rest of Wednesday, we're expected to be dry as the atmosphere recovers from the early morning convection. We'll have height rises through the day, with easterly low level winds, so we may have to battle some morning stratus as the low level moisture gets trapped beneath a building inversion. Those easterly winds and potential for morning clouds will result in Wednesday being the "coolest" day of the work week, with highs generally in the low to mid 80s, with ever increasing dewpoints, as tropical dewpoints in the 70s begin spreading back north across southern and southwest MN. Going into Wednesday night, we'll begin to see the stationary/warm front lifting back north across the area. The LLJ will not be as strong as what we see Tuesday night, but WAA will still be present. HREF shows over 2000 j/kg of muCAPE coming up with that warm front and the presence of the weak WAA will give us a chance of storms, but it's highly uncertain if we'll get storms to fire with our subsidence and building cap. This uncertainty is why we ended up with pretty broad 20-40 PoPs across the area Wednesday night as we await some hopefully better clarity on where mesoscale features will be. Answering the question of where mesoscale features will be will continue to be a headache as we go through Labor Day weekend. We'll see a ridge axis centered over us by Saturday, that shifts to our west Sunday into early next week. That ridge will come with strong capping, along with a rather uncomfortable airmass, as we see highs near 90 Friday and Saturday, with dewpoints in the low to mid 70s sending heat index values both days up into the mid to upper 90s, welcome to Augtember! That ridging will also result in capping. However, given how unstable the atmosphere is, it's not taking much for convective parameterization schemes in the deterministic models to start firing off convection. There is lots of spread with QPF in the ensembles, so the on/off, mostly low chances for PoPs makes sense. Again, where any weak shortwaves happen to meetup with a surface boundary, chaos could ensue, but where that may happen is still uncertain given the capping and weak forcing. For Sunday into early next week, the ridge axis shifts to our west, with MN/WI transitioning into northwest flow. This is why you'll notice temperatures in the forecast taking a step back after Saturday. We'll still be placed within the northern stream and susceptible to mesoscale shenanigans though. At the moment, it looks like Sunday night through Monday night would be a period with increased storm potential, but there's still time for this to change in the coming days. && .AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z THURSDAY/... Issued at 623 PM CDT Tue Sep 1 2026 The primary factor within the TAF period is the potential for -SHRA/TSRA moving in after 02z from west to east with a cluster of storms over southeastern South Dakota the feature to watch. CAM guidance shows this cluster moving towards southern MN by 02-03z and continuing eastwards before becoming linear and moving across southeastern Minnesota and western WI. The most likely sites to see -TSRA or TSRA are RWF/MKT/EAU, with MSP/RNH having a lower but non-zero chance, and STC/AXN being too far north to get hit with the main band of -TSRA and instead relying on some weaker -SHRA with embedded TS. Winds will become light outside of -TSRA and variable in direction, eventually favoring 120-150 at 5kts. By the 06z issuance, storms should be ongoing and we can pinpoint the timing which for now is based off the most recent runs of the HRRR which have generally captured the storms in South Dakota better than other guidance. Outside of TSRA, VFR is expected. As the TSRA moves through, strong gusts in excess of 40kts are possible mainly for RWF/MKT/EAU alongside a drop to IFR/MVFR as they pass. KMSP...Kept the prob30 for -TSRA but added some prevailing -SHRA as CAM guidance shows lingering -SHRA after the -TSRA passes. MSP is still on the very northern edge of the potential track of the stronger line of storms, with the line more likely moving along the southern MN border/I-90. /OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/ THU...VFR, early MVFR/-SHRA possible. Wind SE 5-10 kts. FRI...VFR. Sl chc -TSRA. Wind S 5-10 kts. SAT...VFR. Wind SE 5-10 kts. && .MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...None. WI...None. && UPDATE...TDH DISCUSSION...MPG AVIATION...TDH
Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 1, 1:17 PM CDT, 10 hours 6 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 117 PM CDT Tue Sep 1 2026 MNZ041>045-047>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ014>016-023>028- 021830- Douglas-Todd-Morrison-Mille Lacs-Kanabec-Stevens-Pope-Stearns- Benton-Sherburne-Isanti-Chisago-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-Chippewa- Kandiyohi-Meeker-Wright-Hennepin-Anoka-Ramsey-Washington- Yellow Medicine-Renville-McLeod-Sibley-Carver-Scott-Dakota- Redwood-Brown-Nicollet-Le Sueur-Rice-Goodhue-Watonwan-Blue Earth- Waseca-Steele-Martin-Faribault-Freeborn-Polk-Barron-Rusk- St. Croix-Pierce-Dunn-Pepin-Eau Claire- 117 PM CDT Tue Sep 1 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central and southern Minnesota, and west central Wisconsin. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight. Thunderstorms are expected to move across the area tonight. A few storms could produce damaging wind, mainly across southern Minnesota. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN spotter activation will not be needed. JRB
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Sep 1, 9:38 PM CDT, 1 hour 45 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
938 PM CDT Tue Sep 1 2026
MNZ091-092-020315-
Martin MN-Faribault MN-
938 PM CDT Tue Sep 1 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN FARIBAULT AND EAST
CENTRAL MARTIN COUNTIES THROUGH 1015 PM CDT...
At 937 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 8
miles west of Blue Earth, or 10 miles east of Fairmont, moving
northeast at 25 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 mph and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor hail damage to vegetation is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Blue Earth, East Chain, Huntley, and Guckeen.
This includes the following highways...
Interstate 90 between mile markers 109 and 125.
U.S. Highway 169 between mile markers 7 and 16.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 4350 9425 4358 9438 4377 9425 4366 9398
TIME...MOT...LOC 0237Z 213DEG 22KT 4360 9427
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
CTGSpecial weather statement, Sep 1, 10:18 PM CDT, 1 hour 5 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
1018 PM CDT Tue Sep 1 2026
MNZ083-084-092-020415-
Blue Earth MN-Faribault MN-Waseca MN-
1018 PM CDT Tue Sep 1 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN FARIBAULT...
SOUTHEASTERN BLUE EARTH AND SOUTHWESTERN WASECA COUNTIES UNTIL 1115
PM CDT...
At 1018 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Delavan, or 23 miles northeast of Fairmont, moving northeast at 30
mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Delavan, Mapleton, Minnesota Lake, Pemberton and Waldorf.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Monitor the weather situation closely and be alert for threatening
weather conditions.
&&
LAT...LON 4385 9414 4408 9390 4391 9362 4373 9405
4380 9419
TIME...MOT...LOC 0317Z 225DEG 24KT 4379 9406
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
TDHSpecial weather statement, Sep 1, 10:25 PM CDT, 58 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
1025 PM CDT Tue Sep 1 2026
MNZ082-083-091-092-020415-
Blue Earth MN-Faribault MN-Martin MN-Watonwan MN-
1025 PM CDT Tue Sep 1 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN FARIBAULT...
NORTHEASTERN MARTIN...SOUTHWESTERN BLUE EARTH AND SOUTHEASTERN
WATONWAN COUNTIES UNTIL 1115 PM CDT...
At 1025 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 5
miles northeast of Welcome, or 7 miles northwest of Fairmont, moving
east at 30 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 40 mph and penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is
possible.
Locations impacted include...
Northrop, Truman and Winnebago.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Monitor the weather situation closely and be alert for threatening
weather conditions.
&&
LAT...LON 4366 9459 4375 9464 4397 9429 4375 9415
TIME...MOT...LOC 0325Z 247DEG 26KT 4372 9454
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH
TDHLocal storm report, Sep 1, 10:54 PM CDT, 29 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
1054 PM CDT Tue Sep 1 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1037 PM Hail 0 N Northrop 43.74N 94.44W
09/01/2026 M0.88 Inch Martin MN Public
Nickel to Quarter sized hail north of
Northrop, size estimated by dispatch.
&&
TDHLocal storm report, Sep 1, 10:57 PM CDT, 26 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
1057 PM CDT Tue Sep 1 2026
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1055 PM Hail 2 W Delavan 43.77N 94.06W
09/01/2026 M1.75 Inch Faribault MN Trained Spotter
&&
CTGThe office that day
Everything else NWS Twin Cities, MN issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 1, 9:38 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | MPX | Faribault | 37 min |
| Sep 1, 9:51 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Faribault | 24 min |
| Sep 1, 10:18 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | MPX | Blue Earth | 57 min |
| Sep 1, 10:25 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | MPX | Martin | 50 min |
| Sep 1, 10:41 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Blue Earth, Faribault | 49 min |
| Sep 1, 11:26 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | MPX | Blue Earth | 34 min |
| Sep 1, 11:30 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Blue Earth, Brown, Faribault, Martin, Nicollet, Watonwan | 45 min |
| Sep 2, 12:15 AM CDT | Special Weather Statement | MPX | Steele | 45 min |
| Sep 2, 12:43 AM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Steele | 17 min |
| Sep 2, 5:55 AM CDT | Special Weather Statement | MPX | Goodhue | 20 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.