Alert archive / Minnesota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 191, NWS Twin Cities, MN

September 2, 2026Steele County, Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Sep 2, 2026, 12:43 AM CDT for Steele County, Minnesota. It was in force for 17 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
Sep 2, 2026, 12:43 AM CDT (05:43 UTC)
Expired
Sep 2, 2026, 1:00 AM CDT
In force
17 min
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
1.0 in
Wind
50.0 mph

County Steele County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 90 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 05:44 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.

Did it verify

Not verified. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet's Cow found no qualifying storm report inside this severe thunderstorm warning while it was in force. That is not proof nothing happened: reports are thin where few people live.

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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Sep 1, 9:50 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 00:00Z, 5.7 hours before the alert went out and 91 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 2026-09-02Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 2026-09-02The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 17 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 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
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

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

597 
WUUS53 KMPX 020543
SVRMPX
MNC147-020600-
/O.NEW.KMPX.SV.W.0191.260902T0543Z-260902T0600Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
1243 AM CDT Wed Sep 2 2026

The National Weather Service in the Twin Cities has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
  Northeastern Steele County in south central Minnesota...

* Until 100 AM CDT.

* At 1243 AM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Owatonna,
  moving east at 30 mph.

  HAZARD...Quarter size hail.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated.

  IMPACT...Damage to vehicles is expected.

* Locations impacted include...
  Owatonna, Owatonna Airport, Clinton Falls, Medford, Merton, Rice
  Lake State Park and Moland.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Seek shelter inside a well-built structure and stay away from
windows. This storm is capable of producing large hail.

&&

LAT...LON 4402 9329 4416 9330 4420 9305 4400 9305
TIME...MOT...LOC 0543Z 260DEG 24KT 4409 9319

HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...<50 MPH

$$

TDH
1 follow-up statement
997 
WWUS53 KMPX 020558
SVSMPX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
1258 AM CDT Wed Sep 2 2026

MNC147-020608-
/O.EXP.KMPX.SV.W.0191.000000T0000Z-260902T0600Z/
Steele MN-
1258 AM CDT Wed Sep 2 2026

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 1 AM CDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN STEELE COUNTY...

The storm which prompted the warning has moved out of the area.
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 4402 9329 4416 9330 4420 9305 4400 9305
TIME...MOT...LOC 0543Z 260DEG 24KT 4409 9319

$$

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, 4 hours 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, 4 hours 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, 11 hours 26 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, 10:25 PM CDT, 2 hours 18 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

TDH
Local storm report, Sep 1, 10:54 PM CDT, 1 hour 49 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.

&&

TDH
Local storm report, Sep 1, 10:57 PM CDT, 1 hour 46 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

&&

CTG
Special weather statement, Sep 1, 11:26 PM CDT, 1 hour 17 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
1126 PM CDT Tue Sep 1 2026

MNZ083-091-092-020500-
Blue Earth MN-Faribault MN-Martin MN-
1126 PM CDT Tue Sep 1 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN FARIBAULT...
NORTHEASTERN MARTIN AND SOUTH CENTRAL BLUE EARTH COUNTIES UNTIL
MIDNIGHT CDT...

At 1126 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 5
miles northwest of Winnebago, or 15 miles northeast of Fairmont,
moving northeast at 20 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...
  Winnebago, Amboy and Vernon Center.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Monitor the weather situation closely and be alert for threatening
weather conditions.

&&

LAT...LON 4385 9435 4402 9411 4382 9391 4371 9435
      4378 9445
TIME...MOT...LOC 0426Z 241DEG 18KT 4380 9426

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

TDH
Local storm report, Sep 1, 11:45 PM CDT, 58 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
1145 PM CDT Tue Sep 1 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

1139 PM     Hail             3 S Waldorf             43.89N 93.70W
09/01/2026  M1.00 Inch       Waseca             MN   Storm Chaser

            quarter sized hail reported on spotter
            network.

&&

NDC
Special weather statement, Sep 2, 12:15 AM CDT, 28 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
1215 AM CDT Wed Sep 2 2026

MNZ077-084-085-020600-
Steele MN-Rice MN-Waseca MN-
1215 AM CDT Wed Sep 2 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT EAST CENTRAL WASECA...
SOUTHEASTERN RICE AND NORTHERN STEELE COUNTIES UNTIL 1 AM CDT...

At 1215 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 6
miles southeast of Waseca, or 11 miles southwest of Owatonna, 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...
  Owatonna, Waseca, Medford, Lemond, Clinton Falls, Merton, Moland,
  Hope, Owatonna Airport and Rice Lake State Park.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Monitor the weather situation closely and be alert for threatening
weather conditions.

&&

LAT...LON 4393 9344 4408 9351 4428 9312 4418 9305
      4404 9305
TIME...MOT...LOC 0515Z 241DEG 24KT 4402 9342

MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH

TDH

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Sep 1, 9:38 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXFaribault37 min
Sep 1, 9:51 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXFaribault24 min
Sep 1, 10:18 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXBlue Earth57 min
Sep 1, 10:25 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXMartin50 min
Sep 1, 10:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXBlue Earth, Faribault49 min
Sep 1, 11:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXSteele, Waseca52 min
Sep 1, 11:26 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXBlue Earth34 min
Sep 1, 11:30 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXBlue Earth, Brown, Faribault, Martin, Nicollet, Watonwan45 min
Sep 2, 12:15 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXSteele45 min
Sep 2, 5:55 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXGoodhue20 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; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.