Alert archive / Minnesota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 22, NWS Twin Cities, MN

April 13, 2026Watonwan County, Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 13, 2026, 6:46 PM CDT for Watonwan County, Minnesota. It was in force for 67 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
Apr 13, 2026, 6:46 PM CDT (23:46 UTC)
Expired
Apr 13, 2026, 7:53 PM CDT
In force
67 min
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Possible
Hail
1.0 in
Wind
60.0 mph

County Watonwan County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 133 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 23:47 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Apr 13, 7:18 PM CDTHAIL 26 Wsw Lewisville, 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 one storm report to this severe thunderstorm warning; the first came 32 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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Apr 13, 3:11 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 11.8 hours before the alert went out and 131 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 12:00Z on 2026-04-13Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 8 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 12:00Z on 2026-04-13The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 124 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
8 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-259 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1506 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
45 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
124 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
229 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

436 
WUUS53 KMPX 132346
SVRMPX
MNC165-140100-
/O.NEW.KMPX.SV.W.0022.260413T2346Z-260414T0100Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
646 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

The National Weather Service in the Twin Cities has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
  Watonwan County in south central Minnesota...

* Until 800 PM CDT.

* At 646 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 6 miles southwest
  of Butterfield, or 28 miles northwest of Fairmont, moving east at
  25 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...
  Butterfield, Odin, Echols, St. James, St James Airport, South
  Branch, Grogan and Lewisville.

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.

Tornadoes can develop quickly from severe thunderstorms. Seek shelter
immediately in an interior room on the lowest floor of a well-built
structure.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT Monday for a
portion of south central Minnesota.

&&

LAT...LON 4401 9486 4403 9437 4385 9437 4385 9486
TIME...MOT...LOC 2346Z 270DEG 22KT 4391 9490

TORNADO...POSSIBLE
HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

JRB
3 follow-up statements
935 
WWUS53 KMPX 140013
SVSMPX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
713 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

MNC165-140100-
/O.CON.KMPX.SV.W.0022.000000T0000Z-260414T0100Z/
Watonwan MN-
713 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN WATONWAN COUNTY...

At 713 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 5 miles south of St.
James, or 21 miles northwest of Fairmont, moving east at 25 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...
  Echols, St. James, St James Airport, South Branch, Grogan and
  Lewisville.

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.

Tornadoes can develop quickly from severe thunderstorms. Seek shelter
immediately in an interior room on the lowest floor of a well-built
structure.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT Monday for a
portion of south central Minnesota.

&&

LAT...LON 4403 9437 4385 9437 4385 9472 4402 9466
TIME...MOT...LOC 2346Z 270DEG 22KT 4391 9489

TORNADO...POSSIBLE
HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

JRB
986 
WWUS53 KMPX 140025
SVSMPX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
725 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

MNC165-140100-
/O.CON.KMPX.SV.W.0022.000000T0000Z-260414T0100Z/
Watonwan MN-
725 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN WATONWAN COUNTY...

At 725 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 6 miles southeast of
St. James, or 19 miles north of Fairmont, moving east at 25 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...
  South Branch and Lewisville.

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.

Tornadoes can develop quickly from severe thunderstorms. Seek shelter
immediately in an interior room on the lowest floor of a well-built
structure.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT Monday for a
portion of south central Minnesota.

&&

LAT...LON 4403 9437 4385 9437 4385 9466 4402 9452
TIME...MOT...LOC 0013Z 270DEG 22KT 4391 9466

TORNADO...POSSIBLE
HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH

$$

JRB
336 
WWUS53 KMPX 140053
SVSMPX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
753 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

MNC165-140103-
/O.CAN.KMPX.SV.W.0022.000000T0000Z-260414T0100Z/
Watonwan MN-
753 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR SOUTHEASTERN WATONWAN
COUNTY...

The storm which prompted the warning has moved out of the area.
Therefore, the warning has been cancelled.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT Monday for a
portion of south central Minnesota.

&&

LAT...LON 4403 9437 4385 9437 4385 9466 4402 9452
TIME...MOT...LOC 0025Z 270DEG 22KT 4391 9456

$$

JRB

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 Apr 13, 1:25 PM CDT, 5 hours 21 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Strong to severe storms expected along a warm front this afternoon through the evening. Hail is the most likely threat, with secondary threat of tornadoes in southern/southeast Minnesota.
  • Areas of dense fog in the morning, followed by clearing skies tomorrow with continued warm temperatures.
  • Multiple chances for rain showers and weak storms throughout the rest of the week.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 13, 1:25 PM CDT, 5 hours 21 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
125 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Strong to severe storms expected along a warm front this afternoon
through the evening. Hail is the most likely threat, with secondary
threat of tornadoes in southern/southeast Minnesota.

- Areas of dense fog in the morning, followed by clearing skies
tomorrow with continued warm temperatures.

- Multiple chances for rain showers and weak storms throughout
  the rest of the week.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 124 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

Eyes are glued to satellite this afternoon as we await convective
initiation within a few hours, with the warm frontal boundary
evident over far southeastern South Dakota through the I-90 corridor
as a secondary boundary has set up farther north associated with the
light showers stretching from central South Dakotas through St.
Cloud. The southern boundary is the warm front associated with an
incoming low pressure system that is expected to be the locus of
severe weather activity later, with the northward extent of the
front one of the key things to watch as this will dictate how far
north the severe weather threat persists. Forecast soundings from
various CAMs showcase extensive low level instability with upwards
of 2500+ J/KG SBCAPE with limited CIN along the warm front but
extensive 100-200 CIN north of it with a lack of low level
winds/shear but extensive 0-6km shear. What this means is elevated
storms capable of producing hail will exist north of the primary
warm frontal boundary, with the warm front the most likely zone for
potential tornadoes as storm interactions and streamwise vorticity
will both be maximized within this zone despite the lackluster low
level shear. The 17z WoFS run has largely favored a southerly
solution for weather potential, keeping the best potential for both
tornadoes and hail confined to the region south of the Twin Cities
metro and favoring an area from roughly Olmsted County in SE MN to
Jackson County in western WI (both covered by NWS La Crosse). The
tornado threat is highly contingent on the dew point depression at
surface level, as the lack of 0-1km shear means we need incredibly
low LCLs below 500ft for the threat to be tangible, which means we
need to be highly saturated below 1000ft otherwise the tornado
threat may not end up being realized. The hail threat is the most
likely overall given the extensive mid level shear and steep lapse
rates, and even with lower level capping elevated storms would be
capable of producing severe hail. The wind threat is largely relying
on precipitation loading/momentum enhancement with limited lower
level flow until the low level jet amplifies, however for our area
this is not realized until later in the evening when the warm front
is already exiting the area to the southeast. Overall, there is
still some higher end hail potential and a tornado threat and we
will have to closely monitor the position of the warm front as well
as overall storm environment over the next few hours. The timing
window looks to be CI from 3-4pm, most intense from 4-9pm across the
area, diminishing quickly as the front moves southeast after 9pm. As
we keep a close eye on the environment over the next few hours, a
Watch seems more likely than not at this point, it is more a
question of if we have the confidence for a Tornado Watch versus a
Severe Thunderstorm Watch given we expect the Tornado threat to be
conditional versus the more likely hail threat.

A few more elevated storms are possible for a few hours after 8-9pm
from cold FROPA with limited potential for severe weather, with
light showers and rumbles of thunder more likely as the environment
quickly shifts towards some patchy dense fog early tomorrow morning
with visibility reductions below 2 miles likely as temperatures drop
back to dew points. This fog persists through the morning commute
before diminishing rapidly after 9-10am, with another day near 70
tomorrow amidst skies clearing out to become mostly sunny by the
afternoon. Another low pressure system developing underneath an
incoming shortwave trough by late Tuesday introduces our next chance
for showers, with the position of the system favoring areas to our
south for severe weather with limited thunderstorm activity north of
the MN/IA border. The low is expected to track from Omaha to
Milwaukee keeping us on the relatively cooler northern side with
showers persisting on and off throughout Wednesday before exiting
early Thursday to the east. There is a non-zero chance for some
isolated severe weather, however the better environment should
remain to our south. Another surface low quickly develops ahead of a
broad trough off the lee side of the Rockies by late Thursday
tracking across the area on Friday bringing further chances for
showers and thunderstorms, with the low becoming broader and
weakening as it approaches. The current favored track would take the
surface low towards northern Lake Superior by early Saturday, which
would wrap in enough cold air from central Canada to introduce snow
or wintry mix chances Friday night into Saturday morning.
Accumulations are uncertain at this point as it will depend heavily
on the track of the system, which is not nailed down just yet as we
have a couple of systems before it arrives to get through. We end
the period into the 2nd half of the weekend with broad high pressure
bringing sunshine and temperatures in the 50s for Sunday.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY/...
Issued at 1203 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

A somewhat complicated forecast due to potential TSRA from
roughly 20-03z across the area combined with some potential
IFR/LIFR visibility concerns post-FROPA after the TSRA is out of
the area. Winds favor easterly/southeasterly ahead of the
incoming TSRA, becoming light and variable after TSRA heads out
of the area with speeds remaining 8kts or lower throughout. The
confidence to include gusts within the prob30/TEMPO groups with
TSRA was too low, however gusts are certainly a possibility with
any TSRA that moves through, the magnitude is just uncertain.
The key feature to watch will be the position of the warm front
as that will directly relate to the best TSRA potential as well
as the position of potential IFR CIGS during the period of TSRA.
A period of IFR/LIFR is likely after the TSRA ends from roughly
06-15z depending on location due to low level fog/CIGS, which
wraps up quickly after 14-15z.

KMSP...Kept the previous TEMPO from 22-01z intact as this period
is most likely to see TSRA, with a start time perhaps an hour
earlier as far as the first storms to appear. Lingering -SHRA is
less certain and could contain brief thunder, however the post
TSRA period is less certain with guidance handling it in
dramatically different ways. There is solid consensus for a 5-6
hour period of IFR due to fog after 08-09z, ending around 15z.

/OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/
WED...MVFR/SHRA early, then VFR. Wind NE 5kts.
THU...VFR, chc MVFR/-SHRA. Wind N 5-10kts.
FRI...MVFR/SHRA likely, chance -TSRA. Wind SE to SW 10-15G25kts.

&&

.MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MN...None.
WI...None.

&&

DISCUSSION...TDH
AVIATION...TDH
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 13, 1:08 PM CDT, 5 hours 38 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
108 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

MNZ041>045-047>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ014>016-023>028-
140900-
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-
108 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central and
southern Minnesota, and west central Wisconsin.

.DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight.

Scattered thunderstorms can be expected this afternoon and
evening. Some storms may be strong to severe, capable of
producing very large hail in excess of 2 inches in diameter, wind
gusts in excess of 70 mph or a few tornadoes across southern
Minnesota through western Wisconsin. Some storms may also produce
heavy rain.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN spotter activation will likely be needed this afternoon
and evening.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 13, 6:25 PM CDT, 21 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
625 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

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

0617 PM     Hail             1 S St. Peter           44.31N 93.97W
04/13/2026  M2.75 Inch       Nicollet           MN   Public

            Report from mPING: Baseball (2.75 in.).

&&

mpg
Local storm report, Apr 13, 6:34 PM CDT, 12 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
634 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

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

0625 PM     Tornado          7 WSW Amboy             43.85N 94.28W
04/13/2026                   Blue Earth         MN   Fire Dept/Rescue

            Multiple reports from storm chasers, fire
            department, law enforcement. Tornado still
            on ground at 632 pm.

&&

tdk
Local storm report, Apr 13, 6:40 PM CDT, 6 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
640 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

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

0634 PM     Hail             Cleveland               44.32N 93.83W
04/13/2026  M1.75 Inch       Le Sueur           MN   Public

            Report from mPING: Golf Ball (1.75 in.).

&&

mpg
Local storm report, Apr 13, 6:41 PM CDT, 5 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
641 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

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

0641 PM     Hail             Hanska                  44.15N 94.49W
04/13/2026  M1.50 Inch       Brown              MN   Trained Spotter

&&

mpg
Local storm report, Apr 13, 6:45 PM CDT, 1 minute before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
645 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

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

0642 PM     Hail             Augusta                 44.68N 91.13W
04/13/2026  M1.00 Inch       Eau Claire         WI   Public

            Report from mPING: Quarter (1.00 in.).

&&

mpg
Local storm report, Apr 13, 6:46 PM CDT, 0 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
646 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026

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

0643 PM     Hail             6 S Fairmont            43.57N 94.45W
04/13/2026  M1.00 Inch       Martin             MN   Public

&&

mpg

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Apr 13, 3:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXDakota, Goodhue, Rice41 min
Apr 13, 3:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatMPXGoodhue43 min
Apr 13, 3:54 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Destructive damage threatMPXRice35 min
Apr 13, 3:55 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXRice35 min
Apr 13, 4:09 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXGoodhue58 min
Apr 13, 4:29 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatMPXGoodhue61 min
Apr 13, 5:01 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMPXGoodhue5 hr
Apr 13, 5:22 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXGoodhue53 min
Apr 13, 5:27 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXMartin, Watonwan48 min
Apr 13, 5:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXLe Sueur, Nicollet50 min
Apr 13, 5:58 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXBlue Earth, Martin, Watonwan47 min
Apr 13, 5:59 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXDakota, Le Sueur, Rice61 min
Apr 13, 6:04 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXBlue Earth, Brown, Nicollet56 min
Apr 13, 6:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatMPXLe Sueur, Rice65 min
Apr 13, 6:28 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedMPXBlue Earth, Faribault, Martin47 min
Apr 13, 6:40 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXFaribault, Martin65 min
Apr 13, 6:41 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXBlue Earth, Watonwan58 min
Apr 13, 6:48 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXRice, Steele, Waseca42 min
Apr 13, 6:52 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXGoodhue53 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.