Alert archive / Minnesota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 22, NWS Twin Cities, MN
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
| Time | Report | Where | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 13, 7:18 PM CDT | HAIL 2 | 6 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.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 13, 3:11 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 7 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.
- 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
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
$$
JRB3 follow-up statements
935
WWUS53 KMPX 140013
SVSMPX
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
713 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026
MNC165-140100-
/O.CON.KMPX.SV.W.0022.000000T0000Z-260414T0100Z/
Watonwan MN-
713 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026
...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHEASTERN WATONWAN COUNTY...
At 713 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 5 miles south of St.
James, or 21 miles northwest of Fairmont, moving east at 25 mph.
HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts and quarter size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to
roofs, siding, and trees.
Locations impacted include...
Echols, St. James, St James Airport, South Branch, Grogan and
Lewisville.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Seek shelter inside a well-built structure and stay away from
windows. This storm is capable of producing damaging winds and large
hail.
Tornadoes can develop quickly from severe thunderstorms. Seek shelter
immediately in an interior room on the lowest floor of a well-built
structure.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT Monday for a
portion of south central Minnesota.
&&
LAT...LON 4403 9437 4385 9437 4385 9472 4402 9466
TIME...MOT...LOC 2346Z 270DEG 22KT 4391 9489
TORNADO...POSSIBLE
HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN
WIND THREAT...RADAR INDICATED
MAX WIND GUST...60 MPH
$$
JRB986
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
$$
JRB336 WWUS53 KMPX 140053 SVSMPX Severe Weather Statement National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 753 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026 MNC165-140103- /O.CAN.KMPX.SV.W.0022.000000T0000Z-260414T0100Z/ Watonwan MN- 753 PM CDT Mon Apr 13 2026 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR SOUTHEASTERN WATONWAN COUNTY... The storm which prompted the warning has moved out of the area. Therefore, the warning has been cancelled. A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1000 PM CDT Monday for a portion of south central Minnesota. && LAT...LON 4403 9437 4385 9437 4385 9466 4402 9452 TIME...MOT...LOC 0025Z 270DEG 22KT 4391 9456 $$ 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.).
&&
mpgLocal 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.
&&
tdkLocal 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.).
&&
mpgLocal 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
&&
mpgLocal 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.).
&&
mpgLocal 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
&&
mpgThe office that day
Everything else NWS Twin Cities, MN issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 13, 3:19 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Dakota, Goodhue, Rice | 41 min |
| Apr 13, 3:47 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Goodhue | 43 min |
| Apr 13, 3:54 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Rice | 35 min |
| Apr 13, 3:55 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MPX | Rice | 35 min |
| Apr 13, 4:09 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MPX | Goodhue | 58 min |
| Apr 13, 4:29 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Goodhue | 61 min |
| Apr 13, 5:01 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | MPX | Goodhue | 5 hr |
| Apr 13, 5:22 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Goodhue | 53 min |
| Apr 13, 5:27 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Martin, Watonwan | 48 min |
| Apr 13, 5:40 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Le Sueur, Nicollet | 50 min |
| Apr 13, 5:58 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MPX | Blue Earth, Martin, Watonwan | 47 min |
| Apr 13, 5:59 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Dakota, Le Sueur, Rice | 61 min |
| Apr 13, 6:04 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Blue Earth, Brown, Nicollet | 56 min |
| Apr 13, 6:25 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Le Sueur, Rice | 65 min |
| Apr 13, 6:28 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MPX | Blue Earth, Faribault, Martin | 47 min |
| Apr 13, 6:40 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Faribault, Martin | 65 min |
| Apr 13, 6:41 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Blue Earth, Watonwan | 58 min |
| Apr 13, 6:48 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MPX | Rice, Steele, Waseca | 42 min |
| Apr 13, 6:52 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Goodhue | 53 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.