Alert archive / Minnesota / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2026

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 39, NWS Twin Cities, MN

April 17, 2026Goodhue County, Minnesota; Pierce County, Wisconsin

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Apr 17, 2026, 2:42 PM CDT for Goodhue County, Minnesota; Pierce County, Wisconsin. It was in force for 33 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 17, 2026, 2:42 PM CDT (19:42 UTC)
Expired: Apr 17, 2026, 3:15 PM CDT
In force: 33 min
Issued by: NWS Twin Cities, MN
Area: Storm-based polygon
Hail: 1.0 in
Wind: 50.0 mph

Counties Goodhue County, MN, Pierce County, WI

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 91 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 19:40 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 17, 2:47 PM CDT	HAIL 1.25	4 Nnw Bay City, WI	Emailed photos of large hail in backyard. Time estimated via radar.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

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 17, 9:23 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Watch	SPC	11 hr
Apr 17, 12:40 PM CDT	Tornado Watch	SPC	9 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 7.7 hours before the alert went out and 94 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-p

Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.

Hodograph

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: 1 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN: No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL: 2301 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear: 39 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity: 188 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.

727 
WUUS53 KMPX 171942
SVRMPX
MNC049-WIC093-172015-
/O.NEW.KMPX.SV.W.0039.260417T1942Z-260417T2015Z/

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
242 PM CDT Fri Apr 17 2026

The National Weather Service in the Twin Cities has issued a

* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for...
  Northeastern Goodhue County in southeastern Minnesota...
  Central Pierce County in west central Wisconsin...

* Until 315 PM CDT.

* At 242 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located over Bay City, or
  near Red Wing, moving northeast at 55 mph.

  HAZARD...Quarter size hail.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated.

  IMPACT...Damage to vehicles is expected.

* Locations impacted include...
  Red Wing, Wacouta, Frontenac State Park, Red Wing Airport, Hager
  City, Bay City, Esdaile, Ellsworth, Beldenville, El Paso and
  Martel.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 800 PM CDT Friday for
portions of southeast Minnesota and west central Wisconsin.

&&

LAT...LON 4461 9262 4486 9247 4486 9214 4485 9214
      4453 9239 4454 9266
TIME...MOT...LOC 1941Z 206DEG 46KT 4458 9250

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

$$

BED

3 follow-up statements

320 
WWUS53 KMPX 171949
SVSMPX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
249 PM CDT Fri Apr 17 2026

MNC049-171959-
/O.CAN.KMPX.SV.W.0039.000000T0000Z-260417T2015Z/
Goodhue MN-
249 PM CDT Fri Apr 17 2026

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR NORTHEASTERN GOODHUE
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 800 PM CDT Friday for a
portion of southeast Minnesota.

&&

LAT...LON 4472 9255 4486 9247 4486 9214 4485 9214
      4468 9228 4465 9230 4461 9233 4459 9252
      4466 9259
TIME...MOT...LOC 1942Z 206DEG 46KT 4459 9250

$$


WIC093-172015-
/O.CON.KMPX.SV.W.0039.000000T0000Z-260417T2015Z/
Pierce WI-
249 PM CDT Fri Apr 17 2026

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 315 PM CDT FOR
CENTRAL PIERCE COUNTY...

At 249 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Ellsworth, or
10 miles northeast of Red Wing, moving northeast at 60 mph.

HAZARD...Quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Trained spotters reported. At 2:45PM 1.00" hail was reported
         at the Red Wind Regional Airport in Bay City.

IMPACT...Damage to vehicles is expected.

Locations impacted include...
  Esdaile, Ellsworth, Beldenville, El Paso and Martel.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Seek shelter inside a well-built structure and stay away from
windows. This storm has produced large hail.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 800 PM CDT Friday for a
portion of west central Wisconsin.

&&

LAT...LON 4472 9255 4486 9247 4486 9214 4485 9214
      4468 9228 4465 9230 4461 9233 4459 9252
      4466 9259
TIME...MOT...LOC 1942Z 211DEG 52KT 4458 9251

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

$$

BED

661 
WWUS53 KMPX 171957
SVSMPX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
257 PM CDT Fri Apr 17 2026

WIC093-172015-
/O.CON.KMPX.SV.W.0039.000000T0000Z-260417T2015Z/
Pierce WI-
257 PM CDT Fri Apr 17 2026

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 315 PM CDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN PIERCE COUNTY...

At 257 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm was located 7 miles northeast of
Ellsworth, or 14 miles east of River Falls, moving northeast at 60
mph.

HAZARD...Quarter size hail.

SOURCE...Trained spotters reported. At 2:55PM, 1.00" hail was
         reported 2 miles east of Ellsworth.

IMPACT...Damage to vehicles is expected.

Locations impacted include...
  Ellsworth, Beldenville, El Paso and Martel.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Seek shelter inside a well-built structure and stay away from
windows. This storm has produced large hail.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 800 PM CDT Friday for a
portion of west central Wisconsin.

&&

LAT...LON 4486 9247 4486 9214 4485 9214 4470 9226
      4470 9241 4475 9252
TIME...MOT...LOC 1949Z 211DEG 52KT 4468 9243

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

$$

BED

117 
WWUS53 KMPX 172010
SVSMPX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
310 PM CDT Fri Apr 17 2026

WIC093-172020-
/O.EXP.KMPX.SV.W.0039.000000T0000Z-260417T2015Z/
Pierce WI-
310 PM CDT Fri Apr 17 2026

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 315 PM CDT FOR
NORTHEASTERN PIERCE COUNTY...

The storm which prompted the warning has moved out of the area.
Therefore, the warning will be allowed to expire.

A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 800 PM CDT Friday for a
portion of west central Wisconsin.

&&

LAT...LON 4486 9247 4486 9214 4485 9214 4470 9226
      4470 9241 4475 9252
TIME...MOT...LOC 1957Z 211DEG 52KT 4478 9234

$$

BED

The office that day

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

Issued	Product	Office	Counties	Lasted
Apr 17, 7:14 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	MPX	McLeod	46 min
Apr 17, 7:34 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	MPX	Nicollet, Sibley	41 min
Apr 17, 7:50 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	MPX	Le Sueur	40 min
Apr 17, 8:17 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	MPX	Le Sueur, Scott	43 min
Apr 17, 8:32 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Le Sueur, Rice, Steele, Waseca	43 min
Apr 17, 9:14 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	MPX	Rice, Steele	46 min
Apr 17, 9:36 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Dakota, Goodhue, Rice	39 min
Apr 17, 10:10 AM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Dakota, Goodhue	50 min
Apr 17, 1:39 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Goodhue	36 min
Apr 17, 1:53 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	MPX	Hennepin	37 min
Apr 17, 2:19 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	MPX	Washington	26 min
Apr 17, 10:57 AM CDT	Special Weather Statement	MPX	Saint Croix	48 min
Apr 17, 2:06 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Pierce, Saint Croix	33 min
Apr 17, 2:27 PM CDT	Special Weather Statement	MPX	Barron, Chippewa, Dunn, Polk, Rusk, Saint Croix	93 min
Apr 17, 2:34 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Barron, Polk	41 min
Apr 17, 2:35 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Chippewa	10 min
Apr 17, 3:08 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Barron, Dunn, Polk, Saint Croix	35 min
Apr 17, 3:09 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Barron	36 min
Apr 17, 3:17 PM CDT	Severe Thunderstorm Warning	MPX	Dunn	26 min
Apr 17, 4:13 PM CDT	Tornado Warning	MPX	Eau Claire	32 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Minnesota, 2026 Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Wisconsin, 2026 Every 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.