Alert archive / Minnesota / Special Weather Statements in 2026

Special Weather Statement, NWS Twin Cities, MN

July 4, 2026Faribault County, Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this special weather statement at Jul 4, 2026, 10:35 PM CDT for Faribault County, Minnesota. It was in force for 55 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
Jul 4, 2026, 10:35 PM CDT (03:35 UTC)
Expired
Jul 4, 2026, 11:30 PM CDT
In force
55 min
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
Hail
0.88 in
Wind
40

County Faribault County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 136 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 03:35 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.

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 00:00Z, 3.6 hours before the alert went out and 136 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 2026-07-05Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 761 joules per kilogram.LCLEL10008507005003002001001 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 2026-07-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -20 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
761 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-2 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1429 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
23 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-20 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
19 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
-0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

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What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this special weather statement 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 special weather statement went out at Jul 4, 6:51 PM CDT, 3 hours 44 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Isolated to scatted thunderstorms are forecast through 9PM/10PM this evening. A few thunderstorms could become strong to severe with the main threats being heavy rain, lightning, gusty winds, and a few instances of hail up to 1 inch.
  • Quiet and warm weather is expected Sunday through at least Monday night. The next best chance for showers and thunderstorms arrives late Tuesday and Wednesday.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 4, 6:51 PM CDT, 3 hours 44 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
651 PM CDT Sat Jul 4 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Isolated to scatted thunderstorms are forecast through
  9PM/10PM this evening. A few thunderstorms could become strong
  to severe with the main threats being heavy rain, lightning,
  gusty winds, and a few instances of hail up to 1 inch.

- Quiet and warm weather is expected Sunday through at least
  Monday night. The next best chance for showers and
  thunderstorms arrives late Tuesday and Wednesday.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 233 PM CDT Sat Jul 4 2026

19Z satellite shows partly cloudy skies across central and
southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin. A muggy afternoon and
evening is expected with temperatures continuing to warm into
the 80s and dew points rising into the upper 60s and 70s. The
muggy conditions will also allow the atmosphere to continue to
destabilize with SBCAPE values peaking in the 2000 to 2500 J/kg
range this afternoon. This instability combined with a weak
passing overhead disturbance will support some isolated to
scattered showers and thunderstorms through the afternoon and
evening. However, expect thunderstorms to be more pulse-like
due to rather weak 0-6km shear values around 20 kts at best,
mid-level lapse rates around 6.4 C/km, DCAPE values of 800 to
900 J/kg, and overall weak ascent. Should a thunderstorm be able
to last long enough to become strong to severe, the threat
looks to be gusty winds and instances of hail up to 1 inch.
Periods of heavy rainfall are also possible with PWATs right
around 1.5-1.6 inches. Because of the over pulse-like nature of
thunderstorms, it will be difficult to pin point exactly where
they will develop. That being said, the greatest coverage,
timing, and chances (up to 60%) of thunderstorms looks to be
across central Minnesota through 6PM. This is due to being in
closer proximity to better upper-level support. There is
generally a 30% to 40% chance of a shower or thunderstorm across
Minnesota and western Wisconsin through 9PM/10PM this evening.
Chances quickly decrease after sunset but an isolated shower or
thunderstorm cannot be ruled out for southern portions through
2AM.

Upper-level flow is forecast to be more northerly on Sunday as a
ridge begins to build into the Upper Mississippi River Valley.
This means that height rises aloft will suppress most convection
chances to close out the holiday weekend. That being said, a
stray shower or thunderstorm during the afternoon hours cannot
be ruled out for far southeastern Minnesota. Chances of this
occurring are only around 15% at best. There is a reasonable
amount of consensus that the positively aligned ridge axis will
move over the area on Monday. So Monday's forecast calls for a
warm day with highs in the mid 80s and mostly sunny skies. By
Monday evening, shower and thunderstorm chances return as a weak
shortwave traverses the area. Because the wave passes over
later in the day/closer to sunset, overall coverage is forecast
to be on the lower end. If the shortwave traverses the area
earlier in the afternoon and around peak heating on Monday, more
areas could see showers and thunderstorms.

A more potent shortwave and an associated front looks to
approach the forecast area late Tuesday into Wednesday. This is
currently the next best chance (60% to 70%) for showers and
thunderstorms across the area. For Thursday and Friday, a
largely zonal pattern looks to set up with embedded shortwaves
passing through. There is a reasonable amount of uncertainty on
timing and strength of the shortwaves which will influence the
shower and thunderstorm chances to end the work week.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z MONDAY/...
Issued at 629 PM CDT Sat Jul 4 2026

Showers and thunderstorms near KSTC are forecast to continue
pushing to the south and east through 03Z/04Z Sunday. Confidence
in storms holding together by the time they reach KMSP and KRNH
is around 60 percent so went with a TEMPO group. Confidence in
direct impacts at all other terminals is around 30 percent so
PROB30 groups have been maintained. MVFR flight conditions
and wind gusts around 25 kts are possible in any thunderstorms.
There is low cloud/fog potential Sunday morning at any terminal
that has seen/sees rain as long as clouds clear out overnight.
Confidence is highest that low clouds/fog will develop at KMSP
and KSTC. Confidence is around 20 percent at all other terminals
so went with a FEW010 or SCT010 group at this time. Otherwise,
dry and VFR flight conditions by 15Z Sunday.

KMSP...There is an area of thunderstorms to the northwest of KMSP
as of 00Z and it is forecast to reach the terminal between 01Z
and 03Z Sunday. MVFR flight conditions and gusty winds around
25kts could accompany these showers and thunderstorms with its
southeastward movement. There is 60 percent confidence that
fog/low clouds will development at the terminal between 10Z and
15Z Sunday. If clouds do not clear out, the fog/low cloud
chances will be much lower. Otherwise, expect winds to be 10kts
or less.

/OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/
SUN...MVFR 10Z to 15Z, otherwise VFR. Winds E to NE 5-10kts.
MON...VFR. Winds SE 5-10kts.
TUE...VFR. Chc TS overnight. Winds SW 5-15kts.

&&

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

&&

DISCUSSION...TDH
AVIATION...WFO MPX/TOP
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 4, 3:42 PM CDT, 6 hours 53 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
342 PM CDT Sat Jul 4 2026

MNZ041>045-047>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ014>016-023>028-
052045-
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-
342 PM CDT Sat Jul 4 2026

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

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

Isolated to scattered thunderstorms remain possible through at
least sunset. The strongest thunderstorms will be capable of
frequent lightning, gusty winds, and locally heavy rain. There
could be a few instances of small hail as well.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN spotter activation will not be needed.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 4, 9:46 PM CDT, 49 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 4, 9:48 PM CDT, 47 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 4, 9:50 PM CDT, 45 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 4, 10:30 PM CDT, 5 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 4, 10:34 PM CDT, 1 minute before
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Special weather statement, Jul 4, 10:35 PM CDT, 0 minutes before
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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 4, 7:05 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXLac qui Parle55 min
Jul 4, 7:16 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXChippewa, Lac qui Parle29 min
Jul 4, 7:24 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXCarver, Dakota, Scott51 min
Jul 4, 7:44 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXChippewa, Yellow Medicine31 min
Jul 4, 8:01 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXHennepin44 min
Jul 4, 8:15 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXYellow Medicine45 min

Nearby

Special Weather Statements in Minnesota, 2026Every special weather statement 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.