Alert archive / Minnesota / Special Weather Statements in 2026

Special Weather Statement, NWS Twin Cities, MN

August 3, 2026Douglas County, Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this special weather statement at Aug 3, 2026, 9:17 PM CDT for Douglas County, Minnesota. It was in force for 43 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
Aug 3, 2026, 9:17 PM CDT (02:17 UTC)
Expired
Aug 3, 2026, 10:00 PM CDT
In force
43 min
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
Hail
0.75 in
Wind
40

County Douglas County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 202 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 02:17 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, 2.3 hours before the alert went out and 200 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 2026-08-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 754 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 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 2026-08-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 105 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
754 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-417 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1169 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
36 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
105 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
230 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

868 
WWUS83 KMPX 040217
SPSMPX

Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
917 PM CDT Mon Aug 3 2026

MNZ041-040300-
Douglas MN-
917 PM CDT Mon Aug 3 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHERN DOUGLAS COUNTY UNTIL 10
PM CDT...

At 917 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 6
miles southwest of Evansville, or 21 miles west of Alexandria, moving
northeast at 45 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...
  Evansville, Brandon, Leaf Valley, Miltona, Millerville and Melby.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

LAT...LON 4611 9529 4606 9523 4586 9576 4593 9576
      4593 9577 4611 9577
TIME...MOT...LOC 0217Z 237DEG 39KT 4595 9580

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

$$

LPR

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 Aug 3, 6:46 PM CDT, 2 hours 31 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Showers and thunderstorms return to the forecast tonight into Tuesday morning. A few stronger storms may produce isolated damaging wind and hail across western MN.
  • Highs in the upper 70s Tuesday and Wednesday with a rebound into the upper 80s at the conclusion of the work week and over the weekend.
Area forecast discussion, Aug 3, 6:46 PM CDT, 2 hours 31 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
646 PM CDT Mon Aug 3 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Showers and thunderstorms return to the forecast tonight into
  Tuesday morning. A few stronger storms may produce isolated
  damaging wind and hail across western MN.

- Highs in the upper 70s Tuesday and Wednesday with a rebound
  into the upper 80s at the conclusion of the work week and over
  the weekend.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 203 PM CDT Mon Aug 3 2026

Current satellite showing mid to high-level clouds across much of
the northern half of Minnesota. This being out ahead of a surface
cold front that is expected to move SE across MN/WI later today
through tonight. For the rest of this afternoon, folks can expect
temperatures to be a bit warmer than they were this past weekend.
Most sites will warm in to the mid-80s this afternoon. It will feel
a bit sticky though as dew points creep near 70 degrees, especially
across western MN. Wind speeds will be elevated with gusts reaching
25-35mph. Clouds will gradually increase from north to south for
the remainder of the day as the aforementioned cold front
approaches. Given the warmer and stickier air to our west, the
better chance for the strongest precip looks to be focused across
NW'rn Minnesota late this evening. The Storm Prediction Center has
a slight risk (level 2 of 5) for severe thunderstorms that mainly
will be capable of producing large hail and damaging wind gusts.
However, given better shear profiles across NW'rn MN into the
Dakotas, a tornado cannot be ruled out for areas NW of Little Falls
down to Morris. Through time, forcing and instability wanes and
storms that congeal into broken segments across central MN are
expected to scatter out into eastern MN/western WI by early tomorrow
morning. Heavy rain, especially in the early onset of this system
will be likely as PWAT values are elevated near 1.8 to 2.0". As for
rainfall accumulation, The bullseye will remain well of to our north
near Grand Forks and the Int'l border. Most of us across central and
southern MN could see perhaps a few hundredths of an inch whereas
areas west could squeeze out a closer to a quarter inch. As always,
locally higher amounts could occur with any thunderstorms.

By mid-Tuesday morning, most precip should have diminished as the
boundary stalls over eastern MN and western WI. Troughing aloft
gradually guides this boundary further eastward Tuesday
afternoon but this in turn will create another opportunity for
CI to occur across southern MN down to the MN/IA border. Nothing
widespread is expected but do have 20-30 PoP mentions for the
potential for scattered pulse-like summertime convection. At
this time, no severe weather is expected. Temperatures post-
fropa will be noticeably cooler with highs ranging in the 70s
both days with dew points mainly in the 50s.

Temperatures do make a comeback later in the week, upper-level flow
becomes more zonal with warmer h85 temps being trapped just south of
the Canadian Border. Highs will reach the lower 80s by Thursday and
then reaching the upper 80s by this weekend. The next fair shot at
precip wouldn't arrive until Saturday night into Sunday.

&&

.AVIATION /00Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY/...
Issued at 618 PM CDT Mon Aug 3 2026

VFR conditions continue for most of the period, with the main
weather concern being our incoming cold front. Winds will shift
out of the northwest behind the front, and a period of showers
and storms are expected as the front passes through. There
remains a short window for about 40 to 45 kts of
south/southwesterly LLWS to develop ahead of the front. Cigs may
lower to MVFR levels as the showers move through, though
confidence is low on how widespread or persistent they will end
up becoming. KAXN and KEAU remain the most likely to see a few
hours of MVFR cigs. All sites are expected to return to VFR
conditions by midday Tuesday with NW winds around 10 kts.

KMSP...Best timing of -SHRA remains around 08-11z, with a stray
thunderstorm still possible within that window as well. It is
more likely that there is very limited or no lightning at the
terminal, but a nonzero chance remains.

/OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/
WED...VFR. Wind VRB to SW 5-10kts.
THU...VFR. Wind SW 5-10G20kts.
FRI...VFR. Wind SW 5-10G20kts.

&&

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

&&

DISCUSSION...Dunleavy
AVIATION...BED
Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 3, 2:09 PM CDT, 7 hours 8 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
209 PM CDT Mon Aug 3 2026

MNZ044-045-050>053-058>063-065>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-
WIZ014>016-023>028-041915-
Mille Lacs-Kanabec-Benton-Sherburne-Isanti-Chisago-Meeker-Wright-
Hennepin-Anoka-Ramsey-Washington-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-Chippewa-Eau Claire-
209 PM CDT Mon Aug 3 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central
Minnesota...east central Minnesota...south central Minnesota...
southeast Minnesota...southwest Minnesota...northwest Wisconsin
and west central Wisconsin.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

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

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN spotter activation will not be needed.

MNZ041>043-047>049-054>057-064-041915-
Douglas-Todd-Morrison-Stevens-Pope-Stearns-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-
Chippewa-Kandiyohi-Yellow Medicine-
209 PM CDT Mon Aug 3 2026

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

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

Scattered thunderstorms are expected across western Minnesota
tonight. The strongest storms could contain hail & damaging wind
gusts.

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

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN spotter activation will not be needed.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 3, 9:17 PM CDT, 0 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
917 PM CDT Mon Aug 3 2026

MNZ041-040300-
Douglas MN-
917 PM CDT Mon Aug 3 2026

...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHERN DOUGLAS COUNTY UNTIL 10
PM CDT...

At 917 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm 6
miles southwest of Evansville, or 21 miles west of Alexandria, moving
northeast at 45 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...
  Evansville, Brandon, Leaf Valley, Miltona, Millerville and Melby.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

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

&&

LAT...LON 4611 9529 4606 9523 4586 9576 4593 9576
      4593 9577 4611 9577
TIME...MOT...LOC 0217Z 237DEG 39KT 4595 9580

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

LPR

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Aug 4, 3:50 AM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXFaribault40 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.