Alert archive / Minnesota / Tornado Warnings in 2026

Tornado Warning 10, NWS Twin Cities, MN

May 17, 2026Faribault County, Martin County, Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this tornado warning at May 17, 2026, 7:40 PM CDT for Faribault County, Martin County, Minnesota. It was in force for 35 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
May 17, 2026, 7:40 PM CDT (00:40 UTC)
Expired
May 17, 2026, 8:15 PM CDT
In force
35 min
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
0.0 in

Counties Faribault County, MN, Martin County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 134 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:42 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 watch it was issued in

The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
May 17, 6:12 PM CDTTornado WatchSPC6 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 00:00Z, 0.7 hours before the alert went out and 133 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 2026-05-18Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 0 joules per kilogram.LCL10008507005003002001001 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 00:00Z on 2026-05-18The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 154 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
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
No buoyant parcel
Mixed-layer LCL
1101 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
154 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
237 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

850 
WFUS53 KMPX 180040
TORMPX
MNC043-091-180115-
/O.NEW.KMPX.TO.W.0010.260518T0040Z-260518T0115Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
740 PM CDT Sun May 17 2026

The National Weather Service in the Twin Cities has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Northwestern Faribault County in south central Minnesota...
  Northeastern Martin County in south central Minnesota...

* Until 815 PM CDT.

* At 740 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located 9 miles southwest of Winnebago, or 11 miles east of
  Fairmont, moving northeast at 30 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

  IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without
           shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage
           to roofs, windows and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is
           likely.

* This tornado will be near...
  Winnebago around 755 PM CDT.
  Delavan around 805 PM CDT.

Other locations impacted by the tornado include Guckeen and Huntley.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a well-built building
away from windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a
vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself
from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 4360 9425 4363 9432 4385 9432 4385 9397
      4384 9392
TIME...MOT...LOC 0039Z 219DEG 27KT 4365 9426

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN

$$

Dye
3 follow-up statements
999 
WWUS53 KMPX 180051
SVSMPX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
751 PM CDT Sun May 17 2026

MNC043-091-180115-
/O.CON.KMPX.TO.W.0010.000000T0000Z-260518T0115Z/
Faribault MN-Martin MN-
751 PM CDT Sun May 17 2026

...TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 815 PM CDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN FARIBAULT AND NORTHEASTERN MARTIN COUNTIES...

At 751 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Winnebago, or 13 miles northeast of Fairmont, moving
northeast at 30 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado.

SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage
         to roofs, windows and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is
         likely.

This tornado will be near...
  Winnebago around 800 PM CDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a well-built building
away from windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a
vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself
from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 4385 9425 4385 9419 4385 9398 4367 9423
      4369 9431 4385 9428
TIME...MOT...LOC 0040Z 207DEG 24KT 4366 9430

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN

$$

Dye
380 
WWUS53 KMPX 180057
SVSMPX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
757 PM CDT Sun May 17 2026

MNC043-091-180115-
/O.CON.KMPX.TO.W.0010.000000T0000Z-260518T0115Z/
Faribault MN-Martin MN-
757 PM CDT Sun May 17 2026

...TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 815 PM CDT FOR
NORTHWESTERN FARIBAULT AND NORTHEASTERN MARTIN COUNTIES...

At 757 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Winnebago, or 15 miles northeast of Fairmont, moving
northeast at 30 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado.

SOURCE...Radar indicated rotation.

IMPACT...Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without
         shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage
         to roofs, windows and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is
         likely.

This tornado will be near...
  Winnebago around 800 PM CDT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a well-built building
away from windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a
vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself
from flying debris.

&&

LAT...LON 4373 9425 4374 9430 4385 9428 4385 9407
      4372 9420
TIME...MOT...LOC 0051Z 207DEG 24KT 4373 9425

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN

$$

Dye
513 
WWUS53 KMPX 180108
SVSMPX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
808 PM CDT Sun May 17 2026

MNC043-091-180118-
/O.EXP.KMPX.TO.W.0010.000000T0000Z-260518T0115Z/
Faribault MN-Martin MN-
808 PM CDT Sun May 17 2026

...TORNADO WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 815 PM CDT FOR NORTHWESTERN
FARIBAULT AND NORTHEASTERN MARTIN COUNTIES...

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 100 AM CDT Monday for a
portion of south central Minnesota.

&&

LAT...LON 4373 9425 4374 9430 4385 9428 4385 9407
      4372 9420
TIME...MOT...LOC 0057Z 207DEG 24KT 4377 9422

$$

Dye

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 17, 7:11 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXBrown, Watonwan49 min
May 17, 7:12 PM CDTTornado Warning Tornado observedMPXBlue Earth, Martin, Watonwan33 min
May 17, 7:32 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXMartin, Watonwan58 min
May 17, 7:40 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXMartin, Watonwan24 min
May 17, 7:48 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXBlue Earth, Martin, Watonwan42 min
May 17, 8:10 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXBlue Earth, Faribault, Martin50 min
May 17, 8:49 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXBlue Earth, Faribault, Freeborn, Waseca43 min
May 17, 9:19 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXBlue Earth, Faribault, Martin, Watonwan56 min
May 17, 9:36 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXFaribault, Martin39 min
May 17, 9:52 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXFaribault, Freeborn53 min
May 17, 10:33 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm Warning Considerable damage threatMPXFreeborn27 min
May 17, 11:26 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXGoodhue34 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Minnesota, 2026Every tornado warning in 2026Tornadoes 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.