Alert archive / Minnesota / Tornado Warnings in 2026
Tornado Warning 12, NWS Twin Cities, MN
NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this tornado warning at May 17, 2026, 7:48 PM CDT for Blue Earth County, Martin County, Watonwan County, Minnesota. It was in force for 42 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, 7:48 PM CDT (00:48 UTC)
- Expired
- May 17, 2026, 8:30 PM CDT
- In force
- 42 min
- Issued by
- NWS Twin Cities, MN
- Area
- Storm-based polygon
- Tornado
- Radar indicated
- Hail
- 0.0 in
Counties Blue Earth County, MN, Martin County, MN, Watonwan County, MN
The radar
The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 128 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:49 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.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 17, 6:12 PM CDT | Tornado Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
The nearest sounding before it
Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 00:00Z, 0.8 hours before the alert went out and 126 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
- 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
The text
As transmitted.
634
WFUS53 KMPX 180048
TORMPX
MNC013-091-165-180130-
/O.NEW.KMPX.TO.W.0012.260518T0048Z-260518T0130Z/
BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
748 PM CDT Sun May 17 2026
The National Weather Service in the Twin Cities has issued a
* Tornado Warning for...
Southwestern Blue Earth County in south central Minnesota...
North Central Martin County in south central Minnesota...
Southeastern Watonwan County in south central Minnesota...
* Until 830 PM CDT.
* At 748 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located near Truman, or 11 miles north 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...
Truman around 755 PM CDT.
Lewisville around 805 PM CDT.
Vernon Center around 825 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 4381 9460 4407 9425 4395 9410 4373 9450
TIME...MOT...LOC 0048Z 228DEG 26KT 4380 9451
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
$$
MPG2 follow-up statements
857
WWUS53 KMPX 180113
SVSMPX
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
813 PM CDT Sun May 17 2026
MNC091-165-180123-
/O.CAN.KMPX.TO.W.0012.000000T0000Z-260518T0130Z/
Martin MN-Watonwan MN-
813 PM CDT Sun May 17 2026
...TORNADO WARNING IS CANCELLED FOR NORTH CENTRAL MARTIN AND
SOUTHEASTERN WATONWAN COUNTIES...
The storm which prompted the warning has moved out of the area.
Therefore, the warning has been cancelled. A Severe Thunderstorm
Warning still remains in effect for Martin and Watonwan counties
until 830 PM.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 100 AM CDT Monday for a
portion of south central Minnesota.
&&
LAT...LON 4398 9437 4407 9425 4395 9410 4385 9429
4385 9437
TIME...MOT...LOC 0048Z 228DEG 26KT 4380 9450
$$
MNC013-180130-
/O.CON.KMPX.TO.W.0012.000000T0000Z-260518T0130Z/
Blue Earth MN-
813 PM CDT Sun May 17 2026
...TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 830 PM CDT FOR
SOUTHWESTERN BLUE EARTH COUNTY...
At 813 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located 6 miles east of Lewisville, or 21 miles north 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...
Vernon Center around 825 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 4398 9437 4407 9425 4395 9410 4385 9429
4385 9437
TIME...MOT...LOC 0048Z 228DEG 26KT 4380 9450
TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
$$
MPG914
WWUS53 KMPX 180122
SVSMPX
Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
822 PM CDT Sun May 17 2026
MNC013-180132-
/O.EXP.KMPX.TO.W.0012.000000T0000Z-260518T0130Z/
Blue Earth MN-
822 PM CDT Sun May 17 2026
...TORNADO WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 830 PM CDT FOR SOUTHWESTERN BLUE
EARTH COUNTY...
The storm which prompted the warning has weakened below severe
limits, and no longer appears capable of producing a tornado.
Therefore, the warning will be allowed to expire. A Severe
Thunderstorm Warning still remains in effect for southwest Blue Earth
county until 9 pm.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 100 AM CDT Monday for a
portion of south central Minnesota.
&&
LAT...LON 4398 9437 4407 9425 4395 9410 4385 9429
4385 9437
TIME...MOT...LOC 0113Z 228DEG 26KT 4393 9431
$$
MPGThe office that day
Everything else NWS Twin Cities, MN issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 17, 7:11 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Brown, Watonwan | 49 min |
| May 17, 7:12 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MPX | Blue Earth, Martin, Watonwan | 33 min |
| May 17, 7:32 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Martin, Watonwan | 58 min |
| May 17, 7:40 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MPX | Faribault, Martin | 35 min |
| May 17, 7:40 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MPX | Martin, Watonwan | 24 min |
| May 17, 8:10 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Blue Earth, Faribault, Martin | 50 min |
| May 17, 8:49 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Blue Earth, Faribault, Freeborn, Waseca | 43 min |
| May 17, 9:19 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Blue Earth, Faribault, Martin, Watonwan | 56 min |
| May 17, 9:36 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MPX | Faribault, Martin | 39 min |
| May 17, 9:52 PM CDT | Tornado Warning | MPX | Faribault, Freeborn | 53 min |
| May 17, 10:33 PM CDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX | Freeborn | 27 min |
| May 17, 11:26 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | MPX | Goodhue | 34 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.