Alert archive / Minnesota / Tornado Warnings in 2026

Tornado Warning 19, NWS Twin Cities, MN

July 4, 2026Stearns County, Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this tornado warning at Jul 4, 2026, 4:11 PM CDT for Stearns County, Minnesota. It was in force for 34 min. 2 reports 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
Jul 4, 2026, 4:11 PM CDT (21:11 UTC)
Expired
Jul 4, 2026, 4:45 PM CDT
In force
34 min
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
Area
Storm-based polygon
Tornado
Radar indicated
Hail
1.0 in

County Stearns County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 135 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:14 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

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jul 4, 4:34 PM CDTHAIL 1New Munich, MN
Jul 4, 4:44 PM CDTHAIL 1.51 Se New Munich, MNPhoto measurement provided via NWSChat.

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

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 9.2 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 12:00Z on 2026-07-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 944 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 12:00Z on 2026-07-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 3 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
944 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-38 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
925 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
16 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
3 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-4 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

196 
WFUS53 KMPX 042111
TORMPX
MNC145-042145-
/O.NEW.KMPX.TO.W.0019.260704T2111Z-260704T2145Z/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Tornado Warning
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
411 PM CDT Sat Jul 4 2026

The National Weather Service in the Twin Cities has issued a

* Tornado Warning for...
  Northwestern Stearns County in central Minnesota...

* Until 445 PM CDT.

* At 411 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
  was located over Melrose, or 28 miles southeast of Alexandria,
  moving southeast at 15 mph.

  HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

  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.

* Locations impacted include...
  Meire Grove, Melrose, New Munich and Freeport.

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 4568 9493 4573 9488 4569 9467 4557 9478
TIME...MOT...LOC 2111Z 304DEG 13KT 4568 9488

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

CTG
2 follow-up statements
464 
WWUS53 KMPX 042123 RRA
SVSMPX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
423 PM CDT Sat Jul 4 2026

MNC145-042145-
/O.CON.KMPX.TO.W.0019.000000T0000Z-260704T2145Z/
Stearns MN-
423 PM CDT Sat Jul 4 2026

...TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 445 PM CDT FOR NORTH
CENTRAL STEARNS COUNTY...

At 423 PM CDT, a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado
was located over Melrose, or 31 miles southeast of Alexandria, moving
southeast at 15 mph.

HAZARD...Tornado and quarter size hail.

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.

Locations impacted include...
  Meire Grove, Melrose, New Munich and Freeport.

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 4565 9489 4570 9483 4568 9468 4557 9478
TIME...MOT...LOC 2111Z 304DEG 13KT 4568 9487

TORNADO...RADAR INDICATED
MAX HAIL SIZE...1.00 IN

$$

CTG
376 
WWUS53 KMPX 042141
SVSMPX

Severe Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
441 PM CDT Sat Jul 4 2026

MNC145-042151-
/O.EXP.KMPX.TO.W.0019.000000T0000Z-260704T2145Z/
Stearns MN-
441 PM CDT Sat Jul 4 2026

...TORNADO WARNING WILL EXPIRE AT 445 PM CDT FOR NORTH CENTRAL
STEARNS 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 Stearns county until
530 PM CDT.

&&

LAT...LON 4565 9489 4570 9483 4568 9468 4557 9478
TIME...MOT...LOC 2123Z 304DEG 13KT 4566 9482

$$

CTG

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 3, 10:51 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMPXRamsey, Washington103 min
Jul 4, 2:09 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXTodd51 min
Jul 4, 2:55 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXTodd35 min
Jul 4, 3:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXTodd38 min
Jul 4, 3:31 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXTodd29 min
Jul 4, 3:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXStearns, Todd38 min
Jul 4, 3:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXTodd43 min
Jul 4, 3:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXStearns35 min
Jul 4, 4:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXKandiyohi, Stearns50 min
Jul 4, 4:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXStearns40 min
Jul 4, 4:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXKanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison54 min
Jul 4, 4:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXRenville27 min
Jul 4, 5:02 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXBenton, Sherburne, Stearns43 min
Jul 4, 5:10 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXKanabec65 min
Jul 4, 5:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXKandiyohi, Meeker, Stearns46 min
Jul 4, 5:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXKandiyohi40 min
Jul 4, 5:22 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXKanabec, Mille Lacs41 min
Jul 4, 5:37 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMPXBenton, Sherburne, Stearns2 hr
Jul 4, 5:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXKanabec33 min
Jul 4, 5:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXKandiyohi, Meeker48 min
Jul 4, 6:02 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXWright43 min
Jul 4, 6:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXWright52 min
Jul 4, 6:30 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXLac qui Parle60 min
Jul 4, 6:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXLac qui Parle23 min
Jul 4, 6:55 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXHennepin50 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; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.