Minnesota, 1994

Hail and Damaging Winds in Minnesota, July 5, 1994

July 5, 1994 · 21 events in 16 counties and zones

13 thunderstorm wind, 8 hail, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 21 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$5.6 million
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
21

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

Event by event

13 thunderstorm wind, 8 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Stearns

When
July 5, 12:37 AM CST
Where
Stearns County, Avon
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
45.552, -94.613 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Rock

When
July 5, 12:55 AM CST
Where
Rock County, Luverne
Measured
61 kt (70 mph)
Coordinates
43.675, -96.253 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong thunderstorm winds blew down several trees and damaged a number of buildings across eastern Rock County

Thunderstorm Wind, Rock

When
July 5, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Rock County, Hills
Coordinates
43.675, -96.253 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong thunderstorm winds blew down several trees and damaged a number of buildings across eastern Rock County

Thunderstorm Wind, Watonwan

When
July 5, 2:00 AM CST
Where
Watonwan County, Madelia
Measured
55 kt (63 mph)
Property damage
$50,000
Coordinates
43.978, -94.614 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong winds toppled a tree onto the side of a home in Madelia. This led to several broken windows and damage to the roof and siding.

Hail, Brown

When
July 5, 2:15 AM CST
Where
Brown County, New Ulm
Measured
0.8 in hail
Property damage
$500
Coordinates
44.242, -94.727 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Nicollet

When
July 5, 2:17 AM CST
Where
Nicollet County, New Ulm
Measured
0.8 in hail
Property damage
$500
Coordinates
44.350, -94.247 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Nickel-size hail fell in the New Ulm area, from the city to across the Minnesota River 5 E New Ulm.

Hail, Watonwan

When
July 5, 2:20 AM CST
Where
Watonwan County, St. James
Measured
0.75 in hail
Property damage
$500
Coordinates
43.978, -94.614 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Sibley

When
July 5, 3:05 AM CST
Where
Sibley County, Gaylord
Coordinates
44.580, -94.232 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several trees were uprooted by strong thunderstorm winds.

Thunderstorm Wind, Scott

When
July 5, 3:20 AM CST
Where
Scott County, Belle Plaine
Coordinates
44.649, -93.536 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several large trees were blown down by strong thunderstorm winds.

Thunderstorm Wind, Carver

When
July 5, 3:40 AM CST
Where
Carver County, Watertown
Coordinates
44.821, -93.803 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Trees and power lines were blown down by strong thunderstorm winds.

Thunderstorm Wind, Wright

When
July 5, 3:47 AM CST
Where
Wright County, Delano
Coordinates
45.174, -93.963 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several large trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hennepin

When
July 5, 3:49 AM CST
Where
Hennepin County, Msp
Measured
54 kt (62 mph)
Property damage
$5.0 million
Coordinates
45.005, -93.477 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Dakota

When
July 5, 3:50 AM CST
Where
Dakota County, Eagan
Measured
65 kt (75 mph)
Property damage
$500,000
Coordinates
44.672, -93.065 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Hennepin

When
July 5, 3:50 AM CST
Where
Hennepin County, Bloomington
Coordinates
45.005, -93.477 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When
July 5, 4:00 AM CST
Where
Washington County, Forest Lake
Coordinates
45.039, -92.884 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When
July 5, 4:10 AM CST
Where
Washington County, Stillwater
Coordinates
45.039, -92.884 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Anoka

When
July 5, 4:10 AM CST
Where
Anoka County, Burns
Coordinates
45.273, -93.246 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A complex of severe thunderstorms moved across east-central Minnesota causing strong downburst winds across southern Hennepin and northern Dakota County. Over 100 homes and business received damage with an estimated $1.5 million damage in Hennepin County and over $100,000 damage across Dakota County. Numerous trees and power lines were blown down across Anoka, Hennepin, Dakota, Wright and Washington County.

Hail, Swift

When
July 5, 7:52 PM CST
Where
Swift County to Hollaway
Measured
1.75 in hail
Coordinates
45.283, -95.681 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Swift

When
July 5, 8:18 PM CST
Where
Swift County, Danvers
Measured
2.75 in hail
Coordinates
45.283, -95.681 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Morrison

When
July 5, 8:41 PM CST
Where
Morrison County, Freedham
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
46.013, -94.268 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Chippewa

When
July 5, 9:45 PM CST
Where
Chippewa County, Montevideo
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
45.022, -95.567 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind
Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Minnesota in 1994Every state in 1994This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, July 1994

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 10330682, 10329812, 10329813, 10330947, 10331704, 10330660, 10330948, 10330521, 10330439, 10331197, 10331032, 10331258, 10329346, 10331259, 10330936, 10330937, 10331619, 10330765, 10330766, 10330504, 10331206.