Minnesota, 1995

Damaging Winds in Minnesota, July 13, 1995

July 13, 1995 · 21 events in 8 counties and zones

21 thunderstorm wind, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 20 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
6
Property damage
$15 million
Crop damage
$16 million
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.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

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Event by event

21 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Mnz003 - 017 - 022>024 - 027>032 - 042

When
July 13, 2:05 AM CST
Where
Mnz003 - 017 - 022>024 - 027>032 - 042 County, Portions of West Cen
Measured
80 kt (92 mph)
Injuries
6 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$15 million
Crop damage
$16 million

Trees up to four and one-half feet in diameter were blown down in Clay and Becker Counties. Numerous roofs blown off houses in the town of Hawley in Clay County. Tree damage was extensive at the Hawley golf course. Five boy scouts camping in tents and cabins at Many Point Lake Scout Camp near Ponsford were injured by falling trees. Two barns were destroyed at a chicken farm near Lake Park. Some homes were without electricity for up to a week. Over one thousand trees blown down at Itasca State Park in southern Clearwater County. One camper injured when a tree fell on her tent. Large trees down in Clarissa, Eagle Bend and Browerville areas of Todd County. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) estimated nearly 129,000 total acres of timber were destroyed by the storms of July 12-14. This estimate was based partly on aerial photography. The area of downed trees extended primarily across southern Clearwater, southeast Mahnomen, northwest Hubbard and northern Becker Counties. The DNR estimated that 5.2 million trees were blown down, tipped over or broken off. The appraised value of the timber lost or damaged was estimated at $15.5 million . This amount of timber would have been worth about a third of a billion dollars after having been cut, milled, sold and made into finished products. Only about half of the timber damaged was expected to be salvaged.

Thunderstorm Wind, Itasca

When
July 13, 4:10 AM CST
Where
Itasca County, Brainerd
Measured
65 kt (75 mph)
Coordinates
47.510, -93.632 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Itasca

When
July 13, 4:18 AM CST
Where
Itasca County, Squaw Lake
Coordinates
47.510, -93.632 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Louis

When
July 13, 4:47 AM CST
Where
St. Louis County, Pike Lake
Coordinates
47.590, -92.461 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Aitkin

When
July 13, 4:50 AM CST
Where
Aitkin County, Hill City
Coordinates
46.608, -93.415 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several trees were blown down, blocking highway 169.

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Louis

When
July 13, 5:10 AM CST
Where
St. Louis County, Hibbing
Measured
58 kt (67 mph)
Coordinates
47.590, -92.461 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm winds from 61 to 70 kts (70-80 mph) tipped over boats and caused power outages.

Thunderstorm Wind, Itasca

When
July 13, 5:10 AM CST
Where
Itasca County, Deer River
Property damage
$20,000
Coordinates
47.510, -93.632 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm winds took off roofs, blew out windows, and pushed a truck down the street.

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Louis

When
July 13, 5:15 AM CST
Where
St. Louis County, Virginia
Measured
56 kt (64 mph)
Coordinates
47.590, -92.461 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm winds toppled a 25-foot amateur radio antenna.

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Louis

When
July 13, 5:15 AM CST
Where
St. Louis County, Eveleth
Measured
70 kt (81 mph)
Property damage
$6,000
Coordinates
47.590, -92.461 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm winds from 61 to 70 kts (70-80 mph) tipped over boats and caused power outages.

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Louis

When
July 13, 5:17 AM CST
Where
St. Louis County, Mt. Iron
Property damage
$500
Coordinates
47.590, -92.461 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm winds toppled a 25-foot amateur radio antenna.

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Louis

When
July 13, 5:20 AM CST
Where
St. Louis County, Buhl
Property damage
$10,000
Coordinates
47.590, -92.461 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several large trees were blown down. One car was crushed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Itasca

When
July 13, 5:23 AM CST
Where
Itasca County, Grand Rapids
Measured
64 kt (74 mph)
Coordinates
47.510, -93.632 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm winds reaching 64 kts (74 mph) toppled many trees.

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Louis

When
July 13, 5:30 AM CST
Where
St. Louis County, Duluth
Coordinates
47.590, -92.461 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Many trees (some a foot in diameter) were blown down near Pike Lake and in several locations in the Duluth metro area.

Thunderstorm Wind, Itasca

When
July 13, 5:30 AM CST
Where
Itasca County, Deer River
Property damage
$15,000
Coordinates
47.510, -93.632 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Signs and trees were blown down, windows were blown out, and a car overturned by very strong thunderstorm winds.

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Louis

When
July 13, 5:36 AM CST
Where
St. Louis County, Duluth
Measured
63 kt (72 mph)
Coordinates
47.590, -92.461 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm winds were measured at 63 kts (72 mph) at the Aerial Lift Bridge near the Duluth harbor, and 56 kts (64 mph) at Duluth International Airport.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pine

When
July 13, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Pine County, Sturgeon Lake
Coordinates
46.121, -92.741 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several large trees were knocked over by strong thunderstorm winds.

Thunderstorm Wind, Carlton

When
July 13, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Carlton County, Kettle River
Coordinates
46.592, -92.677 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Itasca

When
July 13, 6:00 AM CST
Where
Itasca County, Grand Rapids
Property damage
$1,000
Coordinates
47.510, -93.632 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong thunderstorm winds destroyed a metal shed and blew down four-inch tree limbs.

Thunderstorm Wind, Douglas

When
July 13, 6:15 AM CST
Where
Douglas County, Ely
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Coordinates
45.934, -95.453 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Numerous trees down. House damaged by tree.

Thunderstorm Wind, St. Louis

When
July 13, 6:30 AM CST
Where
St. Louis County, Virginia
Coordinates
47.590, -92.461 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Streets in a four-block area were blocked by fallen trees.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lake

When
July 13, 7:05 AM CST
Where
Lake County, Two Harbors
Coordinates
47.523, -91.409 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several trees were blown down. For the second morning in a row, a large complex of severe thunderstorms formed over the western Dakotas in the evening and moved into northeast Minnesota early the following morning. Again, this was primarily a wind event, with no reports of large hail or tornadoes. One man was killed when lightning struck the tree he was standing under. Thunderstorm wind gusts as high as 70 kts (80 mph) were observed as the squall line moved through the region. Many trees and power lines were blown down, causing extensive and widespread power and cable TV outages. Wind damage to boats, vehicles, buildings, and antennas also occurred, either directly or by falling trees. The hardest hit area extended from around Brainarrowrowd in Crow Wing County to near Grand Rapids in Itasca County, then northeast across the Iron Range of central St. Louis County, including the cities of Hibbing, Virginia, and Aurora. In some communities, trucks with plows were needed to clear roads made impassable by fallen trees. Thousands of electric customers were without power for at least 24 hours following the storm. The general manager for the Hibbing Public Utilities said it was the worst windstorm in at least 10 years. Other damage in Hibbing included construction signs and portable toilets that were tipped over. A fabric storage building was lifted by the wind, and an awning was ripped off the Pella Windows store. Trees touching power lines caused a few small fires. Other nearby communities suffering large numbers of downed trees and power outages were Kelly Lake, Chisholm, Nashwauk, Keewatin, and Leetonia. In Grand Rapids, power to half the city was out for hours and hundreds of power lines were down. Highway 169 south of the city was completely blocked by fallen trees. In Virginia, the Boyer True Value Hardware and Lumber store lost the roof from one of its buildings.

What these are

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 1995Every state in 1995This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, July 1995

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: 10331413, 10331291, 10331292, 10330597, 10331616, 10330598, 10331293, 10330599, 10330600, 10330601, 10330602, 10331294, 10330603, 10331295, 10330604, 10330912, 10331193, 10331296, 10331220, 10330605, 10331350.