Tornadoes and Flood in Minnesota, July 15 to 16, 1999

Name: Tornadoes and Flood in Minnesota, July 15 to 16, 1999
Start: 1999-07-15T07:40
End: 1999-07-16T02:00
Location: Minnesota

July 15 to 16, 1999 · NWS FGF · 37 events in 10 counties and zones

32 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail, 2 tornado, 1 flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $147,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 37

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 Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 157 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 13:39 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

32 thunderstorm wind, 2 hail, 2 tornado, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Kittson

When: July 15, 7:40 AM CST
Where: Kittson County, Humboldt
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 48.930, -97.080

Thunderstorm Wind, Roseau

When: July 15, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Roseau County, 2 mi NW of Roseau
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 48.870, -95.780

Metal siding was blown off an apartment building.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lake of the Woods

When: July 15, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Lake of the Woods County, 5 mi SW of Angle Inlet
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 48.950, -94.030

Trees were downed along county road 49.

Thunderstorm Wind, Roseau

When: July 15, 2:15 PM CST
Where: Roseau County, 5 mi SSW of Roosevelt
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 48.730, -95.150

Trees were blown down across roads and a tower was blown over.

Thunderstorm Wind, Roseau

When: July 15, 2:15 PM CST
Where: Roseau County, Roosevelt
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 48.800, -95.100

A building collapsed in the high wind.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lake of the Woods

When: July 15, 2:20 PM CST
Where: Lake of the Woods County, Williams
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 48.770, -94.950

Trees were blown down, some falling on cars and power lines.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lake of the Woods

When: July 15, 2:55 PM CST
Where: Lake of the Woods County, Angle Inlet
Property damage: $500
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 49.000, -93.950

Several trees were downed.

Tornado, Lake of the Woods

When: July 15, 2:58 PM CST
Where: Lake of the Woods County, 10 mi NW of Lude
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.5 mi
Path width: 25 yd
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 49.070, -95.080

A touchdown was reported over Lake of the Woods, north of Rocky Point.

Tornado, Polk

When: July 15, 3:04 PM CST
Where: Polk County, 10 mi N of Gully
Rating: F0
Path length: 0.5 mi
Path width: 25 yd
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.920, -95.630

Thunderstorm Wind, Lake of the Woods

When: July 15, 3:05 PM CST
Where: Lake of the Woods County, 36 mi NW of Baudette
Property damage: $500
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 49.080, -95.170

Large trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Otter Tail

When: July 15, 3:12 PM CST
Where: Otter Tail County, 1 mi N of Pelican Rapids
Property damage: $500
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.580, -96.080

Trees were blown down by the wind.

Thunderstorm Wind, Wilkin

When: July 15, 3:12 PM CST
Where: Wilkin County, 6 mi NW of Rothsay
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 46.550, -96.370

A semi truck was overturned on Interstate 94.

Thunderstorm Wind, Otter Tail

When: July 15, 3:13 PM CST
Where: Otter Tail County, 4 mi S of Perham
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.550, -95.570

Power poles were downed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Otter Tail

When: July 15, 3:35 PM CST
Where: Otter Tail County, Vergas
Property damage: $500
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 46.670, -95.800

Trees were blown down in Vergas.

Thunderstorm Wind, Becker

When: July 15, 3:40 PM CST
Where: Becker County, Frazee
Property damage: $500
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.730, -95.700

Trees were blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Becker

When: July 15, 3:40 PM CST
Where: Becker County, 10 mi NE of Detroit Lakes
Measured: 70 kt (81 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.920, -95.680

Thunderstorm Wind, Becker

When: July 15, 3:40 PM CST
Where: Becker County, 4 mi SW of Detroit Lakes
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 46.780, -95.900

Strong winds knocked down many trees in the Lake Sallie area. One landed on an empty tent, another fell on a restaurant, and another fell on a pickup. Pontoons and sailboats were also flipped over.

Thunderstorm Wind, Becker

When: July 15, 3:40 PM CST
Where: Becker County, 2 mi W of Frazee
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 46.730, -95.750

A 33 foot camper was rolled over by the wind at Eagle Lake.

Thunderstorm Wind, Becker

When: July 15, 3:47 PM CST
Where: Becker County, 12 mi NE of Detroit Lakes
Property damage: $500
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.930, -95.650

Trees were blown down at Height of Land Lake.

Hail, Otter Tail

When: July 15, 4:08 PM CST
Where: Otter Tail County, 5 mi NE of Perham
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.650, -95.500

Thunderstorm Wind, Becker

When: July 15, 4:11 PM CST
Where: Becker County, 4 mi NW of Osage
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.950, -95.330

Thunderstorm Wind, Hubbard

When: July 15, 4:15 PM CST
Where: Hubbard County, 15 mi N of Park Rapids
Property damage: $500
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 47.130, -95.070

Trees were downed by the wind.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hubbard

When: July 15, 4:30 PM CST
Where: Hubbard County, Park Rapids
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 46.920, -95.070

Several buildings were damaged by the strong wind. The steel from one of the buildings was found wrapped around some trees 1/4 mile away.

Thunderstorm Wind, Otter Tail

When: July 15, 4:35 PM CST
Where: Otter Tail County, Parkers Prairie
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.170, -95.320

Thunderstorm Wind, Grant

When: July 15, 6:40 PM CST
Where: Grant County, Wendell
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.030, -96.100

The strong wind collapsed a barn and blew down some trees.

Thunderstorm Wind, Grant

When: July 15, 6:46 PM CST
Where: Grant County, Elbow Lake
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.000, -95.980

Power poles were downed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Grant

When: July 15, 6:49 PM CST
Where: Grant County, Barrett
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.920, -95.900

Thunderstorm Wind, Otter Tail

When: July 15, 6:51 PM CST
Where: Otter Tail County, 2 mi S of Dalton
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.130, -95.900

Thunderstorm Wind, Otter Tail

When: July 15, 7:05 PM CST
Where: Otter Tail County, Clitherall
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.280, -95.620

Thunderstorm Wind, Otter Tail

When: July 15, 7:15 PM CST
Where: Otter Tail County, 12 mi E of Fergus Falls
Property damage: $500
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.280, -95.820

Trees were downed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Otter Tail

When: July 15, 7:20 PM CST
Where: Otter Tail County, 12 mi NE of Battle Lake
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.400, -95.530

Numerous large trees were downed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Otter Tail

When: July 15, 7:30 PM CST
Where: Otter Tail County, New York Mills
Property damage: $10,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 46.520, -95.380

A large tree split in two, one half falling on a car and the other half falling on a house.

Thunderstorm Wind, Wadena

When: July 15, 7:45 PM CST
Where: Wadena County, 3 mi N of Menahga
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.800, -95.100

Thunderstorm Wind, Wadena

When: July 15, 7:50 PM CST
Where: Wadena County, 3 mi E of Verndale
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 46.400, -94.950

A 110 foot storage shed was blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Hubbard

When: July 15, 7:52 PM CST
Where: Hubbard County, 4 mi W of Nevis
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.970, -94.920

Thunderstorm Wind, Hubbard

When: July 15, 8:00 PM CST
Where: Hubbard County, Nevis
Property damage: $500
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.970, -94.830

Trees were flattened in Nevis.

Flood, Grant

When: July 15, 10:00 PM CST to July 16, 2:00 AM CST
Where: Grant County, 2 mi S of Herman
Property damage: $20,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 45.934, -96.012 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

6 to 8 inches of rain fell across southern Grant county, with the town of Hoffman reporting 5 inches. Several roads were washed out and many others were blocked by high water.

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.
Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
Flood: Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Minnesota in 1999 Every state in 1999 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Minnesota, 1999 Warnings in Minnesota, July 1999

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: 5708987, 5708988, 5709095, 5709090, 5709158, 5709159, 5709089, 5709088, 5709087, 5709086, 5709070, 5709085, 5709094, 5709162, 5709083, 5709084, 5709161, 5709164, 5709082, 5709081, 5709080, 5709079, 5709163, 5709074, 5709078, 5709093, 5709077, 5709076, 5709075, 5709073, 5709092, 5709166, 5709072, 5709165, 5709071, 5709091, 5709160.