Minnesota, 2001

Tornadoes and Hail in Minnesota, June 11, 2001

June 11, 2001 · NWS MPX · 13 events in 2 counties and zones

9 tornado, 3 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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
7
Property damage
$10 million
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
13

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.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Twin Cities, MN wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 11, 9:00 AM CST, 4 hours 40 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 11, 9:00 AM CST, 4 hours 40 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1000 AM CDT MON JUN 11 2001

CURRENT TRENDS SUPPORT SEVERE CONVECTIVE SCENARIO TODAY AND EARLY
THIS EVENING. EXPLOSIVE DEVELOPMENT CURRENTLY TAKING PLACE IN THE
NORTHWEST PORTIONS OF OUR COUNTY WARNING AREA. HIGH INSTABILITY...
FAVORABLE ORIENTATION OF THERMAL RIDGE PRECEDED WITH MOIST
TONGUE...SURFACE PRESSURE FALLS AHEAD OF SOUTH DAKOTA LOW...HIGH
PROBABILITY OF INTERACTING BOUNDARIES ARE AMONG SOME OF THE
FAVORABLE INDICATORS. BOTH DIFFERENTIAL TEMPERATURE ADVECTION AND
DIFFERENTIAL DIFLUENCE OFF THE NEW ETA MODEL SHOWS VERY HIGH VALUES
CENTERED OVER FERGUS FALLS AT 18Z AND REDWING AT 00Z. CURRENT
FORECAST SCENARIO SEEMS TO HAVE THE SITUATION WELL HANDLED.

.MSP...NONE.
 WH

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 11, 10:03 AM CST, 3 hours 37 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1103 AM CDT MON JUN 11 2001

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1057 AM    BROWERVILLE               MN   1.25 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   TODD                           REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.
Local storm report, Jun 11, 10:16 AM CST, 3 hours 24 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1116 AM CDT MON JUN 11 2001

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LMOCATION....

1114 AM    LITTLE FALLS              MN   1 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   MORRISON                       REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.
Local storm report, Jun 11, 10:32 AM CST, 3 hours 8 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1132 AM CDT MON JUN 11 2001

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1130 AM    EAGLE BEND                MN   1.75 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   TODD                           REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.
Local storm report, Jun 11, 11:50 AM CST, 1 hour 50 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1250 PM CDT MON JUN 11 2001

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1005 AM    BRANDON                   MN   .88 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   DOUGLAS                        REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

1050 AM    3 S SAUK CENTRE           MN   1 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   STEARNS                        REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

1120 AM    1 N ROSE CITY             MN   1.75 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   DOUGLAS                        REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

1127 AM    4 NW CLOTHO               MN   1.75 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   TODD                           REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

1132 AM    EAGLE BEND                MN   1 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   TODD                           REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.
Local storm report, Jun 11, 12:20 PM CST, 1 hour 20 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
120 PM CDT MON JUN 11 2001

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOfCATION....

1250 PM    BUCKMAN                   MN   .75 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   MORRISON                       REPORTED BY CITY OFFICIAL
Local storm report, Jun 11, 12:40 PM CST, 1 hour before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
140 PM CDT MON JUN 11 2001

SUMMARY OF REPORTS TODAY

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1005 AM    BRANDON                   MN   .88 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   DOUGLAS                        REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

1050 AM    3 S SAUK CENTRE           MN   1 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   STEARNS                        REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

1057 AM    BROWERVILLE               MN   1.25 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   TODD                           REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.

1114 AM    LITTLE FALLS              MN   1 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   MORRISON                       REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

1120 AM    1 N ROSE CITY             MN   1.75 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   DOUGLAS                        REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

1127 AM    4 NW CLOTHO               MN   1.75 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   TODD                           REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

1132 AM    EAGLE BEND                MN   1 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   TODD                           REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.

1250 PM    BUCKMAN                   MN   .75 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   MORRISON                       REPORTED BY CITY OFFICIAL

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 tornado, 3 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Tornado, Swift

When
June 11, 1:40 PM CST
Where
Swift County, 2 mi SW of Danvers
Rating
F0
Path length
0.1 mi
Path width
20 yd
Reported by
FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD
Coordinates
45.267, -95.800

A large storm organized rapidly just northeast of Appleton in Swift County, and began producing several brief touchdowns in and around Danvers. The first known tornado, 2 SW Danvers, was a brief touchdown in an open field, destroying an irrigation system. The storm would produce a total of nine tornadoes, including the Benson to DeGraff F2 tornado.

Tornado, Swift

When
June 11, 1:43 PM CST
Where
Swift County, Danvers
Rating
F0
Path length
0.1 mi
Path width
20 yd
Reported by
FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD
Coordinates
45.283, -95.767

Few trees knocked down on southern outskirts of town.

Tornado, Swift

When
June 11, 1:44 PM CST
Where
Swift County, Danvers
Rating
F0
Path length
0.1 mi
Path width
25 yd
Reported by
FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD
Coordinates
45.283, -95.767

Radio tower knocked down, few trees broken on the north edge of town.

Tornado, Swift

When
June 11, 1:48 PM CST to 1:49 PM CST
Where
Swift County, 4 mi E of Danvers
Rating
F1
Path length
0.1 mi
Path width
20 yd
Reported by
FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD
Coordinates
45.283, -95.683

Shed, grain bins destroyed, windows blown out. High tension electric transmission line knocked down.

Tornado, Swift

When
June 11, 1:49 PM CST to 1:50 PM CST
Where
Swift County, 4 mi ENE of Danvers
Rating
F0
Path length
0.1 mi
Path width
20 yd
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.300, -95.683

Brief touchdown on edge of open field. Few broken trees.

Tornado, Swift

When
June 11, 2:00 PM CST to 2:02 PM CST
Where
Swift County, 2 mi SE of De Graff
Rating
F0
Path length
0.5 mi
Path width
25 yd
Reported by
STORM CHASER
Coordinates
45.250, -95.450

Brief tornado over open land tracked east and crossed Highway 212 before dissipating.

Tornado, Swift

When
June 11, 2:06 PM CST to 2:22 PM CST
Where
Swift County, Benson
Rating
F2
Path length
8 mi
Path width
150 yd
Injuries
7 direct, 0 indirect
Property damage
$10 million
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
45.317, -95.617

After several brief tornadoes around Danvers, a much larger tornado struck the east side of Benson and travelled southeast along Highway 212. 71 structures were damaged, including 4 homes and 7 businesses that had to be demolished. The tornado lifted off in DeGraff, but not before damaging one last grain bin, taking the roof off a grain elevator, and knocking several sheds down in DeGraff. Seven people were injured when they fled a van just as the tornado was hitting the vehicle on the eastern edge of Benson. One boy was critically injured but survived and was discharged from the hospital two weeks later. Damage listed encompasses damages from all tornadoes and wind events in Swift County.

Thunderstorm Wind, Swift

When
June 11, 2:26 PM CST
Where
Swift County, Murdock
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
45.233, -95.400

Several sheds down, some siding off homes, numerous trees down, mostly on western side of town.

Tornado, Swift

When
June 11, 2:33 PM CST
Where
Swift County, 1 mi NW of Kerkhoven
Rating
F0
Path length
0.2 mi
Path width
25 yd
Reported by
STORM CHASER
Coordinates
45.217, -95.333

Tornado knocked down a few dozen trees.

Thunderstorm Wind, Swift

When
June 11, 2:34 PM CST
Where
Swift County, Kerkhoven
Measured
55 kt (63 mph)
Reported by
NWS STORM SURVEY
Coordinates
45.200, -95.317

Dozens of trees downed.

Tornado, Kandiyohi

When
June 11, 2:50 PM CST to 2:52 PM CST
Where
Kandiyohi County, 1 mi NW of Willmar
Rating
F0
Path length
0.5 mi
Path width
25 yd
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
45.150, -95.067

This was the last tornado associated with the complex that produced the Benson F2 tornado. The storm had travelled along Highway 212 from Danvers to Benson to Kandiyohi, producing numerous tornadoes, hail, and strong wind gusts.

Thunderstorm Wind, Kandiyohi

When
June 11, 2:58 PM CST
Where
Kandiyohi County, Willmar Arpt
Measured
52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
45.117, -95.083

Large tree branches down in Willmar.

Hail, Kandiyohi

When
June 11, 3:12 PM CST
Where
Kandiyohi County, Kandiyohi
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.133, -94.950

This was the last severe report from the mesocyclone that began in Swift County and produced nine tornadoes from the Danvers area to 1 NW Willmar.

What these are

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.
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.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Minnesota in 2001Every state in 2001This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Minnesota, 2001Warnings in Minnesota, June 2001

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: 5254789, 5254790, 5254791, 5254788, 5254787, 5254793, 5254792, 5254798, 5254795, 5254799, 5254794, 5254796, 5254797.