Minnesota, 2002

Hail and Damaging Winds in Minnesota, April 17 to 18, 2002

April 17 to 18, 2002 · NWS MPX · 67 events in 23 counties and zones

65 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind, 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
0
Property damage
$95,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
67

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 Apr 17, 2:30 PM CST, 9 hours 16 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 17, 2:30 PM CST, 9 hours 16 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
330 PM CDT WED APR 17 2002

SPRING IN MN LIVING UP TO ITS NAME. SVR CHANCES TONIGHT/TMRW...TEMPS
AND WINDS MY BIG HEADACHES. GOING WITH ETA...BUT ALL MDLS HAVING A
FEW STRENGTH/TIMING ISSUES.

TONIGHT...IMPRESSIVE UPR VORT OVER MT SEEN CLEARLY ON IR PIX BEGINS
TO SHEAR/ACCELERATE INTO CNTL PLAINS. NICE ACCAS FIELD OVER FSD/OMA
CWA SIGNAL OF RAPID MOISTURE/THETA-E TRANSPORT ALOFT. SFC WARM
FRONT...A STRONG ONE AT THAT...TO LIFT NWD FROM IA/MO BORDER TO
MN/IA BORDER BY 06Z. INTENSE (55-60KT) LLJ AT H85...AND 40-45KT AT
H9 DEVELOPS IN ADVANCE OF PLAINS WAVE...BRINGING TREMENDOUS MOISTURE
ADVECTION/TRANSPORT OVER FRONTAL ZONE. H9 WARM FRONT TO US HWY 12 BY
06Z...AND FEEL BEST THUNDERSTORM GROWTH WILL BE ALONG THIS BNDRY AS
IT LIFTS NWRD TONIGHT. WBZS AROUND 9KFT...ELEVATED LIS (FROM LCL)
TO -8C...AND 0-3 AND 0-6KM SRHS WELL OVER 600 M/S PER ETA BUFR
DATA. NO NEED TO GO ANY FURTHER...STORMS SHOULD FIRE IN SRN MN WITH
SOME RAPIDLY SEVERE. GIVEN LOW WBZS AND VERY STRONG ELEVATED
CAPE/SHEAR INDICES...ORGANIZED UPDRAFTS SHOULD ALLOW FOR A DECENT
MCS TO DEVELOP AS 0-6KM MEAN WINDS TAKE STORMS NORTHEAST AT 30KTS.
HAIL IS DEFINITELY FIRST WORRY...GIVEN CLIMATOLOGY OF NOCTURNAL
STORMS. BUT...IF COMPLEX MATURES FULLY...DOWNDRAFTS COULD PENETRATE
STABLE PBL...ESP SRN STORMS NEAR BETTER SFC MOISTURE/TEMP GRADIENT.
MCS HAS POTENTIAL TO ALIGN NW-SE WITH BEST THETA-ADV...THEREFORE
PERP TO MEAN WIND. THAT IS WHERE WIND DAMAGE THREAT COMES IN AFT
MIDNIGHT ERN MN/WRN WI. SEE SWODY1 AND MSPHWOMSP FOR MORE.

THURSDAY...LEFTOVER REMNANTS RACE NORTHEAST AS WARM FRONTS LIFT
NORTH. SC MN TO REALLY WARM AS THERMAL RIDGE PUSHES INTO SE CWA. LOW
MOVES TO KSTC AND PSEUDO DRY LINE SURGES INTO SRN MN. WORRIED ABOUT
CONVECTION EARLY AFTN AT TRIPLE POINT NEAR/SE OF KMSP...WITH
UNIDIRECTIONAL WIND PROFILES LEADING TO SQUALL LINE RACING INTO WI.
SWODY2 HAS THIS IN HAND WITH MOD RISK FARTHER EAST. ERN/SERN CWA
WILL NEED TO BE WATCHED TMRW. AGAIN...PLENTY OF WIND AND
INSTABILITY.

THUR NIGHT...STRONG COLD FRONT TO DRIVE THROUGH CWA. WIND ADVISORY
WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED WEST AS SANGSTER WINDS...ISALLOBARIC
COUPLET...AND STRONG CAA ALL LEAD ME TO THINK GUSTS OVR 40 ARE PSBL.
6 HR PRESS RISES OFF ETA APPROACH 18MBS EVEN SOME -SN PSBL NRN CWA
AS THICKNESSES CRASH.

QUITE CHILLY FRI-SAT AS H8 TEMPS RANGE FROM -5 TO -10C. LOTS OF
CLOUDS WITH STEEP LL LAPSE RATES...AND NWLY FLOW.

.MSP...NONE

BINAU

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 142 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:44 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

65 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Chippewa

When
April 17, 11:46 PM CST
Where
Chippewa County, 1 mi N of Clara City
Measured
2.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
44.967, -95.367

Hail, Blue Earth

When
April 18, 12:05 AM CST
Where
Blue Earth County, Mankato
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
44.167, -94.017

Hail, Kandiyohi

When
April 18, 12:07 AM CST
Where
Kandiyohi County, 10 mi N of Willmar
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
45.283, -95.050

Hail, Yellow Medicine

When
April 18, 12:20 AM CST
Where
Yellow Medicine County, Hanley Falls
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.700, -95.633

Hail, Renville

When
April 18, 12:30 AM CST
Where
Renville County, Hector
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
44.750, -94.717

Hail, Sherburne

When
April 18, 12:30 AM CST
Where
Sherburne County, Elk River
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.300, -93.583

Hail, Renville

When
April 18, 12:30 AM CST
Where
Renville County, Bird Island
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.767, -94.883

Hail, Sibley

When
April 18, 12:45 AM CST
Where
Sibley County, 4 mi N of Gaylord
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
44.600, -94.217

Hail, Stearns

When
April 18, 12:45 AM CST
Where
Stearns County, 1 mi NW of Kimball
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
45.333, -94.317

Hail, Wright

When
April 18, 12:55 AM CST
Where
Wright County, Buffalo
Measured
1.5 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
45.183, -93.900

Hail, Meeker

When
April 18, 12:55 AM CST
Where
Meeker County, Dassel
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.083, -94.317

Hail, Carver

When
April 18, 12:55 AM CST
Where
Carver County, Waconia
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.850, -93.783

Hail, Sibley

When
April 18, 12:59 AM CST
Where
Sibley County, Arlington
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
44.600, -94.083

Hail, Sherburne

When
April 18, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Sherburne County, 1 mi S of Zimmerman
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.433, -93.583

Hail, Renville

When
April 18, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Renville County, 1 mi N of Churchill
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.833, -94.667

Hail, Blue Earth

When
April 18, 1:04 AM CST
Where
Blue Earth County, Mapleton
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
43.933, -93.967

Hail, Isanti

When
April 18, 1:05 AM CST
Where
Isanti County, 10 mi W of Cambridge
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
45.583, -93.433

Hail, Renville

When
April 18, 1:08 AM CST
Where
Renville County, Danube
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
44.783, -95.100

Hail, Isanti

When
April 18, 1:10 AM CST
Where
Isanti County, West Pt
Measured
2 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.567, -93.400

Hail, Nicollet

When
April 18, 1:10 AM CST
Where
Nicollet County, St Peter
Measured
1.5 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
44.333, -93.950

Hail, Kandiyohi

When
April 18, 1:10 AM CST
Where
Kandiyohi County, Willmar
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
45.133, -95.050

Hail, Wright

When
April 18, 1:10 AM CST
Where
Wright County, Buffalo
Measured
1.5 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
45.183, -93.900

Hail, Sibley

When
April 18, 1:15 AM CST
Where
Sibley County, 5 mi N of Gaylord
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
44.617, -94.217

Hail, Le Sueur

When
April 18, 1:25 AM CST
Where
Le Sueur County, St Henry
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
44.383, -93.783

Hail, Hennepin

When
April 18, 1:30 AM CST
Where
Hennepin County, Plymouth
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.033, -93.467

Hail, Douglas

When
April 18, 1:30 AM CST
Where
Douglas County, 3 mi SW of Evansville
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
45.967, -95.733

Hail, Le Sueur

When
April 18, 1:35 AM CST
Where
Le Sueur County, 3 mi NE of St Thomas
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
44.533, -93.700

Hail, Renville

When
April 18, 1:39 AM CST
Where
Renville County, Churchill
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.817, -94.667

Hail, Carver

When
April 18, 1:43 AM CST
Where
Carver County, Hamburg
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
44.733, -93.950

Hail, Scott

When
April 18, 1:44 AM CST
Where
Scott County, 3 mi S of Jordan
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.617, -93.633

Hail, McLeod

When
April 18, 1:45 AM CST
Where
McLeod County, 5 mi NW of Hutchinson
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
44.933, -94.433

Hail, Meeker

When
April 18, 1:45 AM CST
Where
Meeker County, 1 mi E of Cedar Mills
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
44.933, -94.517

Hail, Meeker

When
April 18, 1:50 AM CST
Where
Meeker County, Cedar Mills
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
44.933, -94.533

Hail, Meeker

When
April 18, 1:50 AM CST
Where
Meeker County, 2 mi E of Dassel
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
45.083, -94.283

Hail, Scott

When
April 18, 2:00 AM CST
Where
Scott County, Shakopee
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
44.800, -93.517

Hail, Douglas

When
April 18, 2:07 AM CST
Where
Douglas County, 3 mi N of Evansville
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.050, -95.683

Hail, Scott

When
April 18, 2:10 AM CST
Where
Scott County, Savage
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
44.783, -93.333

Hail, McLeod

When
April 18, 2:10 AM CST
Where
McLeod County, 3 mi E of Hutchinson
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
44.883, -94.300

Hail, Dakota

When
April 18, 2:12 AM CST
Where
Dakota County, Burnsville
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
44.800, -93.317

Hail, McLeod

When
April 18, 2:14 AM CST
Where
McLeod County, Silver Lake
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
44.900, -94.200

Thunderstorm Wind, Carver

When
April 18, 2:15 AM CST
Where
Carver County, Waconia
Measured
60 kt (69 mph)
Property damage
$35,000
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
44.850, -93.783

Roof of old city hall partially peeled back. Few trees down.

Hail, Wright

When
April 18, 2:15 AM CST
Where
Wright County, 4 mi S of Cokato
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
45.033, -94.200

Hail, Isanti

When
April 18, 2:15 AM CST
Where
Isanti County, Isanti
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
45.500, -93.250

Hail, Anoka

When
April 18, 2:20 AM CST
Where
Anoka County, Bethel
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
45.417, -93.283

Thunderstorm Wind, McLeod

When
April 18, 2:20 AM CST
Where
McLeod County, 1 mi NW of Glencoe
Measured
65 kt (75 mph)
Property damage
$60,000
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
44.783, -94.167

Storage barn knocked off foundation. Shingles and portion of tin roof partially blown off. High school football bleachers blown over. Several trees down, including one on car.

Hail, Dakota

When
April 18, 2:21 AM CST
Where
Dakota County, Burnsville
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.800, -93.317

Hail, Hennepin

When
April 18, 2:24 AM CST
Where
Hennepin County, Msp Intl Arpt
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY
Coordinates
44.883, -93.217

Hail, Dakota

When
April 18, 2:24 AM CST
Where
Dakota County, Burnsville
Measured
1.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.800, -93.317

Hail, Todd

When
April 18, 2:25 AM CST
Where
Todd County, Bertha
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
46.267, -95.067

Hail, McLeod

When
April 18, 2:25 AM CST
Where
McLeod County, Winsted
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.967, -94.050

Hail, Ramsey

When
April 18, 2:30 AM CST
Where
Ramsey County, St Paul
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
44.967, -93.150

I-94 and Ruth.

Hail, Dakota

When
April 18, 2:32 AM CST to 2:40 AM CST
Where
Dakota County, Apple Vly
Measured
1.5 in hail
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
47.883, -91.883

Hail, Dakota

When
April 18, 2:32 AM CST
Where
Dakota County, Lakeville
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
44.667, -93.250

Hail, Wright

When
April 18, 2:40 AM CST
Where
Wright County, Howard Lake
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.067, -94.083

Hail, Washington

When
April 18, 2:45 AM CST
Where
Washington County, Cottage Grove
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
44.833, -92.883

Hail, Dakota

When
April 18, 2:45 AM CST
Where
Dakota County, Eagan
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.800, -93.167

Hail, Anoka

When
April 18, 2:50 AM CST
Where
Anoka County, Ramsey
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates
45.250, -93.433

Hail, Dakota

When
April 18, 3:00 AM CST
Where
Dakota County, Burnsville
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.800, -93.317

Hail, Ramsey

When
April 18, 3:05 AM CST
Where
Ramsey County, North St Paul
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
45.000, -93.000

Hail, Dakota

When
April 18, 3:05 AM CST to 3:10 AM CST
Where
Dakota County, Apple Vly
Measured
1.25 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
47.883, -91.883

Hail, Dakota

When
April 18, 3:09 AM CST
Where
Dakota County, South St Paul
Measured
2 in hail
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
44.883, -93.033

Hail, Dakota

When
April 18, 3:09 AM CST
Where
Dakota County, Inver Grove Heights
Measured
2 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
44.850, -93.033

Hail, Hennepin

When
April 18, 3:18 AM CST
Where
Hennepin County, New Hope
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates
45.067, -93.367

Hail, Washington

When
April 18, 3:25 AM CST
Where
Washington County, Lake Elmo
Measured
0.88 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
45.000, -92.883

Hail, Dakota

When
April 18, 3:30 AM CST
Where
Dakota County, Eagan
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
44.800, -93.167

Hail, Ramsey

When
April 18, 3:30 AM CST
Where
Ramsey County, Maplewood
Measured
0.75 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
45.133, -93.350

Hail, Dakota

When
April 18, 3:30 AM CST
Where
Dakota County, Burnsville
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates
44.800, -93.317

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 2002Every state in 2002This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, April 2002

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: 5292936, 5292937, 5292938, 5292939, 5292940, 5292941, 5292942, 5292943, 5292944, 5292945, 5292946, 5292947, 5292948, 5292949, 5292950, 5292951, 5292952, 5292953, 5292954, 5292955, 5292956, 5292957, 5292958, 5292959, 5293038, 5293039, 5293040, 5293041, 5293042, 5293043, 5293044, 5293045, 5293046, 5293047, 5293048, 5293049, 5293050, 5293051, 5293052, 5293053, and more.