Hail and Damaging Winds in Minnesota, August 9, 2005

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Minnesota, August 9, 2005
Start: 2005-08-09T15:25
End: 2005-08-09T17:16
Location: Minnesota

August 9, 2005 · NWS ARX · 5 events in 3 counties and zones

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: $7,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 5

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 happened

The episode as NWS ARX wrote it up.

Wind gusts of 60 to 65 mph, along with penny size hail, was reported by amateur radio operators, law enforcement officials and spotters. Several trees were knocked down in and around Lake City (Wabasha County). The roof of a convenience store in Kellogg (Wabasha County) sustained minor damage due to the thunderstorm winds.

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 La Crosse, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 9, 1:28 PM CST, 1 hour 57 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 9, 1:28 PM CST, 1 hour 57 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
228 PM CDT TUE AUG 9 2005

.SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY

DATA ANALYSIS AT 2 PM HAD A COLD FRONT EXTENDING FROM WESTERN U.P.
INTO A WEAK SURFACE LOW LOCATED VICINITY KFSD. ELEVATED CONVECTION
TAKING PLACE IMMEDIATELY NORTH OF THE BOUNDARY IN MODERATE
ISENTROPIC LIFT/MOISTURE TRANSPORT AHEAD OF THE SURFACE LOW. LAPS
INDICATING MLCAPES AROUND 3500 J/KG ACROSS PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST
MN/NORTHEAST IA...AND AROUND 2500 J/KG ACROSS CLARK AND TAYLOR
COUNTIES IN NORTH CENTRAL WI AHEAD OF THE FRONT. SO...ENVIRONMENT IS
PRIMED FOR FURTHER THUNDERSTORM DEVELOPMENT AS THE AFTERNOON WEARS
ON.

12Z 09AUG05 GFS AND NAM IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH 60 HOURS.

FOR TONIGHT...THE FRONT AND LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WILL
CONTINUE TO PUSH SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA. MOISTURE TRANSPORT
CONTINUES INTO THE FRONT THIS EVENING AS MLCAPES HOVER IN THE
2500-3000J/KG RANGE THROUGH 03Z. THIS WILL HELP SUSTAIN THE LINE AND
SEVERE THREAT. APPEARS MAIN SEVERE THREAT WILL BE BETWEEN 5 PM AND
11 PM WITH LARGE HAIL AND BOWING SEGMENTS/DAMAGING WIND THE MAIN
THREAT. FRONT AND PRECIPITATION APPEAR TO CLEAR THE AREA
BY 12Z WED.

WEAK AREA OF HIGH PRESSURE THEN MOVES SOUTHEAST INTO THE FORECAST
AREA WEDNESDAY FOR QUIET WEATHER CONDITIONS.

THE NEXT CHANCE FOR SHRA/TS WILL COME ALONG LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO
THURSDAY AS WESTERLIES ALOFT USHER IN A WEAK SHORTWAVE TROUGH ACROSS
THE AREA. NAM INDICATING MODEST AMOUNT OF ISENTROPIC LIFT AND
MOISTURE TRANSPORT AT 310K LAYER ASSOCIATED WITH THE WAVE. WILL
INCLUDE SMALL CHANCE POP WED AFTER MIDNIGHT AND CONTINUE THROUGH
THURSDAY. LOWERED TEMPERATURES A FEW DEGREES THURSDAY IN
ANTICIPATION OF THE INCREASED CLOUD COVER AND PRECIPITATION THREAT.

NEXT IN WHAT SEEMS TO BE A PARADE OF SHORTWAVE TROUGHS ALONG THE
BAROCLINIC RIBBON ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST COMES ALONG BY FRIDAY
MORNING. THE WAVE INTENSIFIES ON FRIDAY AND DRIVES A COLD FRONT
SOUTHEAST INTO THE AREA. CHANCE OF SHRA/TS ALREADY MENTIONED IN THE
GRID DATABASE...SO WILL LEAVE AS IS.

.LONG TERM...FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY

MEDIUM RANGE MODELS IN FAIRLY GOOD AGREEMENT IN KEEPING OMEGA BLOCK
ALONG WEST COAST OF CANADA THROUGH ALASKA. THIS IN TURN KEEPS
NEGATIVE 500 MB HEIGHT ANOMALY ACROSS CENTRAL CANADA/NORTHERN TIER
STATES. AT THE SURFACE...A NEARLY STATIONARY FRONT WILL REMAIN IN
PLACE ACROSS NORTHERN/CENTRAL ILLINOIS THROUGH SOUTHERN IA AS HIGH PRESSURE
REMAINS ALONG THE U.S./CANADIAN BORDER. A SERIES OF WEAK
DISTURBANCES RIPPLE NORTHEAST ACROSS THE BAROCLINIC ZONE FOR A
SUSTAINED CHANCE OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS...MAINLY ACROSS
SOUTHERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA. AS FAR AS TEMPERATURES ARE
CONCERNED...APPEARS THEY WILL BE A FEW DEGREES BELOW SEASONAL
NORMALS WITH NEGATIVE HEIGHT ANOMALY IN PLACE.

&&

.ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WI...NONE.
MN...NONE.
IA...NONE.
&&

DAS

Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 9, 2:30 PM CST, 55 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
330 PM CDT TUE AUG 9 2005

IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ017-029-032>034-
041>044-053>055-061-101100-
ADAMS-ALLAMAKEE-BUFFALO-CHICKASAW-CLARK-CLAYTON-CRAWFORD-DODGE-
FAYETTE-FILLMORE-FLOYD-GRANT-HOUSTON-HOWARD-JACKSON-JUNEAU-LA CROSSE-
MITCHELL-MONROE-MOWER-OLMSTED-RICHLAND-TAYLOR-TREMPEALEAU-VERNON-
WABASHA-WINNESHIEK-WINONA-
330 PM CDT TUE AUG 9 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST IOWA...
SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA...AND SOUTHWEST INTO CENTRAL WISCONSIN.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

A COLD FRONT MOVING THROUGH THE AREA TONIGHT WILL TRIGGER
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. STORMS FROM NORTHERN WISCONSIN INTO
SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA LATE THIS AFTERNOON WILL MOVE SOUTHEAST
AS THE AFTERNOON WEARS ON AND INTO THE EVENING HOURS.

THE STRONGER STORMS COULD PRODUCE SOME LARGE HAIL OR GUSTY WINDS AS
THEY SWEEP THROUGH THE AREA. TIMING FOR THESE STORMS RANGES FROM NOW
TO 600 PM IN NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN...430 TO 800 PM IN SOUTHEAST
MINNESOTA AND PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN...TO 700 TO 1100 PM
IN NORTHEAST IOWA INTO SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL WISCONSIN.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY

THE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE SOUTHEAST OF THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY. THERE
MAY BE A FEW LINGERING SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS OVER PARTS OF
NORTHEAST IOWA AND SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN EARLY WEDNESDAY...BUT NO
SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED.

THE FRONT WILL RETURN BACK NORTH AGAIN BY LATE THURSDAY...BRINGING
THE THREAT FOR THUNDERSTORMS BACK WITH IT. IT APPEARS THE THREAT FOR
SEVERE WEATHER WILL REMAIN FURTHER TO THE SOUTH AND WEST OF THE AREA
HOWEVER.  THE BOUNDARY WILL REMAIN AROUND THE UPPER MIDWEST THROUGH
THE WEEKEND AND INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...KEEPING SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS IN THE FORECAST.  AT THIS TIME IT IS DIFFICULT TO TELL
IF ANY OF THEM WILL BE SEVERE.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED. ALTHOUGH WIDESPREAD SEVERE
WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED...CONDITIONS WILL NEED TO BE MONITORED
IN MOST AREAS FOR THE POTENTIAL OF SEVERE WEATHER. WHEN STRONGER
STORMS APPROACH YOUR AREA...ASSUME DEPLOYMENT IS NEEDED.

.EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION...

NO CALL IS SCHEDULED.

SHEA

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Aug 9, 1:01 PM CST, 2 hours 24 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
201 PM CDT TUE AUG 9 2005

MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ017-029-032>034-041-042-100200-
BUFFALO-CLARK-DODGE-FILLMORE-HOUSTON-JACKSON-LA CROSSE-MONROE-MOWER-
OLMSTED-TAYLOR-TREMPEALEAU-WABASHA-WINONA

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH
707 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM CDT FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS

IN MINNESOTA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 7 COUNTIES

IN SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA

DODGE                 FILLMORE              HOUSTON
MOWER                 OLMSTED               WABASHA
WINONA

IN WISCONSIN THIS WATCH INCLUDES 7 COUNTIES

IN CENTRAL WISCONSIN

CLARK

IN NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN

TAYLOR

IN WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN

BUFFALO               JACKSON               LA CROSSE
MONROE                TREMPEALEAU

THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...AUSTIN...CALEDONIA...DODGE CENTER...
FRANKLIN...GLENDALE...INDEPENDENCE...LA CROSSE...MEDFORD...
NEILLSVILLE...ONALASKA...ROCHESTER...RUSHFORD...
WABASHA AND WINONA.

SHEA

Local storm report, Aug 9, 1:57 PM CST, 1 hour 28 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
257 PM CDT TUE AUG 09 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0253 PM     HAIL             GILMAN                  45.17N 90.81W
08/09/2005  1.00 INCH        TAYLOR             WI   LAW ENFORCEMENT

&&

DAVIS

Local storm report, Aug 9, 2:16 PM CST, 1 hour 9 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
316 PM CDT TUE AUG 09 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0313 PM     HAIL             4 N LUBLIN              45.13N 90.72W
08/09/2005  0.75 INCH        TAYLOR             WI   CO-OP OBSERVER

            ALSO NOTED WALL CLOUD.

&&

SHEA

Local storm report, Aug 9, 2:48 PM CST, 37 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
348 PM CDT TUE AUG 09 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0343 PM     HAIL             3 W STETSONVILLE        45.08N 90.37W
08/09/2005  1.75 INCH        TAYLOR             WI   LAW ENFORCEMENT

&&

DAVIS

Local storm report, Aug 9, 2:59 PM CST, 26 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
359 PM CDT TUE AUG 09 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0356 PM     HAIL             6 S MEDFORD             45.05N 90.35W
08/09/2005  0.75 INCH        TAYLOR             WI   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

DAVIS

Local storm report, Aug 9, 3:06 PM CST, 19 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
406 PM CDT TUE AUG 09 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0400 PM     TSTM WND GST     STETSONVILLE            45.08N 90.31W
08/09/2005  60 MPH           TAYLOR             WI   AMATEUR RADIO

0400 PM     HAIL             STETSONVILLE            45.08N 90.31W
08/09/2005  0.75 INCH        TAYLOR             WI   AMATEUR RADIO

&&

DAVIS

The radar

The La Crosse radar (KARX), 111 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:24 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Wabasha

When: August 9, 3:25 PM CST
Where: Wabasha County, Lake City
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $4,000
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 44.450, -92.267

Thunderstorm Wind, Wabasha

When: August 9, 3:30 PM CST
Where: Wabasha County, 7 mi SE of Lake City
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: AMATEUR RADIO
Coordinates: 44.383, -92.167

Thunderstorm Wind, Wabasha

When: August 9, 3:40 PM CST
Where: Wabasha County, Kellogg
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $2,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 44.317, -92.000

Thunderstorm Wind, Dodge

When: August 9, 4:41 PM CST
Where: Dodge County, 3 mi NW of Dodge Center
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Property damage: $500
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.067, -92.900

Hail, Winona

When: August 9, 5:16 PM CST
Where: Winona County, Pickwick
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.983, -91.600

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.
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

Every storm in Minnesota in 2005 Every state in 2005 This day in weather history Warnings in Minnesota, August 2005

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: 5472915, 5472916, 5472919, 5472917, 5472918.