Hail, Steele
- When
- March 30, 12:55 PM CST
- Where
- Steele County, Steele Center
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 43.983, -93.233
Flood and Hail in Minnesota, March 30 to 31, 2005
3 hail, 1 funnel cloud, 1 flood, as filed by the National Weather Service.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- 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 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 Mar 29, 3:20 PM CST, 21 hours 35 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Mar 29, 3:20 PM CST, 21 hours 35 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 320 PM CST TUE MAR 29 2005 .DISCUSSION... VERY DYNAMIC SYSTEM HEADING OUR WAY TODAY. DEFORMATION ZONE SETTING UP FROM NE NEB INTO WEST CENTRAL MN THIS MORNING. MID LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS BAND ALSO DEPICTED BY BOTH GFS AND AND NAM PERSISTING FROM SW INTO CENTRAL MN THIS MORNING. WELL DEFINED 850-500 QG CONV CENTER FORECAST TO DEVELOP/TRACK NE TOWARD EAST CENTRAL MN LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WHICH WILL HELP TO EXPAND MORE WIDESPREAD PRECIP FARTHER EAST. ELEVATED INSTABILITY IN FRONTAL ZONE WILL BE ENOUGH FOR OCNL THUNDER THIS MORNING..WHILE MORE PRONOUNCED 850 MB THETA E ADVECTION INTO WI THIS AFTERNOON WILL CAUSE MORE COVERAGE OF THUNDER. NAM SB CAPE FORECAST IN THE 500-100 RANGE ACROSS PARTS OF W CENTRAL WI THIS AFTERNOON. WILL NEED TO WATCH FOR SOME HAIL POTENTIAL THIS AFTERNOON IN SOME STRONGER STORMS. THERE IS ALSO A THREAT FOR SOME WATER PROBLEMS DEPENDING ON FROST DEPTH ETC.. NO PROBLEMS REPORTED SO FAR IN OUR AREA ON MAIN RIVERS IN WI...BUT THIS WILL NEED TO BE WATCHED LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS MAIN FORCING MOVES IN. WILL HIGHLIGHT FOR NOW IN HAZARD OUTLOOK. SYSTEM A LITTLE SLOWER TO MOVE OUT SO KEPT HIGHER POPS IN FOR OVERNIGHT..ESPECIALLY IN WI. STILL SOME CHANCE FOR RAIN AND SNOW MIXTURE..BUT WILL LIMIT THE CHANCE TO HIGHER TERRAIN IN A SMALL PART OF NW WI. && LONGER TERM...SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY UPPER LVL ZONAL FLOW SAT THRU SUN NIGHT SO RELATIVELY QUIET/MILD PERIOD. ONLY LOW LVL FEATURE OF NOTE IS A WEAK SHORT WAVE THAT SCOOTS ALONG MN/CANADIAN BORDER SAT NIGHT AND SWINGS A VERY WEAK/DRY COLD FRONT THRU CWA. WEAK SFC HIGH BUILDS IN BEHIND FRONT SUN BUT IS QUICKLY PUSHED E OF REGION AS TROF BEGINS TO FORM ACROSS DAKOTAS SUN NIGHT. THIS TROF WILL PUSH SLOWLY ACROSS N PLAINS AND NRN MISS VALLEY MON THRU WED. DGEX...ECMWF...UKMET...AND GFS HAVE DIFFERENT IDEAS ON PATH AND STRENGTH OF ASSOC SFC LOW. THIS MAKES A DIFFERENCE ON WHETHER OR NOT CWA WILL GET INTO SYSTEMS WARM SECTOR AND POSSIBLY SEE TSRA. DGEX OUTLIER RIGHT NOW FCSTING SFC LOW TO DIVE SEWARD THRU IA INTO WRN KY BY WED WITH OTHER 3 MODELS SHOWING SFC LOW PASSING INVOF SRN MN. FOR NOW HAVE LEFT PRECIP IN FORM OF SHRA. MODELS AGREE HOWEVER THAT SIG WAA WILL OCCUR AHEAD OF SYSTEM SO HAVE HAVE WARMED HIGHS AND LOWS A BIT MON THRU TUE. && .MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... .MN...NONE. .WI...NONE. && RICHARDSON/MARGRAF
Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 30, 8:58 AM CST, 3 hours 57 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 858 AM CST WED MAR 30 2005 MNZ041>045-047>052-054>059-064-311100- BENTON-CHIPPEWA-DOUGLAS-ISANTI-KANABEC-KANDIYOHI-LAC QUI PARLE- MEEKER-MILLE LACS-MORRISON-POPE-SHERBURNE-STEARNS-STEVENS-SWIFT-TODD- WRIGHT-YELLOW MEDICINE- 858 AM CST WED MAR 30 2005 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED TODAY OR TONIGHT. WIZ016-024>028-311100- CHIPPEWA-DUNN-EAU CLAIRE-PEPIN-PIERCE-RUSK- 858 AM CST WED MAR 30 2005 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON COULD PRODUCE LARGE HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS. HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE TODAY. RAINFALL AMOUNTS UP TO 1 INCH ARE POSSIBLE. THIS AMOUNT OF RAIN COULD CAUSE WATER TO POND IN LOW LYING AREAS AND SMALL CREEKS AND STREAMS TO REACH BANKFULL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON. MNZ053-060>063-065>070-073-WIZ014-015-023-311100- ANOKA-BARRON-CARVER-CHISAGO-DAKOTA-HENNEPIN-MCLEOD-POLK-RAMSEY- REDWOOD-RENVILLE-SCOTT-SIBLEY-ST CROIX-WASHINGTON- 858 AM CST WED MAR 30 2005 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA IN ADDITION TO A PORTION OF WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS THIS MORNING THROUGH EARLY THIS AFTERNOON COULD PRODUCE LARGE HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED TODAY OR TONIGHT. MNZ074>078-082>085-091>093-311100- BLUE EARTH-BROWN-FARIBAULT-FREEBORN-GOODHUE-LE SUEUR-MARTIN-NICOLLET- RICE-STEELE-WASECA-WATONWAN- 858 AM CST WED MAR 30 2005 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM CST... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE MID AFTERNOON HOURS SOUTH OF A LINE FROM NEW ULM TO RED WING. HAIL TO THE SIZE OF GOLF BALLS AND GUSTY WINDS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS. HEAVY RAIN...WITH TOTAL AMOUNTS AROUND AN INCH...WILL ALSO BE POSSIBLE. THIS AMOUNT OF RAIN COULD RESULT IN PONDING OF WATER IN LOW LYING AREAS AND SMALL STREAMS AND CREEKS COULD REACH BANKFULL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED LATE THIS MORNING AND AFTERNOON. KAT
In the hours before
Local storm report, Mar 30, 7:36 AM CST, 5 hours 19 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
736 AM CST WED MAR 30 2005
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0630 AM HAIL STEWART 44.73N 94.49W
03/30/2005 0.88 INCH MCLEOD MN LAW ENFORCEMENT
NICKEL AND DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED.
0710 AM HAIL 8 N DARWIN 45.21N 94.40W
03/30/2005 0.88 INCH MEEKER MN LAW ENFORCEMENT
NICKEL AND DIME SIZE HAIL REPORTED.
&&
KATLocal storm report, Mar 30, 9:31 AM CST, 3 hours 24 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MINNEAPOLIS
0931 AM CST WED MAR 30 2005
..TIME(CST) ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ...COUNTY LOCATION...ST.....SOURCE...
..REMARKS..
0720 AM HAIL 5 MILES S/SW WATKIN 0N 0W
03/30/2005 0.75 INCH MEEKER MN STORM SPOTTER
QUANTITY -THERE WAS ENOUGH HAIL COVERING THE GROUND TO
SHOVEL WHEN THIS THUNDERSTORM PASSED THROUGH AT 7:20AM.The radar
The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 100 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:55 UTC.
Event by event
3 hail, 1 funnel cloud, 1 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Hail, Goodhue
- When
- March 30, 2:40 PM CST
- Where
- Goodhue County, Zumbrota
- Measured
- 1.75 in hail
- Reported by
- FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD
- Coordinates
- 44.300, -92.667
Golf ball hail fell along Highway 52.
Funnel Cloud, Goodhue
- When
- March 30, 3:15 PM CST
- Where
- Goodhue County, Zumbrota
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 44.410, -92.723 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Observed nearly over town.
Hail, Goodhue
- When
- March 30, 3:35 PM CST to 3:50 PM CST
- Where
- Goodhue County, 4 mi SW of Frontenac
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- GENERAL PUBLIC
- Coordinates
- 44.483, -92.400
Hail covered the ground.
Flood, Goodhue
- When
- March 30, 5:00 PM CST to March 31, 3:00 AM CST
- Where
- Goodhue forecast zone
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 44.410, -92.723 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Around three inches of rain fell throughout the day on the 30th over partially frozen ground. Particularly heavy rain fell during the late afternoon. County Road 45 was barricaded due to high water six miles southeast of Red Wing, and portions of Highway 61 southeast of Frontenac were covered by flood waters. A road two miles south of Goodhue was also closed, and County Road 3 in Belvidere Mills (eight miles south of Red Wing) was closed by a mud slide.
What these are
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
- Funnel Cloud
- A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.
- 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
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Mississippi, March 30 to 31, 2005
- Tornado and Hail in Wisconsin, March 30, 2005
- Tornadoes and Hail in Illinois, March 30, 2005
- Flooding and Hail in Illinois, March 30, 2005
- Tornadoes and Hail in Iowa, March 30, 2005
- Hail in Alabama, March 30 to 31, 2005
- Hail in Alabama, March 30, 2005
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Michigan, March 30, 2005
- Tornado and Hail in Minnesota, March 30, 2005
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Illinois, March 30, 2005
- Tornadoes and Hail in Iowa, March 30, 2005
- Hail in Alabama, March 30, 2005
More
Every storm in Minnesota in 2005Every state in 2005This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, March 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: 5439481, 5439482, 5439484, 5439483, 5439485.