Hail, Itasca
- When
- September 20, 1:35 PM CST
- Where
- Itasca County, Coleraine
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 47.280, -93.450
Hail and Damaging Winds in Minnesota, September 20 to 21, 2007
A weather disturbance combined with deep moisture and instability to produce severe thunderstorms with damaging winds and large hail over portions of northeast Minnesota from the afternoon hours of September 20 through midday September 21. One storm over Pine County brought strong straight line winds that downed numerous trees and braches.
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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- $50,000
- Events
- 7
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 DLH wrote it up.
A weather disturbance combined with deep moisture and instability to produce severe thunderstorms with damaging winds and large hail over portions of northeast Minnesota from the afternoon hours of September 20 through midday September 21.
One storm over Pine County brought strong straight line winds that downed numerous trees and braches. Some minor structural damage was observed in Pine City and along County Road 7 just west of town. There was also minor damage to fences, outbuildings, and two baseball fields at Pine City High School.
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 Duluth, MN wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Sep 20, 11:07 AM CST, 2 hours 28 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Sep 20, 11:07 AM CST, 2 hours 28 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED... NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN 1207 PM CDT THU SEP 20 2007 .MESOSCALE UPDATE CONCERNING STRONG MCS MESO HIGH GRADIENT WINDS IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA... MATURING MCS OVER CENTRAL MINNESOTA HAS GENERATED A 2-3 MB MESO-HIGH SURFACE PERTURBATION LOCATED NEAR BRAINERD AS OF NOON. VERY STRONG SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT ON THE WESTERN PERIPHERY OF THIS MESO-SCALE FEATURE..IN COMBINATION WITH 4-5 MB PRESSURE FALLS IN ASSOCIATION WITH WAKE LOW AND SYNOPTIC PRESSURE FALLS WITH APPROACHING S/W TROF AXIS IS RESULTING IN SUSTAINED WINDS FROM 25-30 MPH WITH GUSTS 40-45 MPH ACROSS PORTIONS OF CASS/CROW WING COUNTIES. A COUPLE REPORTS OF TREES AND POWER LINES BLOWN DOWN HAVE BEEN RECEIVED FROM THE WALKER AND PINE RIVER AREAS. EAST-SOUTHEAST WINDS IN THE NEAR SURFACE LAYER ARE ALSO LIKELY RECEIVING SOME MOMENTUM CONTRIBUTION FROM SUBSIDING COLD BRANCH OF THE LOW LEVEL FRONTOGENSIS CIRCULATION. THE MCS-INDUCED MESO HIGH WILL TRANSLATE EAST OVER THE NEXT 2-4 HOURS..WITH TIGHT SURFACE GRADIENT FOLLOWING SUIT AND ALSO AFFECTING PORTIONS OF ITASCA AND AITKIN COUNTIES..AN WE EXPECT SUSTAINED EAST-SOUTHEAST SURFACE WINDS FROM 25-30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH POSSIBLE. THE STRONG WINDS WILL COMBINE WITH VERY WET SOILS AND ASSOCIATED WEAKENED ROOT STRUCTURES..AND STILL FULLY LEAFED OUT VEGETATION TO RESULT IN THE POTENTIAL FOR MINOR WIND DAMAGE AND POWER OUTAGES. WE WILL BE ISSUING A SHORT-LIVED WIND ADVISORY THROUGH 4 PM FOR CASS/AITKIN/CROW WING/AITKIN COUNTIES. MILLER/GRANING .DLH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...NONE. WI...NONE. LS...NONE.
Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 20, 11:34 AM CST, 2 hours 1 minute before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN 1234 PM CDT THU SEP 20 2007 LSZ121-140>148-162-MNZ010>012-018>021-025-026-033>038-WIZ001>004- 006>009-211030- BAYFIELD TO OAK POINT WI-GRAND PORTAGE TO GRAND MARAIS MN- GRAND MARAIS TO TACONITE HARBOR MN- TACONITE HARBOR TO SILVER BAY HARBOR MN- SILVER BAY HARBOR TO TWO HARBORS MN-TWO HARBORS TO DULUTH MN- DULUTH MN TO PORT WING WI-PORT WING TO SAND ISLAND WI- SAND ISLAND TO BAYFIELD WI-OAK POINT TO SAXON HARBOR WI- OPEN WATERS OF LAKE SUPERIOR WEST OF A LINE FROM SAXON HARBOR WI TO GRAND PORTAGE MN-KOOCHICHING-NORTHERN ST. LOUIS- NORTHERN COOK/NORTHERN LAKE-NORTHERN ITASCA-CENTRAL ST. LOUIS- SOUTHERN LAKE/LAKESHORE-SOUTHERN COOK/LAKESHORE-NORTHERN CASS- SOUTHERN ITASCA-SOUTHERN CASS-CROW WING-NORTHERN AITKIN- SOUTHERN AITKIN-CARLTON/SOUTHERN ST. LOUIS-PINE-DOUGLAS-BAYFIELD- ASHLAND-IRON-BURNETT-WASHBURN-SAWYER-PRICE- 1234 PM CDT THU SEP 20 2007 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST MINNESOTA... NORTHWEST WISCONSIN AND WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY AND TONIGHT WEST OF A LINE FROM BAUDETTE TO BIGFORK TO GRAND RAPIDS TO WEALTHWOOD. THE MAIN THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL. A FLOOD ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE CASS LAKE...TO PINE RIVER AND BRAINERD LAKES AREA. A WIND ADVISORY FOR WINDS OF 25 TO 30 MPH...WITH GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH IS ALSO IN EFFECT FOR THIS AREA...INCLUDING THE GRAND RAPIDS...AITKIN...AND MILLE LACS REGION. MINOR WIND DAMAGE AND POWER OUTAGES WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR THIS AREA. SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL IS POSSIBLE TODAY AND TONIGHT ACROSS A LARGE PART OF THE REGION. HEAVY RAIN IS MOST LIKELY OVER WESTERN SECTIONS THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. THE THREAT FOR HEAVY RAIN WILL THEN SHIFT EAST TOWARDS THE TWIN PORTS AND NORTHWEST WISCONSIN BY MORNING. PLEASE MONITOR THE LATEST FORECAST FOR ADDITIONAL UPDATES REGARDING THE THREAT OF HEAVY RAIN AND POSSIBLE FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL RACE ACROSS THE REGION FRIDAY WITH THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY. HEAVY RAIN...DAMAGING WIND...AND HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. AT THIS TIME...IT APPEARS THE MOST LIKELY AREA FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE FROM THE TWIN PORTS EAST INTO NORTHWEST WISCONSIN. HEAVY RAIN WILL AGAIN BE POSSIBLE ACCOMPANYING THE COLD FRONT ON FRIDAY. THE LONG DURATION OF RAIN MAY CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING IN THE ALREADY SATURATED AREAS. PLEASE MONITOR THE LATEST FORECAST FOR ADDITIONAL UPDATES REGARDING THE THREAT OF HEAVY RAIN AND POSSIBLE FLOODING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON OR TONIGHT. GRANING
The radar
The Duluth radar (KDLH), 106 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:34 UTC.
Event by event
3 hail, 3 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Lightning, St. Louis
- When
- September 20, 3:00 PM CST
- Where
- St. Louis County, Grand Lake
- Crop damage
- $50,000
- Reported by
- Fire Department/Rescue
- Coordinates
- 46.870, -92.470
A garage in Grand Lake Township was destroyed by fire after being struck by lightning.
Thunderstorm Wind, St. Louis
- When
- September 20, 3:00 PM CST
- Where
- St. Louis County, Side Lake
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
- Coordinates
- 47.670, -93.030
The St. Louis County Sheriff's Office reported that winds up to 60 mph caused damage in French Township around Side Lake, with downed trees and power lines.
Thunderstorm Wind, Pine
- When
- September 20, 3:40 PM CST
- Where
- Pine County, 5 mi SSW of Pine City
- Measured
- 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 45.763, -93.020
Several 18-inch trees uprooted.
Thunderstorm Wind, Carlton
- When
- September 20, 3:45 PM CST
- Where
- Carlton County, Esko
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 46.700, -92.370
Some shingles blown off house. Small, dead trees knocked down.
Hail, St. Louis
- When
- September 21, 6:00 AM CST
- Where
- St. Louis County, Zim
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 47.300, -92.620
Hail, Koochiching
- When
- September 21, 7:10 AM CST
- Where
- Koochiching County, Ranier
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 48.620, -93.320
Quarter-sized hail.
What these are
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
- Lightning
- A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
- 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
- Tornado and Flash Flood in Minnesota, September 20, 2007
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Minnesota, September 20 to 21, 2007
- Heat in Alabama, September 20, 2007
- Tornado in Florida, September 20, 2007
- Tornado in Florida, September 20, 2007
- Hail and Lightning Strike in Minnesota, September 20, 2007
- Hail and Damaging Winds in South Dakota, September 20, 2007
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Florida, September 20 to 21, 2007
- Dense Fog in Wisconsin, September 20 to 21, 2007
- Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, September 20, 2007
- Hail in South Dakota, September 20, 2007
- Dense Fog in Wisconsin, September 20, 2007
More
Every storm in Minnesota in 2007Every state in 2007This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, September 2007
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: 59642, 59651, 59667, 59628, 59641, 59625, 59626.