Hail and Damaging Winds in Minnesota, August 8, 2010

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Minnesota, August 8, 2010
Start: 2010-08-08T17:23
End: 2010-08-08T18:09
Location: Minnesota

August 8, 2010 · NWS MPX · 6 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: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 6

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 MPX wrote it up.

During the late afternoon and early evening hours of Sunday August 8th, severe thunderstorms developed across the northern suburbs of the Twin Cities. Movement of the storms were very slow due to weak low level flow in the first 5000 ft. Most of the thunderstorms were outflow dominant and caused mainly downburst wind damage, and a few reports of funnel clouds in the western suburbs. The storms drifted to the southeast into west-central Wisconsin and caused a severe wind gusts, along with a few funnel cloud reports.

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 Aug 8, 12:42 PM CST, 4 hours 41 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Aug 8, 12:42 PM CST, 4 hours 41 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
142 PM CDT SUN AUG 8 2010

.DISCUSSION...

MAIN FORECAST CONCERNS DEAL WITH CONVECTION LATE THIS AFTN/EVENING
AND HOW THE ORIENTATION OF A WEAK CONVERGENCE ZONE/BOUNDARY BECOMES
OVERNIGHT/MONDAY.

DRY MID LEVELS EARLY THIS AFTN IN THE WAKE OF LAST NIGHTS
CONVECTION HAS PRECLUDED ANY TYPE OF ORGANIZED CONVECTION TO
DEVELOP AS OF 130 PM. HOWEVER...NEW DEVELOPMENT ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL
SD...AND REMNANTS OF SCATTERED SHRA ACROSS WEST CENTRAL MN...WILL
LIKELY PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN THE LATE AFTN/EARLY EVENING
CONVECTION AS CAPES NEAR 4000 J/KG AND CIN NEARLY NIL.

HRRR HAS DEPICTED THAT TSRA WILL DEVELOP IN SOUTH CENTRAL
MN...JUST SOUTH OF THE TWIN CITIES BY 21Z...WITH NUMEROUS OUTFLOW
BOUNDARIES INDUCING UPDRAFTS/CONVECTION ACROSS ALMOST ALL OF THE FAR
SOUTHERN FA BY 00Z. HOWEVER...TRYING TO PIN POINT THE EXACT
LOCATION ON ANY ONE SCENARIO IS PROBLEMATIC. THEREFORE...WILL
CONTINUE WITH HIGH POPS ALONG THE IA/MN BORDER...WITH POPS
GRADUALLY DECREASING TO ARND 20% IN THE FAR N FA. ONCE A
PREDOMINATE OUTFLOW BOUNDARY DEVELOPS...THERE WILL BE A BETTER
SCENARIO OF HIGHER QPF AMTS AND OVERALL POPS AFT 06Z.

AFTER TONIGHT...IT LOOKS AS THOUGH THE MAIN ACTION WILL REMAIN TO
THE SOUTH...AT LEAST UNTIL LATE MONDAY NIGHT/TUESDAY MORNING AS
THE NEXT SHORT WAVE AND FRONTAL BOUNDARY INTERACT TO PRODUCE A
BETTER CHC OF TSRA/SHRA ACROSS THE FA. ALTHOUGH THERE REMAINS SOME
UNCERTAINTIES IN PLACEMENT OF THIS BOUNDARY TUESDAY/TUESDAY
NIGHT...THE OVERALL MODEL TRENDS INDICATE AT LEAST HIGH CHC POPS
FOR MOST OF THE FA. LATER SHIFTS CAN READJUST BASED ON NEW MODEL
INFORMATION AND CONVECTION TO THE SOUTH.

ALTHOUGH I AM NOT ANTICIPATING A FFA AT THIS TIME...LATER SHIFTS
MAY NEED TO ISSUE ONE IF A MORE ORGANIZED MCS DEVELOPS IN SE
SD...AND TRACKS ALONG THE IA/MN BORDER. PWS ARE NEARLY 2 INCHES
JUST SOUTH OF THE IA BORDER...WHICH WILL LIKELY INDUCE RAINFALL
RATES OF 1-2 INCHES PER HOUR...AND MAY BE ENHANCED BASED ON THE
ORIENTATION OF THE MCS LATER TONIGHT.

AFTER WEDNESDAY...ANOTHER FRONTAL BOUNDARY MOVES ACROSS THE AREA
LATE FRIDAY AND INTO SATURDAY MORNING...WITH ANOTHER SHARP COLD
FRONT MOVING ACROSS THE REGION EARLY NEXT WEEK. THIS COLD FRONT
LOOKS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH FOR SCOURING OUT ANY TROPICAL AIR MASS
THAT REMAINS IN THE REGION. TRENDS ON THE LATEST NAEFS...AND AN
OVERALL TREND ON THE LATEST GFS/EC HAS A MUCH COOLER PATTERN
DEVELOPING NEXT WEEK WITH TEMPERATURES FALLING BACK TO NEAR OR
SLIGHTLY BELOW NORMAL. HAVE ALREADY STARTED THE MUCH DRIER RH
FIELDS BY SUNDAY...BUT LATER SHIFTS CAN MODIFY THESE FURTHER IS
CONDITIONS WARRANT. ..JLT..

&&

.AVIATION.../18Z TAF ISSUANCE/

IMMEDIATE CONCERN WILL BE THE CONVECTION/PRECIPITATION MOVING INTO
THE WESTERN AREAS OF MN EARLY THIS AFTERNOON AND INTENSITY
CHANGES. WEAK WAVE NEAR THE SOUTH DAKOTA AND WYOMING BORDER
THIS MORNING MOVED EAST TOWARD MN LATE THIS MORNING/EARLY
AFTERNOON HOURS. THIS WAVE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SHRA ACTIVITY
THAT IS MOVING INTO WESTERN MN AT THIS TIME. IT WILL CONTINUE
MOVING EAST INTO CENTRAL MN AND THEN INTO NORTHERN WI TONIGHT
CONTINUING TO PRODUCE SHRA ACTIVITY WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE FOR
THUNDER. EXPECT ACTIVITY TO INTENSIFY THIS AFTERNOON AS IT MOVES
ACROSS MN...BUT NOT BE SEVERE...AS AREA HAD A LOT OF CLOUD COVER
IN THE WAKE OF LAST NIGHTS TSRA ACTIVITY AND THAT LIMITED
INSTABILITY TO SOME EXTENT.

ANOTHER WAVE WILL MOVE TOWARD EXTREME SW MN BY 22Z AND PROVIDE
ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR TSRA ACTIVITY. THIS WAVE IS STRONGER AND
THERE IS MORE INSTABILITY IN SOUTHERN MN TO THE IOWA BORDER...AS
THERE HAS BEEN CONSIDERABLE MORE SUN TODAY...THEREFORE INSTABILITY
IS GREATER. EXPECT THIS ACTIVITY TO APPROACH SEVERE LIMITS BY 23Z
WITH THE STRONGEST STORMS CLOSEST TO THE IA BORDER. THIS WILL
EVOLVE INTO A COMPLEX OF STORMS AND THEY WILL WILL SLIDE EAST
ALONG THE MN/IA BORDER AND BE OUT OF HERE BY 09Z.

STRATUS/FOG LEFT IN WAKE OF SHRA/TSRA WILL DEVELOP AGAIN TONIGHT
SIMILAR TO LAST NIGHT. MID LEVEL CLOUDS WILL BE OUT OF MOST TAF
SITES BY 09Z AND STRATUS/FOG WILL DEVELOP AFT 09Z. THE CHALLENGE
IS IF AXN WILL DROP AS LOW AS THEY WERE THIS MORNING...1/4SM.
THINK THAT WILL HAPPEN THERE BUT OTHER TAF SITES WILL NOT DROP
THAT LOW WITH VISIBILITIES NEAR 2SM. CONFIDENCE IN 2SM BEING THE
LOWER BOUND THRESHOLD IS NOT VERY HIGH AND WILL HAVE TO KEEP CLOSE
EYE ON THE SITUATION ONCE CONVECTION CLEARS THE TAF SITES. EXPECT
MSP TO HAVE THE GREATEST VSBY DUE TO SITING.

KMSP...CONDITIONS WILL REMAIN VFR THROUGH THE PERIOD. IN TERMS OF
SHRA AND TSRA POTENTIAL...WE ARE IN BETWEEN THE TWO SHRA AREAS SO
EXPECT A DRY CONDITIONS. A CHANCE FOR A SHOWER IN THE
VICINITY AFTER 22Z AND SHOULD BE DONE BY 06Z...THAT TOO WILL BE
WATCHED CLOSELY. WIND DIRECTION THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EVENING
FINALLY STRAIGHTENED OUT AT S AROUND 5 TO 7 KTS...SOME VARYING OF
DIRECTION TOBE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON. SOME PATCHY FOG BUT NO
LIMIT TO VISIBILITY DUE TO LOCATION OF AIRPORT. MONDAY WILL BRING
FAIR WEATHER CUMULUS.

&&

.MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MN...NONE.
WI...NONE.
&&

JLT/DRL

Hazardous weather outlook, Aug 8, 4:48 PM CST, 35 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
548 PM CDT SUN AUG 8 2010

MNZ041>045-047>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ014>016-023>028-
091200-
DOUGLAS-TODD-MORRISON-MILLE LACS-KANABEC-STEVENS-POPE-STEARNS-
BENTON-SHERBURNE-ISANTI-CHISAGO-LAC QUI PARLE-SWIFT-CHIPPEWA-
KANDIYOHI-MEEKER-WRIGHT-HENNEPIN-ANOKA-RAMSEY-WASHINGTON-
YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-MCLEOD-SIBLEY-CARVER-SCOTT-DAKOTA-
REDWOOD-BROWN-NICOLLET-LE SUEUR-RICE-GOODHUE-WATONWAN-BLUE EARTH-
WASECA-STEELE-MARTIN-FARIBAULT-FREEBORN-POLK-BARRON-RUSK-
ST. CROIX-PIERCE-DUNN-PEPIN-EAU CLAIRE-
548 PM CDT SUN AUG 8 2010

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA...AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS SOUTHERN
MINNESOTA TONIGHT. THE MAIN THREATS FROM ANY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS AND FLOODING.

SCATTERED BANDS OF THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ACROSS THE OUTLOOK
AREA TONIGHT. THE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IS GENERALLY
FAVORED ALONG...AND SOUTH OF A LINE...FROM MADISON TO LITCHFIELD
TO THE NORTHERN TWIN CITIES METRO AREA. THERE IS A SMALL CHANCE
FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN WESTERN WISCONSIN...GENERALLY NEAR THE
ST. CROIX RIVER VALLEY.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY

THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE OUTLOOK AREA EACH DAY.
ALTHOUGH WIDESPREAD SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE LIMITED...THE BEST
POTENTIAL OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE ASSOCIATED WITH A
FRONTAL BOUNDARY ON TUESDAY AND TUESDAY NIGHT...AND AGAIN BY THE
END OF THE WEEK.

THE COMBINATION OF WARM TEMPERATURES AND ESPECIALLY HIGH MOISTURE
WILL LEAD TO HEAT INDICES NEAR OF POSSIBLY EXCEEDING 100 DEGREES
DURING SOME OF DAYS THIS WEEK. ON MONDAY...THERE IS A CHANCE FOR
100 DEGREE HEAT INDICES...INCLUDING IN THE TWIN CITIES.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS PROBABLE ACROSS A PORTION OF THE
MINNESOTA OUTLOOK AREA ALONG AND SOUTH OF A MADISON TO LITCHFIELD
TO TWIN CITIES LINE.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Aug 8, 1:15 PM CST, 4 hours 8 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
215 PM CDT SUN AUG 08 2010

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

1023 PM     TSTM WND DMG     ST JOSEPH               45.57N 94.32W
08/07/2010                   STEARNS            MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            15 INCH DIAMETER HEALTHY TREE PULLED OUT BY ROOTS. ALSO
            NOTED 3/4 INCH HAIL AS WELL.

&&

KME

Local storm report, Aug 8, 1:22 PM CST, 4 hours 1 minute before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
222 PM CDT SUN AUG 08 2010

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

1140 PM     HAIL             ELK RIVER               45.33N 93.57W
08/07/2010  M0.88 INCH       SHERBURNE          MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

KME

Local storm report, Aug 8, 1:51 PM CST, 3 hours 32 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
251 PM CDT SUN AUG 08 2010

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

1200 AM     TSTM WND DMG     6 E LUCK                45.58N 92.34W
08/08/2010                   POLK               WI   EMERGENCY MNGR

            3 HOMES DAMAGED IN BONE LAKE TOWNSHIP. ALSO 1 PERSON
            INJURED DO TO FLYING GLASS REQUIRING SEVERAL STITCHES.

&&

KME

Special weather statement, Aug 8, 3:46 PM CST, 1 hour 37 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
446 PM CDT SUN AUG 8 2010

MNZ054-056-064-082330-
CHIPPEWA-LAC QUI PARLE-YELLOW MEDICINE-
446 PM CDT SUN AUG 8 2010

...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO AND DEVELOPING OVER CHIPPEWA...LAC QUI
PARLE AND YELLOW MEDICINE COUNTIES THROUGH 630 PM CDT...

AT 439 PM CDT...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS OVER EASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA...WHICH WILL MOVE INTO LAC
QUI PARLE COUNTY BEFORE 6 PM. OTHER THUNDERSTORMS COULD FORM FARTHER
EAST TOWARD MONTEVIDEO AS WELL. THE STORMS WAS MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.

WINDS UP TO 50 MPH AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE
STORMS.

* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
  NASSAU.
  BELLINGHAM.
  MADISON.
  LOUISBURG.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO...OR YOUR LOCAL
TELEVISION STATIONS FOR LATER STATEMENTS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS
CONCERNING THIS WEATHER SITUATION.

&&

LAT...LON 4520 9646 4519 9611 4515 9605 4515 9551
      4482 9555 4482 9646
TIME...MOT...LOC 2143Z 251DEG 19KT 4496 9696

Special weather statement, Aug 8, 5:07 PM CST, 16 minutes before

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
607 PM CDT SUN AUG 8 2010

MNZ060>062-070-082345-
ANOKA-DAKOTA-HENNEPIN-RAMSEY-
607 PM CDT SUN AUG 8 2010

...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING OVER ANOKA...DAKOTA...HENNEPIN AND RAMSEY
COUNTIES THROUGH 645 PM CDT...

AT 601 PM CDT...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR WAS TRACKING A STRONG
THUNDERSTORM NEAR CHAMPLIN. THIS STORM WAS MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20
MPH.

WINDS OF NEAR 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...
  CHAMPLIN.
  OSSEO.
  BROOKLYN PARK.
  BROOKLYN CENTER.
  ROBBINSDALE.
  COLUMBIA HEIGHTS.
  MINNEAPOLIS.
  ST PAUL.
  BLOOMINGTON.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS THUNDERSTORM COULD INTENSIFY QUICKLY...SO BE READY TO ACT IF A
WARNING IS ISSUED.

THE GUSTY WINDS WILL BE CAPABLE OF KNOCKING DOWN SMALL BRANCHES.
SEEK SAFE SHELTER UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED.

&&

LAT...LON 4492 9304 4483 9340 4516 9358 4521 9335
TIME...MOT...LOC 2306Z 323DEG 18KT 4513 9339

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 46 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:23 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 thunderstorm wind, 2 funnel cloud, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Funnel Cloud, Wright

When: August 8, 5:23 PM CST to 5:25 PM CST
Where: Wright County, 0.85 mi NE of Buffalo
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.190, -93.890

Funnel Cloud, Wright

When: August 8, 5:30 PM CST to 5:32 PM CST
Where: Wright County, 0.49 mi E of Montrose
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.070, -93.910

Thunderstorm Wind, Hennepin

When: August 8, 5:55 PM CST to 5:56 PM CST
Where: Hennepin County, 2.07 mi WSW of Osseo
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: NWS Employee
Coordinates: 45.110, -93.460

Several trees were blown down near the intersection of Interstate 494 & 694.

Hail, Washington

When: August 8, 6:01 PM CST
Where: Washington County, 1.6 mi N of Lake Elmo
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 45.023, -92.878

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When: August 8, 6:05 PM CST to 6:06 PM CST
Where: Washington County, 0.98 mi E of Bayport
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.020, -92.780

An 8 inch diameter tree was blown down near Bayport, Minnesota.

Thunderstorm Wind, Washington

When: August 8, 6:08 PM CST to 6:09 PM CST
Where: Washington County, 1.96 mi W of Afton
Measured: 54 kt (62 mph) measured gust
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.900, -92.820

A local trained spotter measured a 54 knot wind gust near Afton, Minnesota.

What these are

Funnel Cloud: A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.
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 2010 Every state in 2010 This day in weather history Warnings in Minnesota, August 2010

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: 239283, 239284, 239287, 239285, 239288, 239289.