The morning of Wednesday July 14th had a complex of severe thunderstorms moving across eastern North Dakota, into portions of west-central and central Minnesota. Embedded bow echoes caused considerable damage across northern Douglas County before 8 am.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS MPX wrote it up.
The morning of Wednesday July 14th had a complex of severe thunderstorms moving across eastern North Dakota, into portions of west-central and central Minnesota. Embedded bow echoes caused considerable damage across northern Douglas County before 8 am. This complex moved eastward during the morning, and intensified across portions of east-central Minnesota and west-central Wisconsin. Several waves of thunderstorms developed across west-central Wisconsin and began to reform westward into Minnesota by the early afternoon. Several supercells developed across the southern Twin Cities metro area and became tornadic near Northfield, Minnesota. These storms quickly moved into west-central Wisconsin where more tornadoes developed.
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 Jul 14, 5:52 AM CST, 12 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
652 AM CDT WED JUL 14 2010
.UPDATE...
12Z AVIATION DISCUSSION ADDED BELOW.
&&
.DISCUSSION...
SIGNIFICANT SEVERE WEATHER EVENT WILL LIKELY UNFOLD ACROSS THE FA
TODAY AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM AND COLD FRONT PUSH THROUGH DURING
THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUE TO MOVE
ACROSS EASTERN ND EARLY THIS MORNING NEAR THE NOSE OF THE LOW
LEVEL JET AND JUST NORTH OF +12 DEG C AT 700 MB. INDICATIONS ARE
FOR THE COMPLEX TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE EAST THIS MORNING...HOPEFULLY
PASSING JUST NORTH OF OUR MN CWA AS THE CAP BUILDS NORTHWARD. HOWEVER...
MORE STORMS WILL LIKELY DEVELOP ALONG THE COLD FRONT DURING THE
MORNING ACROSS SD AND REACH INTO WEST CENTRAL MN WITH SEVERE
STORMS LIKELY.
COMPLICATING MATTER TODAY ARE DEW POINTS FORECAST INTO THE MIDDLE
TO UPPER 70S ACROSS SOUTHERN AND EASTERN MN AND WEST CENTRAL WI.
THESE DEW POINTS ARE ALREADY INTO SD/NE AND WESTERN IA. COUPLE
THAT WITH HIGHS REACHING AROUND 90 TO THE LOWER 90S RESULTS IN
HEAT INDICES FROM 100 TO 105 DEGREES ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL MN
THROUGH THE TWIN CITIES AND PORTIONS OF WEST CENTRAL WI. THESE
AREAS SHOULD NOT SEE CONVECTION UNTIL MID TO LATE AFTERNOON...SO
THIS RESULTED IN A HEAT ADVISORY BEING ISSUED. IT WILL BE VERY
UNCOMFORTABLE THIS AFTERNOON WITH THE UPPER 70S DEW POINTS. THE
HEAT ADVISORY RUNS FROM NOON UNTIL 6 PM.
BIGGEST CONCERN FOR THE DAY IS THE POTENTIAL FOR TORNADOES HERE
IN THE TWIN CITIES AS WELL AS POINTS EAST AND SOUTH. AS WE GET
CLOSER TO THE EVENT...MODEL SOLUTIONS ARE SUGGESTING THAT THE
INITIAL LOW CURRENTLY OVER SD WILL LIFT INTO NORTHERN MN TODAY
WHILE ANOTHER LOW DEVELOPS ALONG THE FRONT BY 21Z OVER THE
TWIN CITIES. THIS SECOND LOW WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY SURFACE TO
3KM CAPE AOA 200 J/KG...ALONG WITH TREMENDOUS SHEAR. LOCAL
TORNADO PROBABILITIES SKYROCKET ACROSS THE TWIN CITIES METRO AREA
BY 21Z. THE HRRR IS CATCHING ON TO HAVING A SUPERCELL NEAR THE
SOUTHWEST METRO IN THE 20-21Z TIME FRAME. HENCE...A VERY DANGEROUS
AFTERNOON/EVENING IS SETTING UP AS STORMS EXPLODE OVERHEAD AND TO
THE SOUTH. THESE WILL PUSH ACROSS THE WI CWA AND SE MN THROUGH
EARLY EVENING WITH PRECIP MAINLY OVER BY 06Z.
LITTLE CHANGED IN THE GRIDS BEYOND TONIGHT WITH ENERGY SPENT ON
THE DAY/EVENING AHEAD. IT STILL LOOKS LIKE SATURDAY AFTERNOON/SATURDAY
NIGHT COULD BRING ANOTHER CHANCE OF SEVERE WEATHER.
&&
.AVIATION.../12Z TAF ISSUANCE/
VERY ACTIVE PERIOD AHEAD THROUGH 03Z THU AS A STRONG COLD FRONT
SWEEPS ACROSS TERMINALS. FIRST CONCERN THIS MORNING IS CONVECTION
UP BY AXN. THIS ACTIVITY HAS BEEN GOING ALL NIGHT SINCE SW NODAK
AND HAS BEEN RUNNING JUST NORTH OF A WARM FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH A
LOW MOVING ACROSS SODAK. THIS ACTIVITY LOOKS TO CLIP AXN...STAYING
MOSTLY NORTH...AND BASED ON LOCATION OF 14C ISOTHERM AT H7...IT
SHOULD ALSO STAY NORTH OF STC...THOUGH CURRENT RADAR IMAGERY DOES
SHOW SOME SCATTERED SHOWER ACTIVITY WILL SNEAK THROUGH THERE THIS
MORNING. FOR THIS AFTERNOON EXTREMELY UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENT WILL BE
IN PLACE AHEAD OF THE WARM FRONT...THOUGH EARLY TRANSMISSION FOR
12Z KMPX SOUNDING SHOWS A VERY STOUT CAP IS IN PLACE /750 MB WARM
NOSE IS +18C/...WHICH WILL MUDDY THE WATERS TODAY. BASED AFTERNOON
THUNDERSTORM FORECAST ON HRRR SOLUTIONS...WHICH HAVE BEEN PRETTY
CONSISTENT WITH DEVELOPING CONVECTION AROUND 19Z BTWN RWF AND MSP.
WHEN THUNDERSTORMS DO DEVELOP...MLCAPES IN THE 3000-5000 J/KG
RANGE WILL RESULT IN EXPLOSIVE GROWTH IN THUNDERSTORMS...WHICH
WILL LIKELY QUICKLY BE SEVERE. THIS WILL NEED TO MONITORED VERY
CLOSELY THROUGH THE AFTERNOON AS SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ARE POSSIBLE
AT MSP/RNH/EAU. FRONT WILL CLEAR EAU BY 03Z...WHEN ALL TSRA SHOULD
BE DONE. FOR WINDS...WILL BE GUSTY THIS MORNING WITH 40 KT LLJ
SITTING OVHD...BUT WILL DIMINISH THROUGH THE AFTERNOON OUTSIDE OF
CONVECTION. DIRECTIONS WILL BE SE TO START AND TEND MORE WRLY
BEHIND THE FRONT.
KMSP...CONFIDENCE IN SIGNIFICANT TSRA ACTIVITY IMPACTING THE VCNTY
OF THE FIELD HIGH AT THIS POINT...BASED ON FORECASTS FROM SEVERAL
RUNS OF THE RUC NOW SHOWING THE CAP BREAKING AT MSP AROUND 21Z.
HARD TO SAY AT THIS POINT IF THE FIELD WILL TAKE A DIRECT
HIT...BUT DENSE COVERAGE OF TSRA EXPECTED AROUND THE TWIN CITIES
WILL LIKELY CREATE HAVOC IN SOME OF THE DEPARTURE/ARRIVAL GATES.
ONCE THIS ACTIVITY MOVES THROUGH...WILL HAVE VERY QUIET WEATHER TO
END THE TAF AS WINDS TURN TO THE WEST.
&&
.MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MN...HEAT ADVISORY FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR BLUE
EARTH-BROWN-CARVER-DAKOTA-FARIBAULT-FREEBORN-GOODHUE-
HENNEPIN-LE SUEUR-MARTIN-NICOLLET-RAMSEY-RICE-SCOTT-SIBLEY-
STEELE-WASECA-WASHINGTON-WATONWAN.
WI...HEAT ADVISORY FROM NOON TODAY TO 6 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR
CHIPPEWA-DUNN-EAU CLAIRE-PEPIN-PIERCE-ST. CROIX.
&&
RAH/MPGHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 422 AM CDT WED JUL 14 2010 MNZ041>045-047>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ014>016-023>028- 150930- 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- 422 AM CDT WED JUL 14 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA...AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS MUCH OF THE OUTLOOK AREA TODAY AND EARLY TONIGHT AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM AND COLD FRONT MOVE THROUGH. SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE THIS MORNING ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL MINNESOTA...WITH THE SEVERE THREAT SHIFTING INTO EASTERN AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA THIS AFTERNOON AND ACROSS WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. VERY LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS AND A FEW TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE WITH THE STORMS TODAY AND EARLY TONIGHT. IN ADDITION TO THE SEVERE WEATHER THREAT TODAY...A HEAT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THIS AFTERNOON FOR EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND MUCH OF WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. HIGH TEMPERATURES NEAR 90 COUPLED WITH DEW POINTS RISING INTO THE MIDDLE TO UPPER 70S WILL RESULT IN HEAT INDICES FROM 100 TO 105 DEGREES. THE HEAT ADVISORY INCLUDES THE TWIN CITIES METROPOLITAN AREA. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL RETURN AGAIN SATURDAY INTO SATURDAY NIGHT AS A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM AND COLD FRONT MOVE THROUGH. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED TODAY AND EARLY TONIGHT. RAH
The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 202 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 12:01 UTC.
7 hail, 6 thunderstorm wind, 4 funnel cloud, 3 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Straight line winds caused several 12 inch diameter trees to be blown down, along with a trailer flipped over near Brandon, Minnesota.
Several reports of large hail, up to the size of half dollars, were observed from west of Long Prairie, to east of Long Prairie, Minnesota.
A National Weather Service Storm Survey and the local emergency manager concluded that straight-line winds caused considerable damage to a sub-division southeast of Credit River Township. Numerous trees were uprooted or blown down along with a camper that rolled over.
A National Weather Service Storm Survey Team determined an EF-0 Tornado occurred with a broken path length of approximately 3.5 miles.
The tornado first touched down approximately three-quarters of a mile north of Interstate 35 and Highway 19 where a two ton truck was overturned on interstate 35.
The tornado then lifted and touched down near the intersection of Jamaica Ave, and 320th Street where it tore down a street sign. The tornado then tracked east-northeast for approximately 2.5 miles across mainly farm fields before lifted near the intersection of Guam Ave, and County Road 90.
The tornado caused minor damage to crops, along with several trees to be uprooted along its path. In addition, a small farm shed was damaged northeast of Jamaica Ave, and 320th Street.
The local St. Paul, Minnesota Holman Field Airport ASOS measured a wind gust of 51 knots.
The Lakeville Airport AWOS reported a wind gust of 62 mph.
A trained spotter confirmed (Photo of the tornado was taken at the site) that an EF-0 tornado briefly touched down near the intersection of Highway 3, and 313th Street, north of Northfield, Minnesota and caused minor tree damage.
A National Weather Service Storm Survey Team determined that an EF-1 tornado, with maximum winds of 95 mph, occurred along a broken 1.7 mile path length northwest of Northfield, Minnesota.
The tornado first touched down approximately 3.9 miles northeast of Northfield, near the Junction of 313th Street and County Road 47 where a metal shed was blown off its foundation and flew over a farm home and landed approximately 100 yards away. There was some damage to the farm home, but most of the damage was associated with debris from uprooted trees and the metal shed.
The tornado lifted approximately one-quarter of a mile east of the farm home and blew over a semi-truck on County Road 47.
The tornado then touched down approximately three-quarters of a mile east of County Road 47 in a corn field, and tracked approximately one half mile east before lifting near the intersection of County Road 59, and Cannon River Road. The tornado caused damage to a farm home along this track, and blew a storage shed approximately 200 yards into the farmer's corn field. Other damage with the tornado track was associated with damaged corn fields and a small camper that was destroyed.
The public reported a funnel cloud near Highway 28, between Glenwood and Starbuck Airport.
Trees and power lines were blown down near the intersection of Highway 47 and 52 near Hampton, Minnesota.
A two foot diameter tree was snapped in half at 19th street and Vermillion in the southern part of Hastings, Minnesota. In addition, a tree was sheared in half and blocked part of Fraser Street in the northeast part of Hastings.
Several trained spotters observed a funnel cloud for several minutes from west of Sauk Centre, to southeast of Sauk Centre, Minnesota.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Minnesota in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Minnesota, 2010Warnings in Minnesota, July 2010
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: 233581, 232971, 232972, 232973, 232976, 232979, 233585, 233595, 248544, 233589, 233603, 233600, 232964, 233590, 233591, 232966, 232980, 232969, 232970, 232982.