A line of severe thunderstorms that developed east of Alexandria, Minnesota, during the afternoon of August 13th, quickly moved eastward into west-central Wisconsin by the late afternoon and early evening and produced isolated wind damage.
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.
A line of severe thunderstorms that developed east of Alexandria, Minnesota, during the afternoon of August 13th, quickly moved eastward into west-central Wisconsin by the late afternoon and early evening and produced isolated wind damage.
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 13, 12:33 PM CST, 3 hours 12 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
133 PM CDT FRI AUG 13 2010
.DISCUSSION...
ANOTHER BUSY DAY ACROSS THE FORECAST AREA... TRYING TO TIDY UP
FROM THE ACTIVE WEATHER OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS WHILE PREPARING
SOME MORE POTENTIAL ACTIVITY OVER THE UPCOMING 12 HOURS. LATEST
WATER VAPOR IMAGERY AND RUC UPPER AIR ANALYSIS SHOWING THE MAIN
UPPER TROUGH AND ASSOCIATED PV ANOMALY MOVING THROUGH THE EASTERN
DAKOTAS AT THE CURRENT TIME... WITH A LEADING PV FILAMENT
CURRENTLY EXTENDING NORTHEAST FROM SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA TOWARD
THE MINNESOTA ARROWHEAD. THE MAIN PV FEATURE/SHORTWAVE APPROACHING
THE WESTERN MINNESOTA BORDER LOOKS TO BE THE IMPETUS TO PUSH THE
SURFACE TROUGH/COOL FRONT THROUGH THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND
EVENING... AND IT SHOULD HELP GET MORE WIDESPREAD AND ORGANIZED
CONVECTION GOING AS IT MOVES INTO THE AREA OVER THE NEXT FEW
HOURS. UNTIL THEN... SCATTERED MAINLY ELEVATED CONVECTION LOOKS TO
PERSIST OVER THE AREA AS WEAK WARM ADVECTION HELPS TO SPARK A FEW
STORMS. EXPECT CONVECTION TO DEVELOP/ORGANIZE ALONG A NORTH-SOUTH
ORIENTATION OVER CENTRAL INTO SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA BY MID
AFTERNOON... THEN TRANSITION EAST NORTHEASTWARD THROUGH THE
EVENING HOURS. HEAVY RAIN AND STRONG WINDS LOOK TO BE THE PRIMARY
THREATS... ALTHOUGH AN ISOLATED TORNADO IS STILL A POSSIBILITY...
MAINLY OVER SOUTH CENTRAL INTO PART OF EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA
WHERE SURFACE BASED CIN MAY BE MINIMIZED. AT THE CURRENT TIME...
0-1KM SHEAR IS MINIMAL OVER MOST OF THE AREA... BUT IT MAY BECOME
ENHANCED A BIT AS THE UPPER WAVE APPROACHES. WITH FREEZING LEVELS
REMAINING HIGH... VERY LARGE HAIL DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A
SIGNIFICANT THREAT... EXCEPT PERHAPS WITH ANY ROTATING STORMS
WHICH MANAGE TO FORM. HEAVY RAIN WILL CERTAINLY BE A POTENTIAL
ISSUE... SINCE MANY AREAS OF EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL
MINNESOTA AS WELL AS WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN HAVE SEEN 2 TO 5
INCHES OF RAIN OVER THE PAST TWO DAYS. ANY ADDITIONAL RAINFALL
OVER PREVIOUSLY HARD HIT AREAS WILL EXACERBATE ANY LINGERING
FLOODING AND/OR QUICKLY LEAD TO NEW FLOODING.
FOR THE SHORT TERM THROUGH TONIGHT... FORECAST IS PRIMARILY BASED
ON A BLEND OF EXTRAPOLATION... THE HRRR... AND SREF GUIDANCE.
BEYOND TONIGHT THROUGH THE BALANCE OF THE SHORT TERM... WHEN THINGS
GENERALLY QUIET DOWN... USED A BLEND OF PERSISTENCE FROM THE
PREVIOUS FORECAST TOGETHER WITH THE GFS AND SREF. FOR THE EXTENDED
PERIOD... STUCK CLOSE TO HPC GUIDANCE... WHILE TRYING TO MINIMIZE
POPS AND NOT BLANKET TOO MANY PERIODS.
FRONTAL BOUNDARY AND UPPER TROUGH MOVE EAST THROUGH THE AREA
TONIGHT... TRANSITIONING THE HIGHER POPS FROM WEST TO EAST AS IT
DOES SO. ALTHOUGH THE INITIAL TROUGH/FRONT PASSES THROUGH
TONIGHT... WE DON/T GET A SECONDARY TROUGH PASSAGE UNTIL LATER ON
SATURDAY... WHICH LOOKS TO USHER IN THE DRIER BOUNDARY LAYER AIR
WE NEED TO FINALLY SCOUR OUT THE CHANCE OF PCPN. SO... WILL
INITIALLY LOWER POPS BEHIND TONIGHT/S FEATURE WHILE LINGERING SOME
OVER THE NORTH WHERE BETTER MID LEVEL LAPSE RATES REMAIN... THEN
WILL BRING SOME CHANCE POPS BACK ACROSS THE AREA SATURDAY
AFTERNOON AND EVENING WHILE THE SECONDARY FEATURE DRIVES THROUGH
THE STATE AND BRINGS MORE LEGITIMATELY COOL AND DRY AIR TO THE
AREA.
SURFACE RIDGING AND PREDOMINANTLY NORTHWEST UPPER FLOW LOOK TO BE
ANCHORED IN PLACE FROM SUNDAY INTO THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK... WITH
MINIMAL RETURN FLOW ANTICIPATED. WILL GO WITH A DRY FORECAST FOR
THE ENTIRE AREA FROM SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY WITH THE EXPECTATION
THAT THE AIRMASS WILL BE SUFFICIENTLY DRY TO PRECLUDE THE
DEVELOPMENT OF ANY SHRA/TSRA DURING THE PASSAGE OF A FEW WEAK
SHORTWAVES THAT ARE PROGGED TO SWING THROUGH ON THE NORTHWEST
UPPER FLOW. BY TUESDAY NIGHT WE LOOK TO GET ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE
SURFACE RIDGE AND PERHAPS SEE ENOUGH MOISTURE RETURN FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF SOME PCPN. THIS INITIAL SURGE OF MOISTURE RETURN
LOOKS TO ABATE ON WEDNESDAY... BUT A MORE PERSISTENT PERIOD OF
MOISTURE RETURN ALONG WITH ZONAL UPPER FLOW IS PROGGED TO ARRIVE
LATE THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY... SO WILL BRING A CHANCE BACK ACROSS
THE ENTIRE AREA BY THAT TIME.
WITH NORTHWEST UPPER FLOW AND SURFACE RIDGING FOR MUCH OF THE
FORECAST BEYOND SATURDAY THE MAIN STORY WILL BE THE COOLER
TEMPERATURES... BOTH DAYTIME HIGHS AND OVERNIGHT LOWS... WITH
VALUES RUNNING NEAR OR A BIT BELOW NORMAL MOST OF THE WEEK.
&&
.AVIATION.../18Z TAF ISSUANCE/
SAME SCENARIO AS PER PREVIOUS AVIATION DISCUSSION WITH CONVECTION
DEVELOPING ALONG THE LEADING EDGE OF A POTENT SHORT WAVE MOVING
INTO FAR SW MN AS OF 12 PM. SHRA/TSRA AHEAD OF THIS FEATURE WILL
ALLOW FOR EMBEDDED LOWER CEILINGS AND POSSIBLY MVFR CEILINGS...BUT
THE MAIN ACTION SHOULD BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE MAIN WAVE EXPECTED
TO IMPACT RWF/AXN BETWEEN 18-20Z...AND AT STC ARND 19-21Z...AND AT
RNH/MSP BETWEEN 20-22Z. CEILINGS SHOULD BE PREDOMINATELY
VFR...WITH ONLY A SHORT PERIOD OF IFR/MVFR IN TSRA. ALTHOUGH IF
THE CONVECTION BECOMES MORE WIDESPREAD...MVFR/IFR CEILINGS MAY
DEVELOP...ESPECIALLY DURING THE EARLY EVENING HRS IN WEST CENTRAL
WISCONSIN...AFFECTING MAINLY EAU/RNH.
BETWEEN 00-06Z...COLD FRONT SHOULD HAVE MOVED THROUGH MOST OF THE
TAF AREAS OF MSP. WITH ONLY CBS OR VCTS FOR EAU BETWEEN 02-04Z/14.
AFT 06Z...EXPECT SOME IFR/LIFR CEILINGS/VSBYS AS WNDS DECOUPLE AND
AMPLE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE REMAINS. LATER SHIFTS WILL NEED TO UPDATE
FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF VV001 AND 1/4SM IN FG FOR STC/MSP/RNH/EAU.
RWF/AXN...SHOULD NOT BE AS BAD IN TERMS OF CEILINGS/VSBYS.
HOWEVER...THIS IS BASED ONLY ON THE LATEST SHORT TERM MODELS.
MSP...SHRA/TSRA AND LOWER CEILINGS WILL LIKELY DEVELOP BETWEEN
20-21Z...AND LAST FOR AN HR TO TWO. IFR/MVFR CEILINGS WILL BE
POSSIBLE...BUT SHOULD ONLY LAST FOR A SHORT PERIOD OR UNDER A HALF
HOUR. MOST OF THE CONVECTION SHOULD BE DONE BY 01-02Z...OR AT
LEAST THE HEAVIEST ACTIVITY WITH ONLY FG/BR AND LOWER CEILINGS
POSSIBLE DURING THE OVERNIGHT PERIOD. WNDS WILL BE FROM THE S/SE
THIS AFTN...BECOMING W/NW THIS EVENING...THEN SHIFTING TO THE S ON
SATURDAY. THERE MAY BE A TEMPORARY PERIOD OF MVFR CEILINGS THRU
19Z AS LOW LEVEL MOISTURE FROM SHRA/TSRA TO THE SE OF MSP...MOVE
OVER THE MSP TAF AREA.
&&
.MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MN...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR FREEBORN-GOODHUE-
STEELE.
WI...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR BARRON-CHIPPEWA-DUNN-
EAU CLAIRE-PEPIN-PIERCE-RUSK-ST. CROIX.
&&HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 1158 AM CDT FRI AUG 13 2010 MNZ041>045-047>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ014>016-023>028- 141700- 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- 1158 AM CDT FRI AUG 13 2010 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA...AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A LOW PRESSURE TROUGH WILL BE MOVING INTO MINNESOTA TODAY WITH MORE SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS POSSIBLE. THE MAIN RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY TONIGHT... MAINLY BETWEEN 3 PM AND 10 PM. AREAS WHICH HAVE A POTENTIAL TO SEE SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE PRIMARILY SOUTH AND EAST OF A LINE FROM FAIRMONT THROUGH THE SOUTHERN TWIN CITIES METRO AREA TO LADYSMITH... WITH THE GREATEST RISK SOUTH OF A LINE FROM MANKATO THROUGH RED WING TO EAU CLAIRE. AN ISOLATED TORNADO IS POSSIBLE... MAINLY SOUTH OF A LINE FROM FAIRMONT TO FARIBAULT... BUT THE PRIMARY THREATS FROM STORMS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN. THE HEAVY RAIN COULD EXACERBATE CURRENT HIGH WATER CONDITIONS AND LEAD TO ADDITIONAL FLOODING... PARTICULARLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM NEW ULM THROUGH THE TWIN CITIES METRO AREA TO CHIPPEWA FALLS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ON SATURDAY AFTERNOON... BUT SEVERE WEATHER IS NOT EXPECTED. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE AGAIN ON TUESDAY NIGHT... AND FROM THURSDAY INTO FRIDAY... ALTHOUGH NO ORGANIZED SEVERE WEATHER EVENTS APPEAR LIKELY AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING OVER PARTS OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA INTO WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
418 PM CDT FRI AUG 13 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0408 PM TSTM WND GST 1 NE MORA 45.89N 93.28W
08/13/2010 M57 MPH KANABEC MN MESONET
&&
LRSSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 431 PM CDT FRI AUG 13 2010 MNZ053-063-WIZ014-023-132200- CHISAGO-POLK-ST. CROIX-WASHINGTON- 431 PM CDT FRI AUG 13 2010 ...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO/DEVELOPING OVER CHISAGO...POLK...ST. CROIX AND WASHINGTON COUNTIES THROUGH 500 PM CDT... AT 427 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED THAT THUNDERSTORMS WERE RAPIDLY DEVELOPING NEAR SCANDIA. THESE STORMS WAS MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. PEA SIZE HAIL...WINDS UP TO 50 MPH...AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. * LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE... OTISVILLE. EAST FARMINGTON. OSCEOLA. HUNTINGTON. DRESSER. WANDEROOS. 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 4557 9247 4500 9241 4494 9286 4536 9297 TIME...MOT...LOC 2131Z 240DEG 26KT 4526 9276 JLT
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
432 PM CDT FRI AUG 13 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0430 PM HAIL HUGO 45.16N 92.96W
08/13/2010 M0.50 INCH WASHINGTON MN LAW ENFORCEMENT
DIME SIZE
&&
LRSSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
434 PM CDT FRI AUG 13 2010
MNZ044-049>052-058>060-065>068-132215-
BENTON-CARVER-HENNEPIN-ISANTI-MCLEOD-MEEKER-MILLE
LACS-RENVILLE-SHERBURNE-SIBLEY-STEARNS-WRIGHT-
434 PM CDT FRI AUG 13 2010
...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO BENTON...CARVER...HENNEPIN...ISANTI...
MCLEOD...MEEKER...MILLE LACS...RENVILLE...SHERBURNE...SIBLEY...
STEARNS AND WRIGHT COUNTIES
THROUGH 515 PM CDT...
AT 432 PM CDT...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR WAS TRACKING SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 3 MILES NORTHEAST OF
ST AUGUSTA TO 7 MILES NORTH OF DASSEL TO 3 MILES SOUTH OF CORVUSO.
THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.
HAIL UP TO DIME SIZE AND WINDS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE
STORMS.
* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...
DARWIN.
DASSEL.
STEWART.
DUELM.
STOCKHOLM.
SMITH LAKE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THIS THUNDERSTORM COULD INTENSIFY QUICKLY...SO BE READY TO ACT IF A
WARNING IS ISSUED.
&&
LAT...LON 4556 9346 4518 9365 4472 9405 4472 9483
4518 9441 4556 9423
TIME...MOT...LOC 2133Z 270DEG 26KT 4548 9414 4518 9428
4490 9458
JLTSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED WORDING
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
436 PM CDT FRI AUG 13 2010
MNZ044-049>052-058>060-065>068-132215-
BENTON-CARVER-HENNEPIN-ISANTI-MCLEOD-MEEKER-MILLE
LACS-RENVILLE-SHERBURNE-SIBLEY-STEARNS-WRIGHT-
436 PM CDT FRI AUG 13 2010
...THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO BENTON...CARVER...HENNEPIN...ISANTI...
MCLEOD...MEEKER...MILLE LACS...RENVILLE...SHERBURNE...SIBLEY...
STEARNS AND WRIGHT COUNTIES
THROUGH 515 PM CDT...
AT 432 PM CDT...WEATHER SERVICE RADAR WAS TRACKING STRONG
THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 3 MILES NORTHEAST OF
ST AUGUSTA TO 7 MILES NORTH OF DASSEL TO 3 MILES SOUTH OF CORVUSO.
THESE STORMS WERE MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.
HAIL UP TO DIME SIZE AND WINDS UP TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE
STORMS.
* LOCATIONS IN OR NEAR THE PATH OF THESE STORMS INCLUDE...
DARWIN.
DASSEL.
STEWART.
DUELM.
STOCKHOLM.
SMITH LAKE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THIS THUNDERSTORM COULD INTENSIFY QUICKLY...SO BE READY TO ACT IF A
WARNING IS ISSUED.
&&
LAT...LON 4556 9346 4518 9365 4472 9405 4472 9483
4518 9441 4556 9423
TIME...MOT...LOC 2133Z 270DEG 26KT 4548 9414 4518 9428
4490 9458
JLTPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
437 PM CDT FRI AUG 13 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0430 PM HAIL HUGO 45.16N 92.96W
08/13/2010 M0.75 INCH WASHINGTON MN LAW ENFORCEMENT
DIME SIZE
&&
MKMThe Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 93 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:45 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Several trees and power lines were blown down near Dresser, Wisconsin.
Numerous trees were blown down near McKinley, including one partially blocking Highway 48 east of town.
A large tree was blown down near Cornell, Wisconsin.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wisconsin in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, August 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: 254897, 254896, 254894, 254898.