A cold front pushed into eastern Minnesota and northwest Iowa in the early morning hours of July 11th. Severe thunderstorms along the cold front knocked down trees in Guttenberg (Clayton County).
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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 ARX wrote it up.
A cold front pushed into eastern Minnesota and northwest Iowa in the early morning hours of July 11th. Severe thunderstorms along the cold front knocked down trees in Guttenberg (Clayton County).
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 La Crosse, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 11, 2:04 AM CST, 2 hours 23 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION ...CORRECTION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 304 AM CDT MON JUL 11 2011 .SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY CURRENTLY WATCHING A QUASI LINEAR CONVECTIVE SYSTEM MOVING SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE AREA. COLD FRONT THAT SPAWNED THE LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS NOW EXTENDS FROM THE ARROWHEAD OF MN THROUGH EASTERN SD/CENTRAL NEBRASKA. ENVIRONMENT VERY RIPE TO MAINTAIN THIS QLCS THROUGH EARLY THIS MORNING AS DEW POINTS ACROSS THE AREA WERE IN THE LOWER TO MIDDLE 70S. 11.00Z MODELS IN PRETTY GOOD AGREEMENT THROUGH THE SHORT TERM. FOR TODAY...WILL SEE THE QLCS/COLD FRONT SLIP SOUTHEAST THROUGH THE AREA THIS MORNING. THE FRONT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL HANG UP OVER FAR SOUTHERN WI THROUGH CENTRAL IA BY THIS AFTERNOON. NAM INDICATING 0-1KM MLCAPE CAPE REBOUNDING TO AROUND 3000-4500J/KG BY LATE THIS MORNING/AFTERNOON ALONG/SOUTH OF I-90 ALONG WITH AMPLE 0-3KM BULK SHEAR. SO...WILL HAVE TO WATCH FOR SEVERE POTENTIAL YET TODAY. ALSO...IT WILL REMAIN RATHER STEAMY TODAY WITH HIGHS ANTICIPATED TO TOP OFF IN THE MID 80S ACROSS THE NORTH...TO A FEW LOWER 90S ACROSS THE SOUTH. STILL LOOKING AT HEAT INDICES IN THE 95-100 DEGREE RANGE SOUTH OF I-90. A RIDGE OF HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FOR TONIGHT...LOWERING THE OPPRESSIVE DEW POINTS AND PUSHING RAIN CHANCES SOUTH OF THE AREA. MODELS THEN INDICATE A DAMPENING MID-LEVEL TROUGH PUSHING EAST OUT OF THE CENTRAL PLAINS AND ACROSS IA/IL TUESDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. NAM SHOWING A FAIRLY GOOD SURGE OF ISENTROPIC LIFT/MOISTURE TRANSPORT HEADING INTO SOUTHERN PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA AHEAD/NORTH OF THE WAVE FOR A CHANCE OF SHRA/TS. STRONG RIDGE TAKES HOLD OVER THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI/WESTERN GREAT LAKES REGION ON WEDNESDAY FOR MOSTLY SUNNY/COOLER/DRIER CONDITIONS. APPEARS THE RIDGE WILL HOLD THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS WELL FOR DRY/COOL CONDITIONS. WITH MOSTLY CLEAR/PARTLY CLOUDY SKIES...WILL PROBABLY SEE LOWS BOTTOM OUT IN THE 50S. .LONG TERM...THURSDAY THROUGH SUNDAY 11.00Z GFS/ECMWF SHOWING RIDGING ACROSS THE CENTRAL CONUS THROUGH THE EXTENDED PERIOD. BOTH ALSO SHOWING WEAK TRANSITORY MID-LEVEL TROUGHS ROTATING THROUGH THE NORTHERN PERIPHERY OF THE RIDGE...ENOUGH TO WARRANT SMALL SHRA/TS CHANCES THROUGH THE MAJORITY OF THE LONG TERM PERIOD. WITH THE BUILDING HEIGHTS...LOOKS FOR AN INCREASE IN HEAT ACROSS THE AREA AS WELL WITH HIGHS WARMING FROM THE 70S ON THURSDAY...TO THE LOWER 90S BY SUNDAY. WITH RECENT RAINS AND EVAPOTRANSPORATION FROM CORN CROPS/OTHER VEGETATION..HEAT INDICES COULD CREEP BACK INTO THE 100-105 DEGREE RANGE ON SUNDAY. && .AVIATION...THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY A FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL PUSH THROUGH THE TAF SITES THIS MORNING. ANY REMAINING CONVECTION WILL BE EAST OF BOTH KLSE AND KRST AFTER 12Z-14Z. UNTIL THAT TIME MAINLY VFR CEILINGS WILL PERSIST WITH SOME EMBEDDED MVFR CEILINGS WITHIN ANY LINGERING RAIN SHOWERS. THE FRONT WILL SETTLE SOUTH OF THE AREA LATER TODAY AND THIS WILL KEEP ANY THUNDERSTORMS SOUTH OF THE TAF SITES...WITH VFR CONDITIONS EXPECTED THEN THROUGH 06Z TUESDAY. && .ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. && SHORT/LONG TERM... DAS AVIATION.......... RABERDING
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 438 AM CDT MON JUL 11 2011 IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ017-029-032>034- 041>044-053>055-061-121100- ADAMS-ALLAMAKEE-BUFFALO-CHICKASAW-CLARK-CLAYTON-CRAWFORD-DODGE- FAYETTE-FILLMORE-FLOYD-GRANT-HOUSTON-HOWARD-JACKSON-JUNEAU-LA CROSSE- MITCHELL-MONROE-MOWER-OLMSTED-RICHLAND-TAYLOR-TREMPEALEAU-VERNON- WABASHA-WINNESHIEK-WINONA- 438 AM CDT MON JUL 11 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PARTS OF NORTHEAST IOWA... SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA...AND SOUTHWEST INTO CENTRAL WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TODAY AS A COLD FRONT MOVES SOUTH ACROSS THE AREA. THERE IS A CONTINUED POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE STORMS...MAINLY SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 90. DAMAGING WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN WOULD BE THE MAIN THREATS. ALSO...PLAN ON HEAT INDICES OF 95 TO 100 TODAY MAINLY SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 90. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY PERIODIC THUNDERSTORM CHANCES CONTINUE TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY... WITH A BREAK LIKELY WEDNESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THERE MAY BE A RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER WITH A FEW OF THE STORMS THURSDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS A WARM FRONT LIFTS NORTH ACROSS THE REGION. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED AGAIN THIS AFTERNOON... MAINLY SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 90. .EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION... NO WEBINAR IS SCHEDULED. DAS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 225 AM CDT MON JUL 11 2011 IAZ008-018-MNZ094-110830- FLOYD-MITCHELL-MOWER- 225 AM CDT MON JUL 11 2011 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED TO MOVE BACK INTO THE AREA... STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ALONG THE IOWA MINNESOTA BORDER WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA BETWEEN 3 AM AND 330 AM THIS MORNING. THESE STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL FOR WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. IF THEY MAINTAIN THEIR STRENGTH WARNINGS MAY BECOME NECESSARY AS THEY APPROACH THE AREA. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 500 AM MONDAY MORNING FOR NORTHEASTERN IOWA AND SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. RABERDING
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
233 AM CDT MON JUL 11 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0222 AM TSTM WND GST 8 E LOYAL 44.74N 90.33W
07/11/2011 E50 MPH CLARK WI TRAINED SPOTTER
0154 AM TSTM WND GST ONALASKA 43.89N 91.22W
07/11/2011 E50 MPH LA CROSSE WI TRAINED SPOTTER
SMALL BRANCHES BLOWN DOWN.
&&
04PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
238 AM CDT MON JUL 11 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0238 AM TSTM WND GST TOMAH 43.99N 90.50W
07/11/2011 E50 MPH MONROE WI LAW ENFORCEMENT
&&
04PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
245 AM CDT MON JUL 11 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0224 AM TSTM WND DMG LEON 43.88N 90.83W
07/11/2011 MONROE WI LAW ENFORCEMENT
18 INCH DIAMETER TREES BLOWN DOWN.
&&
04SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 356 AM CDT MON JUL 11 2011 IAZ009>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ095-096-111000- ALLAMAKEE-CHICKASAW-CLAYTON-FAYETTE-FILLMORE-FLOYD-HOUSTON-HOWARD- WINNESHIEK- 356 AM CDT MON JUL 11 2011 AT 352 AM...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM NEAR SPRING VALLEY MINNESOTA...TO TO 7 MILES SOUTH OF NASHUA IOWA...MOVING EAST AT 50 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH MAY ACCOMPANY THESE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS. LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE AFFECTED INCLUDE... NEW HAMPTON...JERICO...CRESCO...PROTIVIN...FOUNTAIN...PRESTON... WAUCOMA AND SPILLVILLE. RABERDING
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 445 AM CDT MON JUL 11 2011 IAZ009>011-019-029-030-MNZ095-096-WIZ053>055-061-111045- ALLAMAKEE-CHICKASAW-CLAYTON-CRAWFORD-FAYETTE-FILLMORE-GRANT-HOUSTON- HOWARD-RICHLAND-VERNON-WINNESHIEK- 445 AM CDT MON JUL 11 2011 AT 440 AM...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM NEAR CALEDONIA MINNESOTA...TO STRAWBERRY POINT IOWA...MOVING EAST AT 45 MPH. WIND GUSTS OF 30 TO 40 MPH MAY ACCOMPANY SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS. LOCATIONS THAT MAY BE AFFECTED INCLUDE... HOUSTON...WAUKON...ELKADER...CALEDONIA...FARMERSBURG...HOKAH AND LA CRESCENT. RABERDING
The La Crosse radar (KARX), 115 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 10:25 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees were blown down in Guttenberg.
Trees were blown down near the Mississippi River.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Iowa in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Iowa, July 2011
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: 323247, 334968.