Low pressure over central Minnesota brought tropical moisture into northeast Minnesota. A cold front, over Saskatchewan that morning, triggered slow moving thunderstorms with heavy rain..
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 DLH wrote it up.
Low pressure over central Minnesota brought tropical moisture into northeast Minnesota. A cold front, over Saskatchewan that morning, triggered slow moving thunderstorms with heavy rain.. Rainfall of 2 to 4 inches overnight and through the day was common. There were reports of an inch an hour rainfall.
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 Jun 27, 5:44 AM CST, 1 hour 56 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
644 AM CDT MON JUN 27 2011
.AVIATION...12Z TAFS.
AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND STORMS FROM SAZ TO ELO TO THE CANADIAN
BORDER. MVFR CIGS/VSBYS IN THE VCNTY OF THE STORMS. EXPECT THE
SHOWERS AND STORMS TO SPREAD SEWD THIS MORNING REACHING DLH/BRD
AREAS BY 15Z/16Z. GUSTY WINDS WILL BE FOUND NEAR THE STRONGER
STORMS. A CLEARING TREND IS EXPECTED AFTER 03Z AS HIGH PRESSURE
BUILDS INTO THE AREA.
&&
.PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 358 AM CDT MON JUN 27 2011/
SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...
RATHER INTENSE S/W TROF BY LATE JUNE STANDARDS CONTINUES TO
AMPLIFY ACROSS THE DAKOTAS EARLY THIS MORNING WHILE TRANSLATING
STEADILY EASTWARD TOWARD THE WRN GREAT LAKES. THUNDERSTORMS HAVE
DEVELOPED QUITE ROBUSTLY DURING THE PAST 3-4 HOURS ALONG AN AXIS
FROM WCENT MN NORTHEASTWARD TO THE BOUNDARY WATERS..AND HAVE
LARGELY BEEN TRACKING OVER MANY OF THE SAME AREAS. LATEST MODEL
GUIDANCE CONTINUES TO FOCUS PROLONGED PERIOD OF HEAVIER PRECIP
RATES OVER THE MN ARROWHEAD THIS MORNING INTO THIS AFTERNOON..BUT
RADAR TRENDS STRONGLY SUGGEST THAT A HEAVY RAIN THREAT ALSO EXISTS
UNDERNEATH ONGOING ACTIVITY FROM WALKER/BEMIDJI AREAS ENEWD TO
BIGFORK/COOK AND THE BOUNDARY WATERS. CONFIDENCE ON EXACT
PLACEMENT OF LONGER DURATION HEAVY PRECIP RATES REMAINS LESS THAN
WHAT WE/D LIKE TO SEE IT ONLY A FEW HOURS IN ADVANCE AS WAVE
APPROACHES..SO WE HAVE OPTED TO HOIST A FAIRLY BROAD-BRUSHED FLASH
FLOOD WATCH THRU 7 PM THIS EVENING ENCOMPASSING BOTH PRIMARY
THREAT AREAS DEFINED ABOVE.
WAVE WILL WRAP UP FURTHER OVER LK SUPERIOR TONIGHT..BUT SURFACE
COLD FRONT WILL FINALLY SWEEP EASTWARD ACROSS THE AREA BY TUESDAY
MORNING AND SHUD BRING AN END TO PRECIP CHANCES FOR 24-36 HOURS AS
LOW LEVEL RIDGING BUILDS IN. TUESDAY LOOKS TO BE A DRY DAY WITH
LIGHT WINDS AS RIDGE RESIDES OVERHEAD..WITH WARM ADVECTION PATTERN
COMMENCING IN RETURN SOUTHERLY FLOW TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY.
VERY WARM MID LEVEL TEMPS /700 MB READINGS APPROACHING +15C/ WILL
MAKE A PUSH TOWARD THE WRN GREAT LAKES WED/WED NITE AIDED BY A
FAIRLY STRONG LLJ. THESE TEMPS SHUD BE WARM ENUF TO BUILD A STRONG
CAP OVER THE SW PART OF THE CWA BY WED EVENING IF CURRENT MODEL
FORECASTS COME TO PASS. HOWEVER..WE HAVE OPTED FOR LOW POPS
WED/WED NITE GENERALLY EAST OF THE HIGHWAY 53 CORRIDOR..WHERE
WARM/MOIST ADVECTION MAY BE SLIGHTLY ENHANCED BY MODEST LOW LEVEL
FGEN AND A WEAKER CAP WHERE A FEW T-STORMS MAY FORM.
LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY...
UPPER LEVEL RIDGING COVERS THE FA WEDNESDAY NIGHT. SW FLOW UNDER
THE RIDGE WILL PUMP WARM/HUMID AIR INTO THE AREA. THE WARM TEMPS
UP TO H7 SHOULD EFFECTIVELY CAP OFF THE ATMOSPHERE. HOWEVER...A
FEW TSTMS CANNOT BE RULED OUT WED NIGHT ALONG THE LEADING EDGE
OF THE VERY WARM MID LEVEL TEMPS AND WE HAVE ADDED LOW POPS FOR
THIS REASON OVER THE NE PART OF THE CWA. THIS RIDGING CONTINUES ON
THURSDAY. THE GFS IS THE ONLY LONG RANGE MODEL BRAKING DOWN THE
RIDGE AND WILL BE IGNORED. THURSDAY NIGHT THE MODELS AGREE THAT
THE RIDGE WILL BE PUSHED E ALLOWING A SHORT WAVE TROF TO CROSS THE
FA. DIFFERING SOLUTIONS IN SPEED/TIMING AND HAVE SMALL POPS IN
PLACE. THE DIFFERENCES CONTINUE ON FRIDAY...BUT THEY DO AGREE THE
BEST FORCING WILL BE NEAR THE INTERNATIONAL BORDER. HAVE ARRANGED
POPS TO REFLECT THIS THINKING. LEFT THE REMAINDER OF THE EXTENDED
UNCHANGED DUE TO MODEL DIFFERENCES.
AVIATION...06Z TAF ISSUANCE.
A COLD FRONT WILL TRACK SLOWLY EAST ACROSS MINNESOTA TONIGHT...
REACHING THE WISCONSIN AREAS MONDAY MORNING. THE FRONT WILL BRING
SCT SHRA/TSTMS AND PERIODS OF MVFR CIGS. CIGS WILL GRADUALLY LIFT
AFT 18Z MON.
&&
.POINT TEMPS/POPS...
DLH 68 52 70 54 / 80 20 10 10
INL 72 49 74 54 / 70 20 10 10
BRD 74 54 75 57 / 70 10 10 10
HYR 72 54 75 53 / 80 20 10 10
ASX 67 52 73 52 / 80 20 10 10
&&
.DLH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MN...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS EVENING FOR MNZ011-012-018>021-
025-026-035-037.
WI...NONE.
LS...NONE.
&&
AVIATION...GSFHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN 450 AM CDT MON JUN 27 2011 MNZ010>012-018>021-025-026-033>038-WIZ001>004-006>009-281100- 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- 450 AM CDT MON JUN 27 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTHEAST MINNESOTA AND NORTHWEST WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT WIDESPREAD THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT MUCH OF THE NORTHLAND TODAY...BEFORE ENDING FROM WEST TO EAST THIS EVENING. THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM THUNDERSTORMS TODAY WILL BE HEAVY RAINFALL OVER PORTIONS OF CENTRAL... NORTHERN AND NORTHEAST MINNESOTA. THE AXIS OF HEAVIEST RAINFALL IS EXPECTED TO SHIFT FROM LEECH LAKE TO COOK AND THE BOUNDARY WATERS THIS MORNING... TO THE I-35 CORRIDOR AND THE MINNESOTA ARROWHEAD AND PARTS OF NORTHWEST WISCONSIN BY THIS AFTERNOON. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR MUCH OF NORTHERN AND NORTHEAST MINNESOTA FOR TODAY. IN ADDITION... IT IS POSSIBLE THAT A FEW STORMS MAY REACH MARGINALLY SEVERE LEVELS TODAY... PERHAPS PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. HOWEVER... THE HEAVY RAINFALL THREAT IS MUCH GREATER THAN THE RISK OF SEVERE STORMS TODAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY THERE IS A SMALL CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS FAR NORTHERN MINNESOTA... THE MINNESOTA ARROWHEAD AND PARTS OF NORTHWEST WISCONSIN WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT. THERE IS ALSO A CHANCE FOR THUNDERSTORMS THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY... AND AGAIN NEXT WEEKEND. IT IS TOO EARLY TO DETERMINE WHETHER THERE WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS DURING THOSE TIME PERIODS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED TODAY... AND RAINFALL REPORTS WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED FROM ANY OF OUR SPOTTERS. LSZ121-140>148-281100- 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- 450 AM CDT MON JUN 27 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE NEARSHORE WATERS OF WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS WILL SPREAD ACROSS WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR TODAY AND PERSIST INTO TONIGHT. A FEW STORMS MAY PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS AND HAIL... ALONG WITH LOCALLY HIGHER WAVE HEIGHTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY ADDITIONAL CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS OVER WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR THIS WEEK WILL BE WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT... THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY... AND AGAIN NEXT WEEKEND. MILLER MORE INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED AT THE FOLLOWING WEB ADDRESS: HTTP://WWW.WEATHER.GOV/DULUTH (ALL LOWER CASE)
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN 614 AM CDT MON JUN 27 2011 MNZ025-271130- NORTH CASS- 614 AM CDT MON JUN 27 2011 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING TOWARD WALKER AND LEECH LAKE... AT 613 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 12 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WALKER...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...WIND GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY DOWNPOURS. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... PHEASANT LAKE... TEN MILE LAKE... HACKENSACK... WALKER... LEECH LAKE... STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS TREES. SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THIS STORM HAS PASSED. LAT...LON 4728 9468 4742 9437 4696 9414 4684 9466 MILLER
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
616 AM CDT MON JUN 27 2011
MNZ033-271130-
SOUTH CASS-
616 AM CDT MON JUN 27 2011
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING TOWARD SOUTHERN CASS COUNTY...
AT 615 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
STRONG THUNDERSTORM 13 MILES SOUTHWEST OF MOTLEY...MOVING NORTHEAST
AT 35 MPH.
THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HALF INCH DIAMETER HAIL...WIND
GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY
DOWNPOURS...
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
LEADER... ESTERDY... GULL LAKE...
STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS TREES. SEEK SHELTER IN
A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THIS STORM HAS PASSED.
LAT...LON 4680 9457 4662 9437 4629 9435 4632 9442
4630 9455 4635 9466 4634 9473 4640 9479
4668 9480
MILLERSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
638 AM CDT MON JUN 27 2011
MNZ018-025-026-033-034-271200-
CROW WING-NORTH CASS-NORTH ITASCA-SOUTH CASS-SOUTH ITASCA-
638 AM CDT MON JUN 27 2011
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS OVER CASS COUNTY...
AT 637 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM WALKER TO JUST WEST
OF MOTLEY...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.
THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING UP TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL...WIND
GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND VERY
HEAVY DOWNPOURS. SOME LOCALES MAY PICK UP IN EXCESS OF A HALF INCH
OF RAIN IN LESS THAN 20 MINUTES. THIS MAY RESULT IN LOCAL FLOODING
OF POORLY DRAINED AREAS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
HACKENSACK... CASINO... BACKUS...
PHEASANT LAKE... LEECH LAKE... EAST GULL LAKE...
NORTH LONG LAKE... GULL LAKE... WHIPHOLT...
SCHLEY... PINE RIVER... LAKE SHORE...
CHICKAMAW BEACH... LOWER WHITEFISH LAKE...
LOWER HAY LAKE...
STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS TREES. SEEK SHELTER IN
A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THESE STORMS HAVE PASSED.
LAT...LON 4681 9478 4682 9467 4733 9468 4764 9393
4641 9410 4635 9474 4640 9479 4673 9480
MILLERSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
704 AM CDT MON JUN 27 2011
MNZ010-011-018-025-026-033>036-271230-
CROW WING-KOOCHICHING-NORTH CASS-NORTH ITASCA-NORTH ST.
LOUIS-NORTHERN AITKIN-SOUTH AITKIN-SOUTH CASS-SOUTH ITASCA-
704 AM CDT MON JUN 27 2011
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING ACROSS NORTHERN MINNESOTA...
AT 704 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM WIRT TO CASINO...
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 50 MPH.
THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING UP TO NICKEL SIZE HAIL...WIND
GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY
DOWNPOURS...
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
NORTH LONG LAKE... LOWER WHITEFISH LAKE...
MUD LAKE... TOBIQUE... TALMOON...
SWANBURG... NISSWA... MANHATTAN BEACH...
LEGIONVILLE... LAKE HUBERT... JESSIE LAKE...
BREEZY POINT... BRAINERD... BOWSTRING...
BALL CLUB...
STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS TREES. SEEK SHELTER IN
A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THESE STORMS HAVE PASSED.
LAT...LON 4782 9430 4821 9304 4734 9315 4648 9342
4631 9440 4632 9447 4630 9455 4632 9463
4636 9469
MILLERSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN 754 AM CDT MON JUN 27 2011 MNZ025-034-035-271330- CROW WING-NORTH CASS-NORTHERN AITKIN- 754 AM CDT MON JUN 27 2011 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING INTO FAR SOUTHEAST ITASCA COUNTY... AT 749 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM NEAR EMILY...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH. THIS STORM IS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING UP TO PENNY SIZE HAIL...WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH...OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...BRIEF HEAVY DOWNPOURS... * THE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR... SWATARA AND HAYPOINT BY 815 AM... HILL CITY BY 825 AM... STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS TREES. SEEK SHELTER IN A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THIS STORM HAS PASSED. LAT...LON 4703 9400 4702 9339 4666 9384 4676 9411 LAMERS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
815 AM CDT MON JUN 27 2011
MNZ018-026-035-271350-
NORTH ITASCA-NORTHERN AITKIN-SOUTH ITASCA-
815 AM CDT MON JUN 27 2011
...LINE OF STRONG STORMS APPROACHING GRAND RAPIDS AREA...
AT 812 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED
STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM COHASSET TO HILL
CITY TO 16 MILES SOUTHWEST OF SWATARA...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.
THESE STORMS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING UP TO DIME SIZE HAIL...WIND
GUSTS UP TO 45 MPH...FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY
DOWNPOURS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
POKEGAMA DAM... PRAIRIE LAKE... LA PRAIRIE...
GRAND RAPIDS... WABANA LAKE... SWATARA...
HILL CITY... GUNN... HAYPOINT...
COLERAINE... BOVEY... TACONITE...
BLACKBERRY... SPLIT HAND LAKE... MARBLE...
STAY AWAY FROM HIGH OBJECTS OUTDOORS SUCH AS TREES. SEEK SHELTER IN
A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THESE STORMS HAVE PASSED.
LAT...LON 4766 9316 4739 9307 4694 9307 4680 9378
4698 9377 4730 9377
LAMERSThe Duluth radar (KDLH), 108 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 13:40 UTC.
11 heavy rain, 4 flash flood, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Large trees were blown down in the Grand Rapids area.
Roads were inundated in the Bear Lake area.
Trees were blown down on County Roads 8 and 56 near Nashwauk. A few trees fell on power lines, with power outages in the Grand Rapids area and to the east near Nashwauk, Pengilly and Warba.
One hour rainfall of 1.24 inches was reported.
Highway 45 was partially washed out between County Road 7 and State Highway 38.
Water was running over County Highway 22 about 1.5 miles west of Highway 73.
Heavy rainfall of 2.84 inches was reported at a private weather station.
Three inches of rain fell in 18 hours, but most fell between 700 AM and 900 AM CST.
Rainfall of 2.3 inches was measured in the past 18 hours; most fell between 700 AM and 0900 AM CST.
Three inches of rain fell in 18 hours. Most of the rain fell between 0700 and 0900 AM CST.
Five and a quarter inches of rain fell since the previous night.
Rainfall of 3.15 inches was reported.
Two inches of rain fell overnight and 3.4 inches fell since since 5 am CST.
Nearly three-quarters of an inch of rain fell in one and a half hours.
Rainfall was received in the past hour and a half.
Almost an inch of rain fell within 45 minutes.
Water covered State Highway 61 between County Road 6 and the Manitou River.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Minnesota in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, June 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: 322387, 322370, 322388, 322376, 322372, 322373, 322375, 322377, 322378, 322379, 322380, 322381, 322382, 322384, 322385, 322386, 322374.