A weak frontal boundary remained nearly stationary across eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin during the afternoon and evening of Saturday, June 18th. Due to the high water content in the atmosphere, and the relatively slow movement of the thunderstorms, torrential rainfall occurred, and a down burst created wind damage near Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
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 weak frontal boundary remained nearly stationary across eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin during the afternoon and evening of Saturday, June 18th. Due to the high water content in the atmosphere, and the relatively slow movement of the thunderstorms, torrential rainfall occurred, and a down burst created wind damage near Eau Claire, Wisconsin. A cluster of thunderstorms developed across western Eau Claire County, and remained nearly stationary with rounds of heavy downpours for nearly two hours. The Eau Claire airport recorded a rainfall amount of 4.74 inches which broke the previous day, monthly, and yearly one day total. A three foot mud slide occurred on the interstate near Eau Claire due to the extreme rainfall amounts in less than two hours.
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 Jun 18, 5:13 PM CST, 1 hour 42 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
613 PM CDT SAT JUN 18 2011
.DISCUSSION...
INTERESTING SCENARIO TODAY AS CONVECTION DEVELOPED NORTHEAST FROM
WESTERN IA INTO THE TWIN CITIES...NEARLY PERPENDICULAR TO THE
SURFACE TROF ACROSS THE LOCAL AREA. THE CONVECTION WAS TAPPING
HIGH LEVEL MOISTURE FROM AN OVERNIGHT COMPLEX TO OUR SOUTH. THIS
HAS LEAD TO EFFICIENT RAIN PRODUCERS WITH REPORTS OF A HALF INCH
IN 15 MINUTES RECEIVED WITHIN THE HOUR. THE HIGH LEVEL MOISTURE
PLUME IS ALIGNED WITH THE 850-700MB DEW POINT AXIS. THERE IS ALSO
THE INDICATION OF A MID LEVEL WAVE OVER FAR SOUTHWEST MN AS WELL.
SHORT TERM MODEL GUIDANCE PICKS UP ON THIS FEATURE AND DEEPENS IT
INTO A CLOSED LOW NEAR KDLH OVERNIGHT. THINKING IS THAT SHOWERS AND
THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE IN THE MOIST PLUME AS WELL AS
INCREASE IN COVERAGE AND INTENSITY TO THE NORTH AND EAST OF THE
TWIN CITIES. THEREFORE...EXPANDED THE FLOOD WATCH INTO WEST
CENTRAL WI AND TO THE NORTH OF THE TWIN CITIES INTO SUNDAY
MORNING.
DRYING SHOULD HAVE SPREAD INTO EASTERN MN BY SUNDAY MORNING IN THE
WAKE OF THE LOW/TROF WITH THE THREAT FOR RAIN ENDING OVER WEST
CENTRAL WI BY AFTERNOON. THE DRY PERIOD WILL LAST SUNDAY NIGHT
ACROSS WI BUT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL BE ON THE
INCREASE ACROSS THE MN CWA AS A MASSIVE STORM SYSTEM IN THE
ROCKIES BEGINS TO MOVE SLOWLY EAST. GFS/ECMWF ARE IN PRETTY GOOD
AGREEMENT ON THE FORWARD SPEED ON THIS SYSTEM...BRINGING A 995MB
LOW INTO SW MN BY TUESDAY EVENING. DIVERGENCE THEN SETS IN BEYOND
THIS PERIOD AS THE GFS AND ECMWF GO OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS WITH THE
UPPER LOW. PREEPD INDICATED THAT THE ECMWF SOLUTION BEYOND TUESDAY
WAS SUSPECT. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE A COMMON THEME IN
THE FORECAST FROM MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. SOUTHERN MN AND
ADJOINING AREAS OF WI WILL BE MOST VULNERABLE FOR ALL FORMS OF
SEVERE WEATHER. ANOTHER CONCERN WILL BE THE FLOODING
POTENTIAL WITH SOUTHERN MN IN THE HOT SEAT ONCE AGAIN AS PW'S POOL
INTO THE 1.6 TO 1.9 INCH RANGE WHICH IS AT OR ABOVE 2 STANDARD
DEVIATIONS.
WEDNESDAY SHOULD HAVE PLENTY OF SHOWERS WITH ISOLATED
THUNDERSTORMS WITH A SLOW DRYING TREND OCCURRING FROM WEST TO EAST
ON THURSDAY. ACTUALLY ENDED THE FORECAST WITH DRY WEATHER FOR
FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.
&&
.AVIATION.../00Z TAF ISSUANCE/
MAIN AVIATION CONCERNS DEAL WITH EARLY EVENING CONVECTION...AND FG
DEVELOPING OVERNIGHT.
THERE REMAINS ENOUGH INSTABILITY ACROSS EASTERN MN/WESTERN WI TO
KEEP SHRA...WITH VCTS AT EAU/RNH. WILL HOLD OFF ON MSP DUE TO THE
BULK OF THE TSRA OVER WESTERN WI AT THIS TIME. AXN/RWF WILL BE VFR
FOR THE MOST PART DUE TO DRIER AIR NEAR THE SFC AND NOT A LOT OF
RAINFALL DURING THE LAST 12 HRS. ACROSS THE EAST...LOW CEILINGS
AND BR/FG ARE LIKELY OVERNIGHT. THE ONLY CONCERN IS CLD CVR WHICH
MAY HINDER EXTREMELY DENSE FG TO FORM. HOWEVER...MOST MODELS
AGREE THAT IFR/LIFR CEILINGS/VSBYS SHOULD DEVELOP AT
STC/MSP/RNH/EAU OVERNIGHT...ESPECIALLY TOWARD DAYBREAK AS WNDS
REMAIN LIGHT FROM THE SFC...UP TO 5K. WITH ABUNDANT MOISTURE
ARND...EXPECT THESE IFR/LIFR TO DEVELOP. TIMING WILL BE A CONCERN
IN THE SHORT TERM...SO WILL HOLD OFF UNTIL AFT 6Z...WITH THE BULK
OF THE IFR/LIFR CEILINGS/VBSYS AFT 9Z. AFT 13-15Z...CEILINGS/VSBYS
SHOULD BEGIN TO LIFT AS WNDS BECOME MORE EASTERLY DURING THE DAY.
MOST OF THE WET WEATHER SHOULD REMAIN TO THE FAR WEST UNTIL LATE
SUNDAY NIGHT/MONDAY MORNING.
MSP...IFR/MVFR CEILINGS IN THE SHORT TERM SHOULD MOVE OUT BEFORE
00Z TAF ISSUANCE. IN ADDITION...KEPT MOST OF THE TSRA/VCTS OUT OF
THE PICTURE THIS EVENING. HOWEVER...IT REMAINS CLOSE ENOUGH FOR
SOME CONCERN. WILL UPDATE TAFS IF NEEDED. AFT 3-4Z...MOST OF THE
LIFT SHOULD BE OFF TO THE EAST WITH CLDY SKIES AND CEILINGS/VSBYS
SLOWLY LOWERING. HAVE DROPPED CEILINGS/VSBYS FROM PREVIOUS
TAF...BUT AS STATED BEFORE...MOST MODELS CONTINUE THE TREND OF
IFR/LIFR CEILINGS/VSBYS DROPPING OVERNIGHT...AND WITH THE AMT OF
MOISTURE NEAR THE SFC/ALOFT AND A WEAK WND FIELD...I DO THINK
THERE WILL BE PROBLEMS AFT 6Z...AND ESPECIALLY TOWARD DAYBREAK.
WNDS WILL REMAIN LIGHT AND VARIABLE OVERNIGHT...WITH A EASTERLY
WND UNDER 8 KTS DEVELOPING AFT 15Z. ..JLT..
&&
.MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MN...FLOOD WATCH UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING FOR ANOKA-BLUE EARTH-
BROWN-CARVER-DAKOTA-FARIBAULT-HENNEPIN-LE SUEUR-MARTIN-
NICOLLET-RAMSEY-RICE-SCOTT-SIBLEY-WASECA-WASHINGTON-
WATONWAN.
FLOOD WATCH THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING FOR CHISAGO-ISANTI-KANABEC.
WI...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING FOR BARRON-DUNN-POLK-RUSK-ST.
CROIX.
&&
RAH/JLTHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 1212 PM CDT SAT JUN 18 2011 MNZ041>045-047>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ014>016-023>028- 191100- 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- 1212 PM CDT SAT JUN 18 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA... AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ALONG AND EAST OF A WEAK FRONT OVER CENTRAL AND EASTERN MINNESOTA. HEAVY RAIN IS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT OVER CENTRAL AND EASTERN MINNESOTA INTO WISCONSIN. A FEW STORMS COULD ALSO BE STRONG OR SEVERE WITH LARGE HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THUNDERSTORMS WILL REMAIN POSSIBLE SUNDAY MORNING ACROSS EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL INCREASE AGAIN MONDAY AND TUESDAY AS A STRONG AREA OF LOW PRESSURE TRACKS NEAR THE MINNESOTA IOWA BORDER. TORRENTIAL RAIN WILL ALSO ACCOMPANY THE STORMS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... THERE IS A SMALL CHANCE THAT SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
400 PM CDT SAT JUN 18 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0357 PM HAIL 1 SE RED WING 44.57N 92.59W
06/18/2011 M1.25 INCH GOODHUE MN TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
AJZPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
704 PM CDT SAT JUN 18 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0645 PM HEAVY RAIN 4 NW ARKANSAW 44.67N 92.09W
06/18/2011 M1.51 INCH PEPIN WI TRAINED SPOTTER
RAINFALL OCCURRED IN JUST 50 MINUTES.
&&
AJZThe La Crosse radar (KARX), 108 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 00:52 UTC.
2 flash flood, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Several windows were blown out from a business on the south side of Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
Significant street flooding occurred around the city of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, due to rainfall amounts of four inches in less than two hours. In addition, a three-foot wide mud slide occurred near Mile Marker 63, on Interstate 94 near Eau Claire. It caused portions of the interstate to shut down until the debris was cleared.
Roadways and a railroad track in southwest Chippewa County were flooded by torrential rains. Wheaton Township saw the most flooding during the evening.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Wisconsin in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Wisconsin, 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: 301164, 301167, 323743.