A thunderstorm complex that developed across South Dakota, moved into southwest Minnesota during the early morning hours of Saturday, June 20th. There were several reports of large branches and a few trees blown down across Brown County.
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 thunderstorm complex that developed across South Dakota, moved into southwest Minnesota during the early morning hours of Saturday, June 20th. There were several reports of large branches and a few trees blown down across Brown County. The town of Comfrey had 6-7 blocks that were closed temporarily due to tree debris across the road. Crop damage also occurred near Sleepy Eye and Hanska as the severe thunderstorms moved across the 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 Twin Cities, MN wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 20, 3:12 AM CST, 23 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 412 AM CDT SAT JUN 20 2015 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 412 AM CDT SAT JUN 20 2015 THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX/BOW WILL RACE EASTWARD ACROSS THE SOUTHERN HALF OF THE FORECAST AREA THIS MORNING. STRONG WINDS ARE THE PRIMARY CONCERN. DO EXPECT THE LINE TO BECOME MORE ELEVATED WITH TIME THUS DECREASING THE THREAT FOR SEVERE WINDS AS IT NEARS THE INTERSTATE 35 CORRIDOR. THERE IS SOME INDICATION THAT A WEAK WAKE LOW COULD DEVELOP...WITH A GOOD PORTION OF CENTRAL MN INTO WEST CENTRAL WI EXPERIENCING A 2-3 HOUR PERIOD OF 35-45 MPH WINDS THIS MORNING. MAY NEED TO ISSUE A WIND ADVISORY FOR A GOOD PORTION OF THE CWA. THE PRECIPITATION SHOULD END WEST OF I-35 BY 10 AM...WITH REDEVELOPMENT POSSIBLE DURING THE AFTERNOON EAST OF I-35 AND PRIMARILY IN WI. THERE COULD BE A FEW STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WHERE THE REDEVELOPMENT OCCURS...MORE PROBABLE CLOSER TO THE IA BORDER. PRECIP SHOULD CLEAR OUT BY SUNSET...WITH CLEARING SKIES OVERNIGHT. COULD SEEM SOME PATCHY FOG FORM WITH THE SLACKENING WINDS AND RECENT PRECIP. .LONG TERM...(SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY) ISSUED AT 412 AM CDT SAT JUN 20 2015 MINIMAL CHANGES WERE MADE TO THE LONG TERM PORTION OF THE FORECAST...WITH WESTERLIES DOMINATING AND PERIODIC PRECIP CHANGES AS WEAK EMBEDDED SHORTWAVES TRAVERSE THE FLOW. SUNDAY NIGHT-MONDAY STILL LOOKS TO BE THE BEST TIME FRAME FOR MEASURABLE PRECIP...WITH A FRONTAL SYSTEM MOVING THROUGH. HAVE INCLUDED 40-60 PERCENT POPS FOR THAT TIME FRAME. THE BAROCLINIC ZONE THEN STALLS SOUTH OF THE AREA THROUGH MID WEEK. THE 20.00Z GFS AND ECMWF SOLUTIONS HAVE IMPROVED AGREEMENT WITH THIS BOUNDARY STALLING FARTHER SOUTH THAN ORIGINALLY THOUGHT. HAVE THEREFORE REMOVED POPS FROM MONDAY EVE THROUGH TUE EVE FOR MOST AREAS. MAY EVENTUALLY BE ABLE TO REMOVE THEM FOR WEDNESDAY TOO. MODEL AGREEMENT DIVERGES NOTABLE AFTER WEDNESDAY...BUT BOTH GFS AND ECMWF MODELS BRING A SURFACE TROUGH ACROSS MN/WI IN THE LATE FRIDAY/SATURDAY TIMEFRAME. HAVE INCLUDED LOW CHANCE POPS AT THIS POINT. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 06Z TAFS THROUGH 06Z SATURDAY NIGHT) ISSUED AT 1135 PM CDT FRI JUN 19 2015 SHORT TERM MODELS CONTINUE TO ADVERTISE A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS FORMING ACROSS SD AND MOVING EAST RAPIDLY ACROSS WESTERN AND INTO EASTERN MN BETWEEN 7-13Z. CURRENT REGIONAL RADAR DOES SUPPORT THIS SCENARIO AS TWO AREAS OF TSRA ARE DEVELOPING/CONTINUING TO FORM OVER CENTRAL SD...NE INTO SE ND. BASED ON THE SPEED OF THIS LINE...WIND GUSTS WILL ACCOMPANY THIS TSRA LINE...BUT CONFIDENCE IS LOW ON HOW WIDESPREAD 30-40 KT WINDS PROPAGATE EASTWARD. BEST SCENARIO IS TO HOLD ONTO A 2-3 HR PERIOD OF SHRA AND EMBEDDED TSRA STARTING AT KAXN/KRWF ARND 7-8Z...AND INTO KSTC BY 9-10Z. ALTHOUGH CIGS WILL LOWER IN THE VCNTY OF THE TSRA...THE BIG FACTOR IS THE VSBY WHICH IS LIKELY TO HOLD IN THE MVFR RANGE FOR 1-2 HRS...WITH SMALL PERIODS OF IFR/LIFR VSBY IN HEAVY RAINFALL. WILL HOLD ONTO THE 3SM TSRA...BUT CONFIDENCE IS HIGH FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF IFR VSBY OR LOWER. BEHIND THE MAIN COMPLEX OF SHRA/TSRA...MVFR/IFR CIGS WILL LIKELY DEVELOP SATURDAY MORNING...WITH A SLOW RISE DURING THE AFTN BEFORE VFR SATURDAY EVENING. KMSP... CONFIDENCE IS HIGH THAT A LINE OF TSRA/SHRA WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AIRFIELD BETWEEN 11-13Z. VCTS IS POSSIBLE AS EARLY AS 9Z WITH AN ISOLD TSRA AHEAD OF THIS LINE. THERE IS ALSO HIGH CONFIDENCE OF A PERIOD OF IFR/MVFR VSBY IN HEAVIER RAINFALL. THERE IS ALSO A POSSIBILITY OF WIND GUSTS ALONG THIS LINE OF 40 KTS. BUT CONFIDENCE IS TOO LOW FOR TIMING AND SPECIFICS. MVFR CIGS ARE ALSO LIKELY BEHIND THE MAIN AREA OF SHRA/TSRA...AND WILL LIKELY LAST UNTIL THE EARLY AFTN...WITH VFR CONDS SATURDAY EVENING. WINDS WILL BE GENERALLY S/SE AHEAD OF THIS TSRA COMPLEX...WITH WINDS SHIFTING TO THE WEST/NW BY THE AFTN. /OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/ SUN...VFR WITH TSRA/SHRA POSSIBLE SUNDAY NIGHT. WINDS W AT 5-10 KT. MON...VFR. WIND NW AT 5-10 KT. TUE...VFR. CHC TSRA/SHRA. WINDS E AT 5-10 KT. && .MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...NONE. WI...NONE. && SHORT TERM...LS LONG TERM...LS AVIATION...JLT
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 434 AM CDT SAT JUN 20 2015 MNZ041>044-047>051-054>059-064>068-073>076-082-083-091-092-210945- DOUGLAS-TODD-MORRISON-MILLE LACS-STEVENS-POPE-STEARNS-BENTON- SHERBURNE-LAC QUI PARLE-SWIFT-CHIPPEWA-KANDIYOHI-MEEKER-WRIGHT- YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-MCLEOD-SIBLEY-CARVER-REDWOOD-BROWN- NICOLLET-LE SUEUR-WATONWAN-BLUE EARTH-MARTIN-FARIBAULT- 434 AM CDT SAT JUN 20 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA...EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA... SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA THIS MORNING. THERE WILL BE A RISK FOR DAMAGING WINDS AS THIS LINE MOVES ACROSS MINNESOTA...PRIMARILY WEST OF THE INTERSTATE 35 CORRIDOR. TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS LEADING TO PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS WILL ALSO BE OF CONCERN. GUSTY WINDS TO 45 MPH MAY OCCUR IN THE WAKE OF THE THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX THIS MORNING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE FROM SUNDAY EVENING THROUGH MONDAY...AND AGAIN PERIODICALLY FROM WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY. AT THIS TIME THE THREAT FOR SEVERE STORMS APPEARS LOW...ALTHOUGH HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE OF CONCERN IN LOCATIONS THAT RECEIVE REPEATED BOUTS OF THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL BE NEEDED OVER SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA THIS MORNING. MNZ045-052-053-060>063-069-070-077-078-084-085-093-WIZ014>016- 023>028-210945- KANABEC-ISANTI-CHISAGO-HENNEPIN-ANOKA-RAMSEY-WASHINGTON-SCOTT- DAKOTA-RICE-GOODHUE-WASECA-STEELE-FREEBORN-POLK-BARRON-RUSK- ST. CROIX-PIERCE-DUNN-PEPIN-CHIPPEWA-EAU CLAIRE- 434 AM CDT SAT JUN 20 2015 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA... NORTHWEST WISCONSIN AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA THIS MORNING. THERE WILL BE A RISK FOR STRONG WINDS AS THIS LINE MOVES ACROSS MINNESOTA...BUT ANY SEVERE WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUR WEST OF THE INTERSTATE 35 CORRIDOR. TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS LEADING TO PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS WILL ALSO BE OF CONCERN. GUSTY WINDS TO 45 MPH MAY OCCUR IN THE WAKE OF THE THUNDERSTORM COMPLEX THIS MORNING. THUNDERSTORMS MAY REDEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON...PRIMARILY FROM SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA INTO WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN...EAST OF THE INTERSTATE 35 CORRIDOR. THERE IS A SMALL CHANCE OF SEVERE WEATHER IN STORMS THAT DEVELOP...MORE TOWARD THE IOWA BORDER. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE FROM SUNDAY EVENING THROUGH MONDAY...AND AGAIN PERIODICALLY FROM WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY. AT THIS TIME THE THREAT FOR SEVERE STORMS APPEARS LOW...ALTHOUGH HEAVY RAINFALL WILL BE OF CONCERN IN LOCATIONS THAT RECEIVE REPEATED BOUTS OF THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL MOST LIKELY NOT BE NEEDED.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1040 PM CDT FRI JUN 19 2015
MNZ082-091-200430-
WATONWAN-MARTIN-
1040 PM CDT FRI JUN 19 2015
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT WESTERN MARTIN AND SOUTHWESTERN
WATONWAN COUNTIES...
AT 1039 PM CDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS NEAR BERGEN...OR NEAR
WINDOM...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH. THE STORM WILL CROSS INTO
SOUTHWESTERN WATONWAN AND WESTERN MARTIN COUNTIES BY 1055 PM.
WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH AND DIME SIZE HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
FAIRMONT...SHERBURN...TRUMAN...TRIMONT...WELCOME...ORMSBY...ODIN...
FOXLAKE AND WILBERT.
THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 90 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 82 AND 100.
LAT...LON 4359 9485 4390 9486 4391 9485 4386 9439
4355 9453
TIME...MOT...LOC 0339Z 285DEG 33KT 4382 9506
AJZSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
406 AM CDT SAT JUN 20 2015
MNZ054-064-200930-
YELLOW MEDICINE-LAC QUI PARLE-
406 AM CDT SAT JUN 20 2015
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT YELLOW MEDICINE AND LAC QUI
PARLE COUNTIES...
AT 406 AM CDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS OVER BOYD...OR 10 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF MONTEVIDEO...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 45 MPH.
WIND GUSTS OF 50 TO 55 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
GRANITE FALLS...CANBY...MADISON...DAWSON...CLARKFIELD...HANLEY
FALLS...PORTER...BOYD...BELLINGHAM...MARIETTA...CERRO GORDO AND
PROVIDENCE.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 AM CDT FOR
WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA.
LAT...LON 4527 9645 4525 9629 4522 9627 4516 9605
4500 9583 4496 9582 4493 9573 4491 9572
4491 9568 4484 9557 4479 9550 4478 9553
4476 9549 4463 9574 4463 9645
TIME...MOT...LOC 0906Z 225DEG 40KT 4488 9592
JRBSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 435 AM CDT SAT JUN 20 2015 MNZ091-201000- MARTIN- 435 AM CDT SAT JUN 20 2015 ...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT MARTIN COUNTY... AT 434 AM CDT...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WAS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM NEAR MOUNTAIN LAKE TO ORLEANS...AND MOVING EAST AT 55 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... FAIRMONT...SHERBURN...TRUMAN...TRIMONT...WELCOME...CEYLON...IOWA LAKE...OKAMANPEDAN LAKE...GRANADA...EAST CHAIN...NORTHROP AND DUNNELL. THIS INCLUDES INTERSTATE 90 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 82 AND 111. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 600 AM CDT FOR SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA. LAT...LON 4350 9485 4385 9486 4385 9426 4350 9425 TIME...MOT...LOC 0934Z 270DEG 46KT 4387 9494 4346 9507 JRB
The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 135 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 09:34 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
The town of Comfrey had 6-7 blocks of tree debris from severe straight line winds. Power was out for an hour around the community.
Crops were damaged due to severe straight line winds around Sleepy Eye. In addition, tree branches were blown down in the town of Sleepy Eye, which blocked part of Highway 4.
Two large trees and several large tree branches were blown down in the southwest part of Hanska. Crops were also damaged in parts of Lake Hanska Township. Power was out in Hanska for 4 hours.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Minnesota in 2015Every state in 2015This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, June 2015
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: 573174, 573175, 573176, 573173.