Thunderstorms dropped hail and brought damaging winds to isolated parts of northeast Minnesota during the wee hours of the morning on July 24th.
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.
Thunderstorms dropped hail and brought damaging winds to isolated parts of northeast Minnesota during the wee hours of the morning on July 24th.
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 Jul 23, 10:00 PM CST, 1 hour 41 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Duluth MN 1100 PM CDT SAT JUL 23 2016 .UPDATE... Issued at 1100 PM CDT Sat Jul 23 2016 Overall, only a few showers and isolated thunderstorms were over the Northland as of 04Z. However, stronger thunderstorms were occurring just west of our CWA and ahead of the frontal boundary over the Red River Valley. We expect showers and storms to continue along and ahead of the frontal boundary as it moves east. Storms may also develop out ahead of the front in an area of WAA. The severe threat is low but an isolated severe storm will be possible into the early morning hours mainly south of highway 2. We did trim back on the Flash Flood Watch earlier this evening cancelling northwest Wisconsin into far east central/northeast Minnesota. Although the risk is not all that high under the current watch, we kept it going as the storms just off to the west will be capable of some heavy rain, but generally less than 2" as they are moving at a decent clip. UPDATE Issued at 648 PM CDT Sat Jul 23 2016 Convection continues to struggle to get going this evening. There was an area of light rain moving through portions of northwest Wisconsin and scattered showers and storms from north central Minnesota back into eastern North Dakota along the frontal boundary. CAPE continues to increase over the western half of Minnesota with 3 hourly increase of 500-1000 J/KG. Visible imagery showed an expanding area of stratocu indicative of increasing moisture/lift. The models were not doing a real good job this evening depicting the state of convection through 23Z, although the latest runs of the HRRR seem to be doing better. The best surface convergence was occurring in the Red River Valley just ahead of the cold front and we expect the best chance for strong to severe storms to occur over the western half/third of the CWA between about 02Z and 07Z. The threat for flash flooding has diminished and we may be able to cancel portions of the watch early. Area VWPs showed veering 925-850MB across most of the region with speeds of 15 to 25 knots. Due to the limited instability over northwest Wisconsin, it may be tough to get stronger storms capable of heavy rain to occur there. We will continue to monitor how convection develops through 01Z or 02Z before making any adjustments to the watch. && .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Sunday) Issued at 316 PM CDT Sat Jul 23 2016 At 330 PM, it was relatively quiet across the Northland. Earlier convection that was moving rapidly northeastward has started to move more eastward into northwestern Wisconsin and EC Minnesota. Other thunderstorms were developing just west of the CWA. Temperatures were generally in the 70s across the CWA, kept cooler by abundant cloud cover and advancing precipitation. The big focus for tonight will be the threat of severe storms, as well as the potential for flash flooding. The CAM solutions are pretty much all over the place, as has been the case for many of the big events this summer. So we will need to focus more on the surface and upper level forcing features. Things were starting to destabilize across NW and WC MN, with extreme instability now over southwest Minnesota. Our CWA has been pretty worked over, so storms will likely need to develop west of here, and move eastward into our area. High precipitable water, on the order of 2.2 inches, was poised just south of our CWA, but it was less than an inch across the Arrowhead. PWAT was also building across the eastern Dakotas, reaching 1.8 inches west of the Minnesota border. SPC continues to call for an Enhanced Risk of severe storms late this afternoon and tonight, across central MN and portions of northwest Wisconsin based on the potential for development in the area of heating just west and southwest of the CWA. Still some opportunity for storms to develop and move into the area tonight. Have also continued the Flash Flood Watch for the southern half of the CWA based on the moisture available. .LONG TERM...(Sunday through Saturday) Issued at 316 PM CDT Sat Jul 23 2016 The Northland can expect another seasonably warm week with highs generally in the upper 70s and lower 80s. Drier weather will keep showers and storms primarily at bay for the early part of the week, but more humid weather (and accompanying chances of showers and storms) will return for the middle of the week. The Northland will find itself Sunday in the wake of tonight's cold front, with warm, but drier, gusty westerly flow through the day. The well mixed model soundings support gusts of 20 to 25 mph. A passing upper level trough will provide the synoptic lift to develop widespread scattered/broken cumulus, as well as scattered showers and isolated weak storms across Northern Minnesota. High pressure will shift from the Northern Plains to the Upper Midwest Sunday night and Monday, leading to clearing skies across the Northland. Quasi-zonal flow will begin to set up Monday night and Tuesday in the wake of the passing surface high pressure. The models are not in good agreement, but shortwaves could pass through or near the Northland through the middle of the week, maybe even the through the rest of the week, and could be the catalyst to fire off showers and storms. && .AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Sunday evening) Issued at 648 PM CDT Sat Jul 23 2016 A warm and cold front will both impact the Northland overnight and bring a chance for showers and thunderstorms. MVFR and possibly IFR ceilings will also expand through the night due to plenty of moisture present. There are some indications the visibility may drop to below a half mile in spots overnight, but we did not add that to any of the TAFs at this time. Gusty westerly winds will develop behind the cold front later tonight into Sunday causing the low clouds to lift through the day. There could be some MVFR ceilings in cumulus that occur longer through the day over mainly northern Minnesota. && .PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS... DLH 61 81 60 82 / 60 10 0 0 INL 61 74 57 81 / 50 30 30 0 BRD 64 82 61 85 / 70 0 0 0 HYR 65 83 60 82 / 50 10 0 0 ASX 64 83 62 82 / 70 10 0 0 && .DLH Watches/Warnings/Advisories... WI...None. MN...Flash Flood Watch until 7 AM CDT Sunday for MNZ025-026-033>036. LS...None. && UPDATE...Melde SHORT TERM...DAP LONG TERM...Grochocinski AVIATION...Melde
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN 855 PM CDT SAT JUL 23 2016 MNZ010>012-018>021-025-026-033>038-WIZ001>004-006>009-241030- KOOCHICHING-NORTH ST. LOUIS-NORTHERN COOK/NORTHERN LAKE- NORTH ITASCA-CENTRAL ST. LOUIS-SOUTHERN LAKE/NORTH SHORE- SOUTHERN COOK/NORTH SHORE-NORTH CASS-SOUTH ITASCA-SOUTH CASS- CROW WING-NORTHERN AITKIN-SOUTH AITKIN-CARLTON/SOUTH ST. LOUIS- PINE-DOUGLAS-BAYFIELD-ASHLAND-IRON-BURNETT-WASHBURN-SAWYER-PRICE- 855 PM CDT SAT JUL 23 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST MINNESOTA AND NORTHWEST WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS REMAIN POSSIBLE ACROSS THE NORTHLAND TONIGHT. THESE STORMS WILL BE MOST LIKELY FROM THE BRAINERD LAKES TO INTERNATIONAL FALLS THROUGH 2 AM...DEVELOPING EAST OF THERE LATE THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. THE MAIN THREATS ARE DAMAGING WIND...LIGHTNING...AND A PERIOD OF HEAVY RAIN. SOME OF THE STRONGER STORMS MAY ALSO CONTAIN HAIL. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR AITKIN...CROW WING...CASS...AND SOUTHERN ITASCA COUNTIES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ISOLATED WEAK STORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS FAR NORTHERN MINNESOTA SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THE EARLY EVENING. PERIODS OF THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS NORTHEAST MINNESOTA AND NORTHWEST WISCONSIN TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTERS MAY BE NEEDED TONIGHT. LSZ121-140>148-241030- 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- 855 PM CDT SAT JUL 23 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF THE NEARSHORE WATERS OF WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR TONIGHT...WITH THE MAIN THREATS BEING DAMAGING WINDS...TORRENTIAL RAINFALL AND LARGE HAIL. LOCALLY HIGHER WAVES CAN BE EXPECTED NEAR STORMS. STRONG EAST TO NORTHEAST WINDS OVER THE WESTERN TIP OF LAKE SUPERIOR...AND THE RESULTING WAVES...WILL CAUSE HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS FOR SMALL CRAFT THROUGH THIS EVENING. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT. PLEASE READ THE LATEST MARINE WEATHER MESSAGE FOR MORE INFORMATION. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY PERIODS OF THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS WESTERN LAKE SUPERIOR TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY. MELDE 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 927 PM CDT SAT JUL 23 2016 MNZ018-025-026-033-034-240400- NORTH ITASCA-NORTH CASS-SOUTH ITASCA-SOUTH CASS-CROW WING- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BIGFORK...WALKER...GRAND RAPIDS... PINE RIVER...BRAINERD 927 PM CDT SAT JUL 23 2016 ...STRONG STORMS HEADED FOR WALKER...THE BRAINERD LAKES AND LONGVILLE AREAS... A CLUSTER OF STRONG STORMS WILL MOVE EAST INTO THE WALKER...CASS LAKE...PINE RIVER...AND LEADER AREAS BETWEEN MIDNIGHT AND 2 AM. THE STORMS...IF THEY MAINTAIN THEIR CURRENT STRENGTH...WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS OVER 40 MPH...SMALL HAIL...HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING. OTHER AREAS THAT WILL BE IMPACTED BY THESE STORMS INCLUDE LEECH LAKE AND LAKE WINNIBIGOSHISH. MELDE
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
1125 PM CDT SAT JUL 23 2016
MNZ025-033-034-240500-
SOUTH CASS-NORTH CASS-CROW WING-
1125 PM CDT SAT JUL 23 2016
...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT SOUTHERN CASS AND
WESTERN CROW WING COUNTIES...
AT 1124 PM CDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALONG A LINE EXTENDING
FROM NEAR HACKENSACK...TO NEAR STAPLES...AND MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH.
WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH...HEAVY DOWNPOURS...PEA SIZE HAIL...AND
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
BRAINERD...WALKER...BAXTER...BREEZY POINT...PEQUOT LAKES...
CROSSLAKE...NISSWA...PINE RIVER...PILLAGER...FIFTY LAKES...WABEDO...
HACKENSACK...BACKUS...POPLAR...LONGVILLE...WOMAN LAKE...MERRIFIELD...
GULL LAKE...LEADER AND LEECH LAKE.
SEEK SHELTER INSIDE A STURDY BUILDING AND AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL
THESE STORMS PASS.
LAT...LON 4680 9479 4680 9466 4711 9465 4714 9398
4623 9420 4624 9438 4627 9434 4629 9435
4633 9443 4630 9454 4633 9462 4636 9467
4635 9472 4638 9473 4639 9478
TIME...MOT...LOC 0424Z 263DEG 28KT 4696 9459 4634 9474
MELDESPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
1155 PM CDT SAT JUL 23 2016
MNZ033-034-240515-
SOUTH CASS-CROW WING-
1155 PM CDT SAT JUL 23 2016
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTHWESTERN CASS AND
SOUTHWESTERN CROW WING COUNTIES...
AT 1154 PM CDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR GULL
LAKE...OR 11 MILES WEST OF BRAINERD...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.
WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH...HALF INCH HAIL...TORRENTIAL RAINFALL...AND
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
BRAINERD...BAXTER...PEQUOT LAKES...NISSWA...IRONTON...PILLAGER...
GULL LAKE...MERRIFIELD...UPPER SOUTH LONG LAKE...SOUTH LONG LAKE...
SYLVAN...EAST GULL LAKE...LAKE SHORE...RIVERTON...TROMMALD...
WOODROW...LOWER MISSION LAKE AND UPPER MISSION LAKE.
IF YOU ARE ON OR NEAR ONE OF THE MANY AREA LAKES...GET OFF OF THE
WATER IMMEDIATELY AND SEEK SHELTER ON SHORE INSIDE A STURDY BUILDING.
THIS STORM MAY INTENSIFY...MONITOR LOCAL RADIO AND TV STATIONS...AS
WELL AS LOCAL CABLE TV OUTLETS...FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND
POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.
LAT...LON 4652 9459 4657 9401 4622 9402 4624 9438
4627 9434 4629 9435 4630 9439 4632 9440
4633 9443 4633 9446 4632 9447 4630 9453
4632 9457
TIME...MOT...LOC 0454Z 268DEG 33KT 4640 9442
MILLERSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
1226 AM CDT SUN JUL 24 2016
MNZ035-036-240545-
SOUTH AITKIN-NORTHERN AITKIN-
1226 AM CDT SUN JUL 24 2016
...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT AITKIN COUNTY...
AT 1225 AM CDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE ALONG A LINE EXTENDING
FROM 8 MILES NORTHEAST OF OUTING...TO NEAR UPPER SOUTH LONG
LAKE...AND MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.
WIND GUSTS UP TO 55 MPH...DIME SIZE HAIL...TORRENTIAL RAINFALL...AND
FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
BIG SANDY LAKE...MILLE LACS LAKE...AITKIN...HILL CITY...MCGREGOR...
MALMO...PALISADE...TAMARACK...MCGRATH...LIBBY...JACOBSON...SWATARA...
GLEN...WAUKENABO...BALL BLUFF...WEALTHWOOD...KIMBERLY...BALSAM...
BAIN AND SAVANNA PORTAGE STATE PARK.
SEEK SHELTER INSIDE A STURDY BUILDING AND AWAY FROM WINDOWS UNTIL
THESE STORMS PASS. GET OFF AREA LAKES IMMEDIATELY AND SEEK SHELTER
ON SHORE INSIDE A STURDY SHELTER. STAY TUNED TO THE LATEST WEATHER
INFORMATION AS WARNINGS MAY BE REQUIRED FOR PARTS OF AITKIN COUNTY.
LAT...LON 4659 9379 4660 9378 4702 9378 4702 9311
4616 9310 4615 9343 4624 9343 4625 9344
4624 9380
TIME...MOT...LOC 0525Z 271DEG 31KT 4693 9387 4628 9394
MILLERPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
1227 AM CDT SUN JUL 24 2016
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1220 AM TSTM WND GST 5 NE BRAINERD 46.41N 94.12W
07/24/2016 M51 MPH CROW WING MN ASOS
&&
SGOHDEThe Duluth radar (KDLH), 138 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:42 UTC.
4 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A tree was blown down on a powerline on Beach Road.
A few trees were blown down.
A few trees were blown down in the Willow River Campground area.
A 10 diameter birch tree was blown down.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Minnesota in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, July 2016
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: 653520, 653521, 653522, 653519, 653523.