A tornado hit a small part of southeast Minnesota when it touched down southwest of Lake City (Wabasha County). Damage from the tornado was limited to some snapped off trees.
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 ARX wrote it up.
A tornado hit a small part of southeast Minnesota when it touched down southwest of Lake City (Wabasha County). Damage from the tornado was limited to some snapped off trees. Other parts of southeast Minnesota were hit with high winds that blew down trees and power lines. A grain bin and farm outbuildings were damaged north of Mazeppa (Wabasha County), a steel framed building was destroyed northeast of Mantorville (Dodge County), several buildings were damaged near Preston (Fillmore County) and headstones in a cemetery were damaged by downed trees near Mabel (Fillmore County). The highest measured wind gust was 75 mph north of Genoa (Olmsted County). In Wabasha County, about 1500 customers lost power because of the storms and another 2700 lost power in Rochester (Olmsted 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 5, 5:00 PM CST, 2 hours 18 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service La Crosse WI 600 PM CDT TUE JUL 5 2016 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Wednesday) Issued at 306 PM CDT Tue Jul 5 2016 All eyes on severe threat this evening. 05.20Z analysis shows a low pressure center across southeast SD with a weak stationary front extending northeastward into north-central MN and a warm front draped southward through southwest IA into northeast MO. There's an additional wind shift line farther to the east from southwest MN into northeast IA. Atmosphere is well capped across the tri-state region per 18Z MPX special sounding and noting lack of significant cumulus development on regional satellite. However, surface dewpoints have risen into the upper 60s to lower 70s across the forecast area, resulting in MUCAPE values from 2000 to 3000 J/kg. Farther west, values are topping 5000 J/kg, so more than enough instability for severe storms. A cluster of thunderstorms has already developed north of the CAP and along the stationary front across west-central MN. Discrete supercells with deep layer shear in excess 40 kts are expected across central MN late this afternoon before thunderstorms become more numerous and grow upscale into a convective line/MCS along nose of increasing 850 hPa jet/moisture transport associated with approaching short wave. Best deep layer shear remains north of forecast area, but 0-3 km bulk shear of 30 to 40 kts more than enough to sustain cold-pool dominated convective line. Most probable threat remains damaging wind in excess of 60 mph. Large hail still possible, especially early this evening across southeast MN into western WI. With PWATs rising to near 1.5 inches, heavy rain is also expected, although the faster forward progression of storms should generally limit overall accumulations to less than 2 inches. Best chance for localized flooding will be in urban areas. Cannot rule out the isolated tornado, but anything across our area likely to be of the QLCS variety. Still a few timing differences between convection allowing models, but consensus is for leading line of storms to reach our northwest forecast area between 7 and 10 pm and then race east-southeastward through the rest of the evening along northern extent of CAP/ instability gradient. Additional thunderstorms possible on Wednesday across southeast half of forecast area along weak, southward moving stationary front as ripples of short-wave energy move through southwest flow aloft. However, timing/coverage is uncertain, so chance POPs seem reasonable at this time. Overall, much of the day should be dry, although it will still be warm and muggy with afternoon highs in the lower to mid 80s. .LONG TERM...(Wednesday night through Tuesday) Issued at 306 PM CDT Tue Jul 5 2016 Next best chance for thunderstorms, some of which could be strong to severe will be Thursday/Thursday night. Deep layer shear will be relatively strong through the day given an approaching Pacific short-wave trough and with persistent dewpoints in the upper 60s to lower 70s, instability should also exceed 2500 J/kg of MUCAPE. Ongoing convection from a dissipating MCS across mainly IA Thursday morning could play a major role in re-development later in the day. Differences in surface features also a concern. For now, will keep POPs in the upper chance/low likely category and provide greater detail after tonight's severe threat. Thunderstorm chances wane Friday into the weekend with mostly dry conditions as high pressure builds back across the region. Highs will range from the upper 70s to lower 80s. 500 hPa ridge axis shifts eastward early next week with a return to southwest flow aloft and increasing thunderstorm chances. && .AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Wednesday evening) Issued at 600 PM CDT Tue Jul 5 2016 Band of -shra has developed in an area of low level warming over se mn/ne ia...making some progress east. Could upscale to a TS, but main action will come after 00z as strong/severe storms move in from the northwest. Hail and strong-damaging winds are the main threats. Will continue tempo period to highlight most probable time for the stronger storms at krst/klse. Winds may need to be increased in that period. Going to keep cigs vfr for the moment, but will lower if trends dictate the need. Storms should move east by 06z or so, leaving mostly mid level clouds around. Winds a bit tricky on Wed with cold front from tonight laid up west- east orientation across the region. Sagging pressure gradient too. VRB05kt would probably work best, but will try to narrow down a more likely direction. Fairly unsettled weather pattern persists through Thursday, with on and off shra/ts chances. && .ARX Watches/Warnings/Advisories... WI...None. MN...None. IA...None. && SHORT TERM...ROGERS LONG TERM...ROGERS AVIATION...Rieck
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 147 PM CDT TUE JUL 5 2016 IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ017-029- 032>034-041>044-053>055-061-061100- MITCHELL-HOWARD-WINNESHIEK-ALLAMAKEE-FLOYD-CHICKASAW-FAYETTE- CLAYTON-WABASHA-DODGE-OLMSTED-WINONA-MOWER-FILLMORE-HOUSTON- TAYLOR-CLARK-BUFFALO-TREMPEALEAU-JACKSON-LA CROSSE-MONROE-JUNEAU- ADAMS-VERNON-CRAWFORD-RICHLAND-GRANT- 147 PM CDT TUE JUL 5 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST IOWA...SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA...AND CENTRAL INTO SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS WESTERN AND CENTRAL MINNESOTA THIS AFTERNOON WILL MOVE INTO THE LOCAL AREA THIS EVENING. CONFIDENCE IS INCREASING THAT SOME STORMS WILL BE SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS BEING THE PRIMARY THREAT. LARGE HAIL AND TORRENTIAL RAINFALL ARE ALSO POSSIBLE... AND PERHAPS EVEN AN ISOLATED TORNADO. THE MOST LIKELY TIMEFRAME FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE FROM 7 PM UNTIL 2 AM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY ADDITIONAL CHANCES FOR THUNDERSTORMS WILL CONTINUE ON WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY...AND SEVERE STORMS ARE AGAIN POSSIBLE FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON INTO THURSDAY NIGHT. MORE STORMS ARE IN THE FORECAST FOR MONDAY AS WELL...BUT THAT REMAINS A BIT TOO FAR AWAY TO DETERMINE THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE WEATHER. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS EVENING. .EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION... NO WEBINAR IS SCHEDULED...BUT UPDATED WEATHER BRIEFINGS ARE AVAILABLE ON OUR WEBSITE AND FACEBOOK PAGE. MW
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
452 PM CDT TUE JUL 5 2016
IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ032-033-052345-
MITCHELL-HOWARD-CLAYTON-CHICKASAW-FAYETTE-FLOYD-WINNESHIEK-ALLAMAKEE-
WINONA-DODGE-WABASHA-HOUSTON-MOWER-FILLMORE-OLMSTED-TREMPEALEAU-
BUFFALO-
452 PM CDT TUE JUL 5 2016
...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS BEGINNING TO DEVELOP ACROSS PARTS OF THE
AREA...
THROUGH 600 PM...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE EAST AT 40 MPH
ACROSS PARTS OF SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND NORTHEAST IOWA. THESE STORMS
ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE. HOWEVER THEY WILL BE CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING WIND GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.
LAT...LON 4420 9305 4419 9255 4437 9255 4437 9243
4445 9243 4441 9208 4460 9200 4459 9117
4409 9118 4405 9122 4407 9131 4399 9132
4398 9142 4378 9124 4264 9137 4264 9208
4291 9209 4291 9303
TIME...MOT...LOC 2145Z 271DEG 37KT 4323 9332
JSBSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
605 PM CDT TUE JUL 5 2016
IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ079-086>088-094>096-WIZ017-029-032>034-
041-042-053>055-061-060000-
CLAYTON-ALLAMAKEE-WINNESHIEK-MITCHELL-HOWARD-CHICKASAW-FAYETTE-FLOYD-
WINONA-DODGE-WABASHA-HOUSTON-MOWER-FILLMORE-OLMSTED-MONROE-RICHLAND-
CLARK-CRAWFORD-TREMPEALEAU-LA
CROSSE-TAYLOR-BUFFALO-GRANT-VERNON-JACKSON-
605 PM CDT TUE JUL 5 2016
...STORMS CONTINUING TO MOVE EAST...
THROUGH 600 PM...SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE EAST AT 40 MPH
ACROSS PARTS OF SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA...NORTHEAST IOWA...AND
WESTERN WISCONSIN. THESE STORMS ARE NOT EXPECTED TO BECOME SEVERE.
HOWEVER THEY WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH
AND MAYBE SOME SMALL HAIL.
LAT...LON 4512 9004 4512 9020 4503 9020 4503 9031
4433 9032 4265 9091 4264 9207 4291 9208
4291 9302 4420 9305 4419 9255 4437 9255
4437 9243 4445 9243 4441 9208 4460 9200
4460 9092 4538 9092 4538 9005
TIME...MOT...LOC 2303Z 269DEG 31KT 4350 9200
JSBSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
707 PM CDT TUE JUL 5 2016
MNZ079-086-087-WIZ032-060130-
DODGE-WABASHA-OLMSTED-BUFFALO-
707 PM CDT TUE JUL 5 2016
...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT WABASHA...DODGE...
NORTHWESTERN OLMSTED AND NORTHERN BUFFALO COUNTIES...
AT 705 PM CDT...RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
EXTENDING FROM NEAR PRIOR LAKE TO NEAR COURTLAND. MOVEMENT WAS EAST
AT 40 MPH.
WIND GUSTS UP TO 60 MPH AND QUARTER SIZE ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE
STORMS.
THESE STORMS WILL BE NEAR...
CLAREMONT AROUND 830 PM CDT.
OTHER LOCATIONS IMPACTED BY THESE STORMS INCLUDE WASIOJA...DOUGLAS...
ROCK DELL...CONCORD AND GILMANTON.
PREPARE NOW FOR POSSIBLE SEVERE WEATHER. MOVE INDOORS AND IF A
WARNING IS ISSUED...TAKE ACTIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY.
LAT...LON 4420 9304 4419 9255 4437 9255 4437 9243
4445 9243 4445 9224 4441 9208 4459 9202
4459 9153 4455 9153 4385 9275 4385 9305
TIME...MOT...LOC 0005Z 274DEG 35KT 4471 9340 4420 9429
JSBThe Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 102 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:16 UTC.
21 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
A grain bin and farm outbuildings were damaged north of Mazeppa.
An estimated 60 mph wind gust occurred northwest of Genoa.
Trees were blown down near West Concord.
East of Mazeppa, trees were blown down and blocked the lanes of State Highway 60 near County Road 7.
A short-lived tornado touched down southwest of Lake City. This tornado was only on the ground for about 2 minutes and the damage was limited to snapped off hardwood trees.
An estimated 65 mph wind gust occurred just west of Kasson.
A tree was blown down on a barn in the extreme northwestern part of Wabasha County north of Oak Center.
A barn was blown down and a home damaged southwest of Lake City.
A mesonet reporting station north of Zumbro Falls measured a wind gust of 69 mph.
Numerous trees were blown down and onto U.S. Highway 63 near 700th Street southwest of Lake City.
A steel framed outbuilding was destroyed northeast of Mantorville. The debris was blown into and damaged a grain bin.
Trees were blown down southeast of Lake City which partially blocked U.S. Highway 61.
A peak wind gust of 75 mph was measured northwest of Genoa. Several power lines and lots of trees were blown down.
A wind gust of 67 mph occurred near Kasson.
Eleven power poles were blown down along St. Bridgets Road in the southern sections of Rochester. A total of 2700 customers throughout the city of Rochester were without power.
Numerous trees were blown down in Stewartville. The debris from a destroyed metal grain bin became wrapped around a snapped off power pole.
Large tree branches were blown down in Lewiston.
Dozens of trees were blown down in Preston and a few buildings sustained minor damage. A large building under construction on the north side of town collapsed.
The roof was blown off a building near Lanesboro.
Numerous large trees were blown down near Lanesboro with some of these uprooted. Some of the trees fell on tents but no injuries occurred as the campers had taken shelter.
Several trees were blown down which blocked County Highway 108 east of Whalan.
North of Mabel, trees were blown down in a church cemetery damaging some headstones. Windows in the church were broken from a downed branch.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Minnesota in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Minnesota, 2016Warnings 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: 646126, 645310, 649302, 645314, 644135, 645377, 646038, 646040, 646111, 646039, 646580, 646044, 645985, 646374, 646364, 649261, 649323, 646372, 646581, 646373, 646083, 649316.