Hail and Damaging Winds in Minnesota, July 11, 2017

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Minnesota, July 11, 2017
Start: 2017-07-11T22:19
End: 2017-07-11T23:39
Location: Minnesota

July 11, 2017 · NWS FSD · 5 events in 3 counties and zones

Thunderstorms responsible for widespread severe weather in portions of east central South Dakota moved into extreme areas of west central Minnesota and continued to produce wind and hail damage.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 5

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS FSD wrote it up.

Thunderstorms responsible for widespread severe weather in portions of east central South Dakota moved into extreme areas of west central Minnesota and continued to produce wind and hail damage.

What forecasters said that day

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 Sioux Falls, SD wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jul 11, 4:48 PM CST, 5 hours 31 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 11, 4:48 PM CST, 5 hours 31 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
548 PM CDT Tue Jul 11 2017

.SHORT TERM...(This evening through Wednesday)
Issued at 424 PM CDT Tue Jul 11 2017

Current surface analysis shows a wind shift, basically a demarcation
of a dry line, west of our forecast area between Chamberlain and
Pierre. In terms of upper air, a low exists in south central Canada
with a weak short wave extending southward into our forecast area.

In the near term, a few of the cams, most notably the HRRR,
develops some isolated TSRA in our western zones very late this
afternoon and early evening. The convection basically appears to
be developing just ahead of the surface wind shift/dry line. But
the high resolution NAM sounding at Chamberlain is showing very
light inflow through 1.5km. Needless to say, it is unstable in our
west, with ML Cape in the lowest 100mb up around 2600 J/kg, but
effective inflow of less than 20 knots and not a lot of wind shear
either directional or speed to work with. The more major system is
on track for overnight tonight. The aforementioned upper low
generates a short wave and moves it to the southeast through
Minnesota. Decreased the pops in southwest MN as now, nearly all
cams except for NAM based cams show the activity staying further
east of our forecast area. This month, the convection has been
generally following/dying along the +12C 700mb isotherm. Therefore
kept the TSRA chances east of Interstate 29 except for a small
chance at Brookings with I 29 and westward looking more capped off
late tonight. Taken literally, the HRRR, NMM and ARW would all be
east of our forecast area. Only the high resolution NAM and GEM
Regional warrant having pops in our eastern zones, as many times the
convection will build southwestward into a decent low level jet of
20 to 30 knots, with 40 knots noted further south in the central
plains. Overnight tonight, the pre convective soundings are quite
unstable with ML cape in the lowest 100mb 3000 to 4000 J/kg with
highly veering soundings. 0-6km shear is 45 to 50 knots, so if
anything were to back build into areas east of I 29, it is worth
mentioning severe chances in the forecast.

On Wednesday, the surface front moves very slowly through our far
southern zones. To the north of the surface front along another mid
level short wave, convection may develop south of I 90 with
generally marginal chances for severe convection,.  Much of
the severe chances will be east or southeast of our forecast area as
high ML cape shifts eastward by 00Z. If severe weather does develop
in far southeast zones, it will be between 4 and 7 pm, an early
event.

In terms of temperatures, went with the warmer guidance readings
tonight. Even though the wind shift to the west begins to move
slowly through our area, the models clearly show the 925-850mb
isothermal packing remaining north of our forecast area.
Temperatures on Wednesday will be modestly cooler behind the wind
shift for many locations, although still quite warm and humid around
from Yankton to Storm Lake. Outside of northwest Iowa, the wind
shift will bring lower dew points.

.LONG TERM...(Wednesday night through Tuesday)
Issued at 424 PM CDT Tue Jul 11 2017

Northwest upper level flow aloft sets up for the second half of the
week, as a trough moves across the Great Lakes region and ridging
intensifies over the Intermountain west and high Plains. This will
keep the pattern largely dry and warm, with shortwaves riding over
the ridge generally remaining north and east of the forecast area.
The forecast is not entirely dry, however, as a few minor chances
pop up through early next week.

A frontal boundary is expected to set up in the southeast corner of
the forecast area Wednesday evening and overnight - possibly near
the Storm Lake region. Attendant surface low near the Nebraska and
Kansas border slowly tracks east into the overnight hours. Models
bring a vort max through northern Nebraska in the early evening,
which should help ignite showers and thunderstorms across northeast
Nebraska, extreme southeast SD, and parts of northwest Iowa early
evening into the early morning hours. The question will remain where
exactly this boundary sets up. The NAM is slightly further north
than the GFS, but think that potential remains greatest in our
southeast corner.

Thursday looks like the coolest day of the forecast period behind
the frontal boundary. Temperatures aloft cool quite a bit, while
moisture profiles suggest that scattered to broken cloud cover may
linger into the morning hours in Iowa. Highs will reach the mid 70s
to upper 80s, warmest in south central SD.

Thermal profiles make a quick rebound heading into the weekend and
early next week as the ridge begins shifting eastward into the
Plains. This will lead to readings in the mid 80s to upper 90s. The
pattern looks to remain dry with the exception of the some spotty
storm chances in south central SD, largely influenced by the GEM
forecast Saturday. ECMWF and GFS remain dry during this period.

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Wednesday evening)
Issued at 546 PM CDT Tue Jul 11 2017

VFR is anticipated through Wednesday but there are a couple of
issues. First, there could be some isolated convection breaking
out very late this afternoon or early evening toward central SD.
Thus, the VCTS group in the KHON TAF site early this evening. Then
overnight tonight, a strong complex of thunderstorms is expected
to move southeastward through Minnesota. It is anticipated that
this activity will stay east of the KFSD TAF site. However right
around 06Z Wednesday, there is a chance that KFSD could receive
some outflow from storms to the east providing strong and variable
wind conditions for a brief time frame. Therefore this scenario
was included for KFSD as a heads up. It is anticipated that any
TSRA will be too far northeast to impact KSUX.

&&

.FSD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
SD...Heat Advisory until 7 PM CDT this evening for SDZ038-039-050-
     052>054-057>061-063>071.

MN...None.
IA...Heat Advisory until 7 PM CDT this evening for IAZ012-020-031.

NE...Heat Advisory until 7 PM CDT this evening for NEZ013-014.

&&

SHORT TERM...MJ
LONG TERM...
AVIATION...MJ

Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 11, 2:49 AM CST, 19 hours 30 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
349 AM CDT Tue Jul 11 2017

MNZ071-072-080-081-089-090-097-098-SDZ039-040-055-056-120900-
Lincoln MN-Lyon MN-Murray-Cottonwood-Nobles-Jackson-Pipestone-
Rock-Kingsbury-Brookings-Lake-Moody-
349 AM CDT Tue Jul 11 2017

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southwest
Minnesota and east central South Dakota.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

Hot and humid conditions are in store for the region. Heat index
values in the 90s are expected. Exercise caution if spending time
outdoors in the afternoon.

Scattered strong to severe thunderstorms possible late this
afternoon and evening. The greatest risk for severe storms will be
along the Buffalo Ridge area in southwest Minnesota. Damaging
winds up to 70 mph and up to golf ball size hail are the main
threats.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will not be needed.

IAZ001>003-012>014-020>022-031-032-NEZ013-014-SDZ038-050-052>054-
057>071-120900-
Lyon IA-Osceola-Dickinson-Sioux-O'Brien-Clay IA-Plymouth-Cherokee-
Buena Vista-Woodbury-Ida-Dixon-Dakota-Beadle-Gregory-Jerauld-
Sanborn-Miner-Brule-Aurora-Davison-Hanson-McCook-Minnehaha-
Charles Mix-Douglas-Hutchinson-Turner-Lincoln SD-Bon Homme-
Yankton-Clay SD-Union-
349 AM CDT Tue Jul 11 2017

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northwest Iowa,
west central Iowa, northeast Nebraska, central South Dakota, east
central South Dakota, south central South Dakota, and southeast
South Dakota.

.DAY ONE...Today and Tonight

Hot and humid conditions are in store for the region. Heat index
values in the three digits are expected this afternoon into early
evening. Hot temperatures and high humidity can create heat-
related illness. Take extra caution if spending an extended period
of time outdoors.

Isolated to scattered thunderstorms possible in the afternoon and
evening. A few of the storms could become strong to severe with
large hail up to half dollar size and damaging winds to 60 mph.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation will not be needed.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 11, 7:24 PM CST, 2 hours 55 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
824 PM CDT TUE JUL 11 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0813 PM     HAIL             5 NNW MOUNT VERNON      43.78N 98.30W
07/11/2017  E1.00 INCH       DAVISON            SD   PUBLIC

            HAIL COVERING THE GROUND.

&&

Local storm report, Jul 11, 7:25 PM CST, 2 hours 54 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
825 PM CDT TUE JUL 11 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0823 PM     HAIL             MOUNT VERNON            43.71N 98.26W
07/11/2017  E1.00 INCH       DAVISON            SD   911 CALL CENTER

&&

Local storm report, Jul 11, 7:33 PM CST, 2 hours 46 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
833 PM CDT TUE JUL 11 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0822 PM     TSTM WND GST     2 N MITCHELL            43.76N 98.03W
07/11/2017  M46 MPH          DAVISON            SD   ASOS

&&

Local storm report, Jul 11, 8:10 PM CST, 2 hours 9 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
910 PM CDT TUE JUL 11 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0838 PM     HAIL             4 S ARTESIAN            43.95N 97.92W
07/11/2017  E1.00 INCH       SANBORN            SD   PUBLIC

&&

Local storm report, Jul 11, 8:21 PM CST, 1 hour 58 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
921 PM CDT TUE JUL 11 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0857 PM     HAIL             4 SSW MITCHELL          43.68N 98.06W
07/11/2017  E1.00 INCH       DAVISON            SD   TRAINED SPOTTER

&&

Local storm report, Jul 11, 8:29 PM CST, 1 hour 50 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
929 PM CDT TUE JUL 11 2017

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0912 PM     TSTM WND GST     2 ENE ETHAN             43.56N 97.95W
07/11/2017  E60 MPH          HANSON             SD   TRAINED SPOTTER

            ALSO NICKEL SIZE HAIL.

&&

The radar

The Sioux Falls radar (KFSD), 65 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:19 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 hail, 2 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Pipestone

When: July 11, 10:19 PM CST
Where: Pipestone County, 5.95 mi NW of Cazenovia
Measured: 61 kt (70 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: Law Enforcement
Coordinates: 44.140, -96.450

Older barn and corn crib blown down.

Thunderstorm Wind, Lincoln

When: July 11, 10:40 PM CST
Where: Lincoln County, 0.69 mi N of Lake Benton
Measured: 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 44.260, -96.300

Large evergreen was snapped off at the ground.

Hail, Murray

When: July 11, 11:20 PM CST
Where: Murray County, 2.58 mi WSW of Lake Wilson
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 43.990, -96.020

Hail, Murray

When: July 11, 11:25 PM CST
Where: Murray County, 2.07 mi S of Lake Wilson
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: Public
Coordinates: 43.970, -95.970

Hail, Murray

When: July 11, 11:39 PM CST
Where: Murray County, 2.87 mi SW of Iona
Measured: 1.75 in hail
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 43.890, -95.820

What these are

Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Minnesota in 2017 Every state in 2017 This day in weather history Warnings in Minnesota, July 2017

Sources

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: 713733, 713738, 713725, 713728, 713729.