A complex of thunderstorms developed across west central Minnesota during the early morning of Wednesday, July 12th. These storms moved across the Alexandria area and produced damaging winds, with a measured wind gust of 59 knots at the airport.
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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 complex of thunderstorms developed across west central Minnesota during the early morning of Wednesday, July 12th. These storms moved across the Alexandria area and produced damaging winds, with a measured wind gust of 59 knots at the airport. These storms moved across central Minnesota, and began to accelerate north of the Twin Cities metro area. Some of the storms produced tornadoes and damaging straight line winds as they moved quickly eastward into west central Wisconsin.
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 Jul 11, 6:17 PM CST, 3 hours 48 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 717 PM CDT Tue Jul 11 2017 .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Wednesday) Issued at 311 PM CDT Tue Jul 11 2017 Not much change in the scenario and thinking of tonight's expected thunderstorm event outside of slightly later timing. Surface analysis puts a low pressure center along the international border with central North Dakota with a warm front snaking southeast into far southwestern Minnesota and a trailing cold front into the western Dakotas. Aloft, the upper level pattern continues to flatten in advance of a kicker shortwave disturbance dropping in from Saskatchewan province. As the frontal system moves east, the warm front will gradually lift north, bringing a surge of lower level moisture into the region which will add to an already unstable atmosphere. Dewpoints in southern MN have already climbed to around 70 degrees with mid-60s dewpoints around the I-94 corridor. This will contribute to 3000-4000 j/kg of MUCAPE over southern and western portions of the coverage area. There is a slight delay in the initiation due to good capping and the slower arrival of the upstream shortwave but the thinking is still that storm initiation will occur in the eastern Dakotas around 22z. Storms will initially take the form of discrete cells capable of large hail and isolated tornadoes. As the event unfolds, the storms will increase in coverage to the southeast, gradually developing into bows/segments, taking on an MCS-type formation. This will then transition the mode to large hail and damaging straight-line winds later into the evening (though isolated tornadoes are still possible). The storms will likely reach the STC area around 03z and the Twin Cities area around 05z. The deep moisture will also allow any storms that form capable of producing heavy rain, giving rise to an isolated flooding hazard. The activity will gradually wind down during the early morning hours as the low pressure center arrives near KSTC by daybreak and will shift to KMSP by midday tomorrow. While the precipitation comes to an end, low clouds will likely linger for much of the day tomorrow along with cooler temperatures. .LONG TERM...(Wednesday night through Tuesday) Issued at 311 PM CDT Tue Jul 11 2017 By tomorrow evening, we'll be on the cool side of the front with dew points falling into the 50s as the low pressure system begins departing to our east. Still, cyclonic flow aloft on the backside of the wave keeps some pops in the east tomorrow night. High pressure at the surface will build in from Canada and Thursday will be nearly 10 degrees below normal for high temperatures, meaning highs will be in the low to mid 70s across the area. Friday will be a gorgeous summer day as the high builds in and temperatures warm back into the 80s under mostly sunny skies. The heat continues to build Saturday and temperatures around 90 degrees look plausible. Dew points will rise to near 70 during the afternoon and there is a chance of seeing isolated thunderstorms develop. There is not much of a trigger for storms but a few stray storms could initiate. Wet Bulb Globe Temperatures reach the mid 80s during the afternoon so we do advise that people active outdoors make sure to stay hydrated and take breaks as necessary. The guidance wants to dig a trough across the Great Lakes Sunday which would bring us a cooler northwest flow temporarily, and another surface high moves in. Early next week looks hot as southerly winds increase behind the departing high and as the main upper ridge starts leaning farther east. && .AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Wednesday evening) Issued at 717 PM CDT Tue Jul 11 2017 Scattered storms have been developing in eastern SD. Uncertain how long they will last in west central MN, as they are somewhat diurnally driven. More storms are likely to develop later this evening in central into west central MN, into northwest MN, and these pose a threat of tracking southeast into eastern MN and then western WI overnight. There will likely be a large area of MVFR ceilings in the wake of the storms, possibly lasting for 6-10 hours in some areas. Not impossible for ceilings to be IFR for a few hours. Improvement to VFR not expected until Wed afternoon. KMSP...Latest timing for the onset of storms looks to be 05z-06z, then lasting 3-4 hours. Gusts over 40 mph appear to be a good bet. Storms will likely exit MSP 09z-10z, but will leave behind MVFR ceilings through the rest of Wed morning. /OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/ Thu...VFR. Wind NW 5-10 kts. Fri...VFR. Wind variable less than 5 kts. Sat...VFR. Wind SW 5-10 kts. && .MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...None. MN...None. && SHORT TERM...JPC LONG TERM...DWE AVIATION...TDK
Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 1014 PM CDT Tue Jul 11 2017 MNZ041>045-047>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ014>016-023>028- 121700- 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- 1014 PM CDT Tue Jul 11 2017 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central and southern Minnesota...and west central Wisconsin. .DAY ONE...Tonight There is a Slight Risk of severe thunderstorms for all of central and southern Minnesota into west central Wisconsin. Large hail, damaging winds, and isolated tornadoes are possible this evening into the early morning hours. Heavy rainfall is also possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday Heat and humidity will build back into the region Saturday. People who are active outdoors will need to remember to stay hydrated and take breaks as needed. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN spotter activation will likely be needed tonight.
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 1102 PM CDT TUE JUL 11 2017 MNZ047-048-055-120430- Stevens-Pope-Swift- 1102 PM CDT TUE JUL 11 2017 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT SOUTHWESTERN POPE...SOUTHEASTERN STEVENS AND NORTHWESTERN SWIFT COUNTIES... At 1102 PM CDT, a strong thunderstorm was located near Lake Oliver, or 12 miles south of Morris, moving east at 45 mph. Nickel size hail is possible with this storm. This storm will be near... Hancock around 1115 PM CDT. Lake Hassel around 1130 PM CDT. Other locations impacted by this storm include Lake Emily, Clontarf and Benson Airport. This includes U.S. Highway 59 between mile markers 149 and 159. This storm may intensify, so be certain to monitor local radio stations and available television stations for additional information and possible warnings from the National Weather Service. LAT...LON 4535 9611 4547 9612 4557 9552 4531 9551 TIME...MOT...LOC 0402Z 264DEG 38KT 4541 9598 BORGHOFF
The Aberdeen radar (KABR), 170 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 04:06 UTC.
8 thunderstorm wind, 6 tornado, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Several large trees and power lines were blown down around Bellingham. There was also damage to a local garage.
There were numerous trees blown down in the city of Alexandria.
A large pine tree was blown down north of Page.
The tornado touched down in East Bethel, along 225th Ave NE and just east of Highway 65. It moved southeast, crossing the northern part of Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area, and exited the county in the northeast corner of Columbus. Numerous trees were downed, with some hitting houses, sheds and vehicles. The wind also took some siding off a house and dented a garage door. After exiting Anoka County, it moved across the far southwest part of Chisago County, where it dissipated.
Several dozen trees were broken or toppled in a neighborhood on the west side of Coon Lake in East Bethel. Some trees landed on homes, sheds and vehicles.
Several dozen trees were broken or toppled in a neighborhood on the south side of upper Coon Lake in East Bethel. Some trees landed on homes, sheds and vehicles.
The tornado touched down in the southern part of Carlos Avery Wildlife Management Area, not quite one mile east-southeast of the intersection of Lexington Ave and Constance Blvd. It downed hundreds of trees, some falling on homes, sheds and vehicles. The tornado destroyed the attached garage of one home, shingles were partially removed from two houses, and a large garage had one of its doors dented in, thereby allowing wind inside the structure, resulting in the bowing out of an opposing wall. The tornado exited Anoka County just to the northeast of the junction of Interstates 35E and 35W in Columbus.
After exiting Anoka County, the tornado clipped the southwest part of Chisago County, downing over 100 trees. The tornado did take some tin off the roof of a shed. It dissipated just before reaching Washington County, where the collapsing storm produced widespread downburst damage in and around Forest Lake.
After exiting Anoka County just northeast of the junction of Interstates 35E and 35W in Columbus, the tornado continued across the far southwestern part of the city of Forest Lake, where it downed numerous trees and hit one farm. It dissipated about one mile east of Horseshoe Lake in the far northern portion of Hugo.
A storm survey determined that the damage across Forest Lake was due to a downburst that occurred after a tornado dissipated in far southwest Chisago County. The tornado damage had been narrow, but the downburst damage broadened into a 2.5 mile wide swath as winds toppled trees, starting just west of North Shore Drive (just north of downtown Forest Lake), and continuing southeast, knocking down trees and causing other damage on both the north and south sides of the lake, all the way to what is referred to as third lake, or the southeastern portion of the lake Forest Lake.
A brief tornado hit three properties, knocking down dozens of trees and collapsing a barn.
A storm survey in Scandia, together with reports from Public Works, noted dozens of trees scattered across the entire city of Scandia. Most of the downed trees were in the northern portion of the city, from Kirk Ave N to Parrish Rd.
The tornado damaged over 1000 trees at the Warner Nature Center. Hundreds of trees were also damaged before it hit the Nature Center. The tornado dissipated shortly after exiting the Nature Center.
About 100 very tall pines were broken or toppled in a neighborhood along the St Croix River. Some landed on houses, sheds and other buildings. A survey determined this area to have been hit by a downburst in the wake of the Warner Nature Center tornado. Damage to this neighborhood and surrounding areas was quite broad in north/south extent, with damage exhibiting a fanning out pattern, with most trees downed toward the southeast.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Minnesota in 2017Every state in 2017This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Minnesota, 2017Warnings in Minnesota, July 2017
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: 713693, 713692, 713694, 713742, 713740, 703731, 703746, 703747, 703742, 703732, 703743, 703748, 703740, 703759, 703744, 703745.