A boundary and weak wind shear were present when scattered showers and thunderstorms developed over portions of south central Minnesota. There were two funnel clouds that were photographed, but neither appeared to have touched down.
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The episode as NWS MPX wrote it up.
A boundary and weak wind shear were present when scattered showers and thunderstorms developed over portions of south central Minnesota. There were two funnel clouds that were photographed, but neither appeared to have touched down.
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 May 30, 5:47 AM CST, 4 hours 43 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 647 AM CDT Wed May 30 2018 .SHORT TERM...(Today and tonight) Issued at 420 AM CDT Wed May 30 2018 The focus for today is the convective evolution and its associated hazards. Clusters of showers and thunderstorms continue early this morning across western Wisconsin and northeastern Iowa. They are lifting north and are generally shown well in recent runs of the HRRR. This activity is being fed in part by the deep moisture feed from Tropical Depression Alberto centered over western Kentucky. Pwats in that corridor are in the 1.6-1.7 inch range but increase to above 2 inches in Illinois. Alberto's moisture will enhance heavy rainfall potential today. The RAP shows pwats remaining near or above 1.75 inches through the day with southeasterly low level flow from the tropical cyclone to a slow moving, weak meso low expected over eastern Minnesota. Showers and thunderstorms will become widespread again later this morning as the negatively tilted mid level trough axis swings northeast across the Upper Midwest, encountering this very moist and modestly unstable airmass. Enhancing the heavy rain threat will be a deep warm cloud layer of about 12kft, occasionally low MBE velocities, and a nearly saturated column up to 200 mb. Multicell clusters will be predominantly steered by localized cold pools and outflow boundaries, similar to recent days. Severe potential looks minimal, but not zero. Given the numerous outflow boundaries, potential for locally enhanced instability, and up to 30 kts of 0-3km shear, a weak, brief tornado cannot be completely ruled out. Given such weak low level flow and small hodographs on a larger scale, aid would need to come from local effects that are not predictable more than a few radar scans in advance. Thunderstorm activity will quickly wane after sunset or after the trough axis swings through, which ever occurs first. .LONG TERM...(Thursday through Tuesday) Issued at 420 AM CDT Wed May 30 2018 Scattered shower and thunderstorm activity looks to still be possible through Thursday afternoon across Northeastern MN and Northwestern WI. Otherwise, drier conditions return on Thursday as cyclonic flow aloft and surface low pressure exit to the east of the CWA and upper-level ridging and weak surface high pressure build-in. The dry weather is short-lived as another shortwave trough and surface front approach from the west on Friday night into Saturday, leading to decent chances for precipitation through early Sunday. There is a slight chance for strong to severe storms late Friday night in Western MN. Thunderstorm activity will likely be elevated and linear in nature when it arrives from the Dakotas. Mid-level (700- 500 mb) lapse rates are expected to be steep near 8 degrees C/km and bulk shear is expected to be near 35 kts over Western MN. So, the main concerns look to be horizontally-driven wind and hail. Otherwise, the moisture advection ahead of the system will lead to increased cloud cover which should limit instability during the day on Saturday. The GFS indicates 500+ J/kg of MUCAPE across Southern MN which would still be ample for scattered thunderstorm development. In addition, the GFS has forecast PWATs in 1.6-1.7 range, which is well-above (~0.75-1 inch above) the climatological median for early June in MN. Those PWATS were observed yesterday, and we received widespread 0.75 to 1.75 inches of rain. So, Saturday looks to be mostly a QPF concern. High pressure builds-in on Sunday, allowing for another period of dry weather. Then, forecast uncertainty increases for early next week. The ECMWF develops an amplified ridge over the region to keep conditions dry until the arrival of another trough Wednesday. Meanwhile, the GFS has a more zonal pattern for the start of next week with several shortwaves and vicinity surface boundary ahead of the next trough, causing precip chances Tuesday through Thursday. Overall, the deterministic model consensus for the next best chance of precip looks to be Wednesday into Thursday. Chances for precip and storms earlier in the week as the GFS indicates will have to be monitored. && .AVIATION...(For the 12Z TAFS through 12Z Thursday morning) Issued at 646 AM CDT Wed May 30 2018 Showers and thunderstorms continue across portions of western Wisconsin at TAF issuance time, with areas of fog across Minnesota. Showers and storms will become more numerous later this morning across the region, with some locally heavy downpours likely. VFR conditions are expected, aside from visibility reductions in the heavier showers. Activity will wane after sunset. KMSP...Still don't have a good handle on the best timing for TS, so continued the VCTS mention for several hours this afternoon into early evening. There will be on and off showers and storms through this period. /OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/ THU...VFR. Wind NW at 10G20kt. FRI...VFR. Wind E at 10G15kt. SAT...VFR with MVFR/TSRA. Wind SE at 10 bcmg NW at 10kt. && .MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... WI...None. MN...None. && SHORT TERM...BORGHOFF LONG TERM...AMK AVIATION...BORGHOFF
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 439 AM CDT Wed May 30 2018 MNZ041>045-047>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ014>016-023>028- 310945- 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- 439 AM CDT Wed May 30 2018 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central and southern Minnesota...and west central Wisconsin. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight Scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms are expected. Severe weather is not expected, though some localized flooding with heavy downpours will be possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday Showers and thunderstorms will be possible again Friday night into Saturday. A few storms could be strong to severe Friday night. Otherwise, heavy rain is the main concern. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN spotter activation will not be needed.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
844 AM CDT WED MAY 30 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1000 PM HEAVY RAIN ECHO 44.62N 95.42W
05/29/2018 M3.50 INCH YELLOW MEDICINE MN PUBLIC
REPORTED VIA FACEBOOK NEAR ECHO. STANDING
WATER IN FIELDS.
&&
MKMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
852 AM CDT WED MAY 30 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0600 AM HEAVY RAIN KENYON 44.28N 92.99W
05/30/2018 M3.04 INCH GOODHUE MN COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION MN-GH-2, KENYON.
&&
MKMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
856 AM CDT WED MAY 30 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0730 AM HEAVY RAIN DENNISON 44.40N 93.04W
05/30/2018 M2.81 INCH GOODHUE MN COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION MN-GH-15, DENNISON.
&&
MKMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
859 AM CDT WED MAY 30 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0600 AM HEAVY RAIN BECKER 2NNW 45.41N 93.88W
05/30/2018 M2.69 INCH SHERBURNE MN COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION MN-SH-19, BECKER 2NNW.
&&
MKMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
901 AM CDT WED MAY 30 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN VICTORIA 1WSW 44.86N 93.69W
05/30/2018 M2.20 INCH CARVER MN COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION MN-CV-22, VICTORIA 1WSW.
&&
MKMPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
902 AM CDT WED MAY 30 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0700 AM HEAVY RAIN SHAKOPEE 1WSW 44.79N 93.55W
05/30/2018 M2.05 INCH SCOTT MN COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION MN-SC-18, SHAKOPEE 1WSW.
&&
MKMThe Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 122 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:27 UTC.
3 funnel cloud. Local standard time, as filed.
A skinny funnel extended from a high-based shower or thunderstorm. The photo showed it about about halfway to the ground, but it was not possible to determine whether it ever touched down. Photo relayed by KEYC-TV.
A funnel cloud was photographed near Lake Crystal and relayed by KEYC-TV. The funnel appeared to have been about 1/3 to 1/2 to the ground, but it was not possible to determine whether it ever touched down, and there were no reports of it ever reaching the ground.
A skinny, rope-like funnel was photographed near Glenville. It appeared to be close to the ground, but it was not possible to determine if it actually reached the ground. Photo relayed by KAAL-TV.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Minnesota in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, May 2018
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: 760985, 760986, 760989.