Tornadoes and Hail in Minnesota, May 12, 2022

In addition to the Canby Airport severe wind gust, two structures had significant damage in Canby. One house had its roof torn off north of Canby, and a church in Canby had its tin roof blown off.

Significant wind damage occurred south of Boyd, Minnesota, at the Zion Lutheran Church. The church had its steeple and metal cross torn off. Several large trees were also uprooted or blown down near the church.

This tornado moved across the southeast section of Madison. A house had its roof removed, a camper was rolled, and three light poles at the baseball field were bent over. One of the poles had the cement support ripped out of the ground. There was also extensive tree damage. Maximum winds were estimated at 100 mph.

A metal shed was destroyed and several trees were broken.

Roof covering was partially removed from a house, part of the the top of a grain bin was blown away, dozens of trees were broken, and part of a large metal shed lost its roof and walls.

Numerous machine sheds and other buildings were destroyed or sustained major damage. The survey team noted a definite divergent pattern, indicating downburst. The greatest damage was several miles southeast of Louisburg, where a machine shed was obliterated, resulting in the 100 mph (87 knot) wind estimate.

A large machine shed was uplifted and blown away in Hanley Falls.

Multiple machine sheds were destroyed, and a large warehouse building in Louisburg lost much of its roof. Large grain bins at the Bellingham elevator were badly damaged, with two being blown off their foundations. Numerous trees were broken or uprooted.

Damage was convergent, with peak winds estimated near 105 mph. A house received significant damage, with much of its roof removed. Numerous trees were broken.

A large tree was blown down northwest of Watson.

The local emergency manager for Chippewa County reported a swath of sporadic tree, shed and roof damage from farms around Granite Falls, north-northeast to the west side of Clara City.

There was a concentrated area of wind damage from the southeast portion of Montevideo, then northeast for a few miles over rural western Chippewa County. Several trees, sheds and barns were damaged, including major damage to an apartment garage in the City of Montevideo.

There was sporadic tree and shed damage to farms north of Gluek and into Louriston Township.

An empty grain bin was lofted and blown about 300 feet into a field. Several trees were uprooted or broken. Shingles were removed from a house. A brand new and large metal building system was completely ripped off its foundation and destroyed.

A grain silo was destroyed south of Alberta.

A large storage shed was destroyed near Alberta along with a few large trees blown down. An outbuilding was blown about 100 yards.

Several trees were blown down and a steel building was damaged near the intersection of 40th Street and Highway 29 south of Benson. Dozens of downed trees were scattered across Benson.

Video showed an old church was blown off its foundation and overturned. Time estimated by radar.

Social media pictures and video of a dairy farm damaged near Murdock.

Several power poles and trees were either uprooted or blown down in Morris.

Several large trees were blown across Highway 9 near Benson.

More sporadic damage to trees and sheds northwest of Raymond.

Significant infrastructure was either damaged or destroyed in the city of Chokio. This included power poles and trees snapped at their base. Some of the trees landed on houses.

Several airport hangers with blown in and some had walls collapsed at the Morris airport.

The tornado broke or uprooted dozens of trees. Tin was peeled off roofs and the sides of outbuildings. Trailers were tipped and various farm equipment heavily damaged. Some large tree branches were blown away rather than being downed next to the trees. Maximum winds were estimated at 75 mph.

Several homes had roof damage and a few large trees were uprooted north of Renville.

A silo and barn were destroyed west-northwest of Swift Falls.

Isolated tree damage around Starbuck.

Two damage surveys were conducted and the cause of damage appeared to be from a downburst. One mile south of Cyrus, a large machine shed was destroyed when wind blew in the door and lifted off the roof. A portion of a roof was removed from a house, and several dozen trees were blown over. Farther south, two sheds were blown over and trees were damaged. In Cyrus, several dozen trees were uprooted, part of a roof was blown off a metal storage building, part of the roof came off a church, and part of the roof was lifted off a manufactured home.

A damage survey revealed about two dozen trees were uprooted or broken. It also destroyed a metal shed. The tornado was filmed on video and posted to social media.

Numerous trees were blown down or uprooted in the city of Willmar.

A large tree was uprooted west of Priam.

Several trees were blown down in Danube.

Isolated tree damage around Lowry.

There were two train cars that were derailed outside of Pennock city limits.

A large portion of a turkey barn sheet metal roof was ripped off and blown up to 100 yards away. The flying debris also damaged nearby homes.

A large tree was uprooted east of Pennock.

Several large trees were uprooted near the Willmar airport. Some of the trees were snapped at the base along with a destroyed shed. A grain bin was also damaged near the airport. Some sheds in the city of Willmar were also damaged.

The roof was lifted off a machine shed.

A grain bin blew over and landed on a man who was about to enter a vehicle. This resulted in a fatality.

Power lines were blown down west of Chokio.

A few large trees were blown down near Morris.

Several large trees were uprooted northeast of Morris.

Several trees were blown down in Olivia.

A machine shed was blown apart, other outbuildings were damaged, some siding was peeled away from a house, and two grain bins were damaged.

The roof was blown off a store.

A fast moving tornado (storms were moving northeast at 70 mph) touched down near Donna Drive and West Meadow Lane on the northwest edge of Alexandria, then tracked across Lake Darling before hitting land again along County Road 11. Numerous houses were hit on the south side of Lake Darling. After crossing Lake Darling, the tornado damage was mostly to trees, with less damage directly to houses, as the tornado was becoming weaker in this area. It dissipated on land shortly after moving across a small part of the southwest portion of Lake Carlos. Maximum winds were estimated at 110 mph.

Several power poles were tipped sideways and walls were blown out in a large steel shed.

Video on social media showed a tornado moving across the southern part of Sauk Lake. A damage survey found over a dozen trees uprooted or broken in the northwest wide of Sauk Centre, just east and southeast of the Old Golf Course. After moving across the lake, it knocked down a few more trees and dissipated.

Power lines were blown down in Garfield.

Several trees were blown down in Carlos, with damage to a garage door.

A shed and old barn collapsed. Several dozen trees were also broken. Damage was most likely due to a downburst per the NWS survey. Time was estimated based on radar.

A metal roof was blown off a barn, which then collapsed. Siding was ripped off some outbuildings. About one dozen trees were felled. A 2x4 was driven through the fiberglass of a boat and other items were blown around a farm. It was inconclusive whether this was from downburst or a QLCS tornado. Time estimated based on radar and a storm photo from a local resident.

The county courthouse sustained roof damage. Numerous trees were uprooted around Litchfield. Time estimated based on radar.

A street light was blown over on the SW corner of Hutchinson near School Rd SW and 8th Ave SW.

Hundreds of trees were uprooted or broken. Several outbuildings lost roofs. The damage pattern in this part of Todd County was very complicated, but ground and aerial surveys revealed a tornado moved through part of Clarissa. Maximum winds were estimated at 90 mph.

A trained spotter reported a funnel cloud three miles northwest of Veterans Drive and County Road 120.

Several tree branches and power lines blown down northwest of Glencoe.

There were multiple large trees uprooted around Sartell High School.

Power lines were blown down south of Rice.

This tornado broke or uprooted hundreds of trees and partially took the roof off two outbuildings in Cushing. Maximum winds were estimated at 70 mph.

A tornado developed in far northwest Todd County and moved into Wadena County (see separate entry from NWS Grand Forks). On the Todd County side of the county line, the tornado hit a farmstead and destroyed two tin sheds, leading to estimated maximum winds in Todd County of 90 mph. The debris was strewn in a narrow path. The tornado also broke or uprooted a number of trees. Damage assessment was aided by photographs (not included here) provided by the Todd County Sheriff's Office.

Significant wind damage occurred to city-owned property of the Little Falls Golf Course. There were 53 trees lost to the storm, along with several large branches. There were also several buildings damage to the local Little Falls Community School District. Dozens of trees were also broken or uprooted in the southeast part of town. A damage survey by the NWS was performed and it appeared to have been downburst damage.

Hundreds of trees were uprooted or snapped as the tornado moved along the east side of Lake Alexander. Many trees came down on vehicles, sheds, and cabins. Maximum winds were estimated at 90 mph.

The Pierz city garage on the north end of town was severely damaged due to severe straight-line winds.

A few large tree branches were blown down around St. Cloud.

A measured wind gust from a trained spotter.