Lake Superior, 2024

Waterspout in Lake Superior, June 18, 2024

June 18, 2024 · NWS DLH · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Multiple rounds of thunderstorms moved across western Lake Superior on the 18th. During the late afternoon hours, one storm produced a waterspout just off the North Shore near Tofte.

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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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 DLH wrote it up.

Multiple rounds of thunderstorms moved across western Lake Superior on the 18th. During the late afternoon hours, one storm produced a waterspout just off the North Shore near Tofte. Video and photos were received of the waterspout which remained over water and produced no 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 Duluth, MN wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 18, 2:57 PM CST, 1 hour 31 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 18, 2:57 PM CST, 1 hour 31 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 18, 12:30 PM CST, 3 hours 58 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Duluth MN
130 PM CDT Tue Jun 18 2024

MNZ010>012-018>021-025-026-033>038-WIZ001>004-006>009-191830-
Koochiching-North St. Louis-Northern Cook/Northern Lake-
North Itasca-Central St. Louis-Southern Lake/North Shore-
Southern Cook/North Shore-North Cass-South Itasca-South Cass-
Crow Wing-Northern Aitkin-South Aitkin-Carlton/South St. Louis-
Pine-Douglas-Bayfield-Ashland-Iron-Burnett-Washburn-Sawyer-Price-
130 PM CDT Tue Jun 18 2024

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northeast
Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin.

.DAY ONE...This afternoon and Tonight

Scattered strong to severe thunderstorms are expected today.
Primary hazard is damaging wind gusts to 70 mph, large hail to 2
inches in diameter and a few tornadoes. A Severe Thunderstorm
Watch is in effect for most of Minnesota until 8PM. Periods of
moderate to heavy rain are expected today and tonight. Flash
flooding is possible, and a Flash Flood Watch is in effect.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday

Additional rain and thunderstorms are expected late-week into
this weekend. Heavy rain and some flooding issues are possible.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Skywarn spotters are encouraged to report hail, wind damage, and
rainfall amounts to the National Weather Service.

LSZ121-140>148-150-191830-
Bayfield to Oak Point WI-Grand Portage to Grand Marais MN-
Grand Marais to Taconite Harbor MN-
Taconite Harbor to Silver Bay Harbor MN-
Silver Bay Harbor to Two Harbors MN-Two Harbors to Duluth MN-
Duluth MN to Port Wing WI-Port Wing to Sand Island WI-
Sand Island to Bayfield WI-Oak Point to Saxon Harbor WI-
Outer Apostle Islands Beyond 5 NM from Mainland-
130 PM CDT Tue Jun 18 2024

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of Lake Superior
and the Nearshore waters of western Lake Superior.

.DAY ONE...This afternoon and Tonight

Strong south winds with gusts up to 25 knots and waves up to 3
feet are expected this evening. A small craft advisory is in
effect. Isolated to scattered strong to severe storms are possible
through this evening with hail, wind, and heavy rain.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday

The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low.

Levens

More information may be obtained at the following web address:
http://www.weather.gov/duluth

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 18, 4:09 PM CST, 19 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jun 18, 4:10 PM CST, 18 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jun 18, 4:14 PM CST, 14 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jun 18, 4:16 PM CST, 12 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jun 18, 4:18 PM CST, 10 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jun 18, 4:27 PM CST, 1 minute before
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The radar

The Duluth radar (KDLH), 134 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:31 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 waterspout. Local standard time, as filed.

Waterspout, Grand Marais to Taconite Hbr Mn

When
June 18, 4:28 PM CST to 4:32 PM CST
Where
Grand Marais to Taconite Hbr Mn forecast zone, 6.59 mi SW of Lutsen
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
47.570, -90.810

Webcam video and a separate public cell phone video of a brief waterspout near Tofte on Lake Superior was received. The location and the duration were estimated, but no damage was reported as it remained offshore.

What these are

Waterspout
A tornado over water. One that moves ashore is filed as a tornado from the coastline on.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Lake Superior in 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather history

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1196808.