Hail, Kittson
- When
- June 28, 4:05 PM CST to 4:10 PM CST
- Where
- Kittson County, 3.57 mi SSE of Lancaster
- Measured
- 1.5 in hail
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 48.820, -96.800
Picture with tape measure shared on social media.
Hail and Damaging Wind in Minnesota, June 28, 2025
Severe thunderstorms produced large hail and damaging winds over parts of northwest MN during the late afternoon and evening hours.
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
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 FGF wrote it up.
Severe thunderstorms produced large hail and damaging winds over parts of northwest MN during the late afternoon and evening hours.
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 Grand Forks, ND wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 28, 2:58 PM CST, 1 hour 7 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- There is a 2 out of 5 risk for severe thunderstorms this afternoon and evening in west-central Minnesota and parts of eastern North Dakota.
Area forecast discussion, Jun 28, 2:58 PM CST, 1 hour 7 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Grand Forks ND 358 PM CDT Sat Jun 28 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - There is a 2 out of 5 risk for severe thunderstorms this afternoon and evening in west-central Minnesota and parts of eastern North Dakota. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 358 PM CDT Sat Jun 28 2025 ...Synopsis... We start out with weak H7 troughing today and weak cold front to our west, with a warm front being lifted northward ahead of the cold front. This will allow isolated to scattered severe storms this afternoon across portions of eastern North Dakota and much of northwest and west central Minnesota. As the cold front continues east overnight, look for slightly drier air to work into the area on Sunday. Isolate showers and storms are possible, mainly in northwest Minnesota. Monday brings another chance for scattered showers and thunderstorms to northwest Minnesota along a weak trough traversing northwest flow. A strong storm or two is possible. Minimal precip chances are expected Tuesday and Wednesday as H5 shortwave ridging brings return flow into the area heading into Thursday and Friday. This flow pattern will then start to flatten, bringing thunderstorms back into the forecast late Thursday and into Friday. ...Severe Thunderstorms Possible this Afternoon and Evening... A warm front lifts slowly north this afternoon. Conditions along the front support the development of supercells along a line stretching from southern Richland County through southern Wadena County. Further north, a subtle cold front is beginning to initiate storms along a line from eastern Eddy County through eastern Pembina County. Along the warm front, hodographs are rather straight in the upper levels, thus supporting splitting supercells that will likely form into hybrid clusters on the left split side. Large hail up to the size of golf balls is possible with these storms during the mid to late afternoon. Any right moving supercells would be capable of producing tornadoes in addition to large hail; however, current guidance keeps the better chances in northeast South Dakota and southwest Minnesota. Regarding the storms along the cold front, the most likely hazard will be large hail up to 1.25 inches as storms congeal into clusters along the front. DCAPE values increase through the afternoon, which could enhance wind risk later this afternoon. Gusts to 70 mph cannot be ruled out in this environment, especially during the mid to late afternoon. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z SUNDAY/... Issued at 1225 PM CDT Sat Jun 28 2025 VFR conditions prevail this afternoon at all TAF sites. Isolated showers and thunderstorms are possible this afternoon and evening, mainly after 21Z. Best chances will be south and east of KFAR and south of KBJI. Stray showers and storms could develop elsewhere, with little confidence in any one location. Will monitor and amend as activity develops this afternoon. && .FGF WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... ND...None. MN...None. && DISCUSSION...Lynch AVIATION...Lynch
Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 28, 3:26 PM CST, 39 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Grand Forks ND 426 PM CDT Sat Jun 28 2025 MNZ004>009-013-016-017-NDZ006>008-014>016-024-054-292130- Kittson-Roseau-Lake Of The Woods-West Marshall-East Marshall- North Beltrami-Pennington-North Clearwater-South Beltrami-Towner- Cavalier-Pembina-Benson-Ramsey-Eastern Walsh-Eddy-Western Walsh- 426 PM CDT Sat Jun 28 2025 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of eastern North Dakota and northwest Minnesota. .DAY ONE...Tonight There is a level 1 out of 5 risk for severe thunderstorms this afternoon and evening. The main hazards will be hail up to the size of half dollars and wind to 60 mph. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be required today. MNZ001>003-014-015-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ026>030-038-039-049-052- 053-292130- West Polk-Norman-Clay-Red Lake-East Polk-Mahnomen- South Clearwater-Hubbard-West Becker-East Becker-Wilkin- West Otter Tail-East Otter Tail-Wadena-Grant-Nelson-Grand Forks- Griggs-Steele-Traill-Barnes-Cass-Ransom-Sargent-Richland- 426 PM CDT Sat Jun 28 2025 This hazardous weather outlook is for portions of eastern North Dakota, west central and northwest Minnesota. .DAY ONE...Tonight There is a level 2 out of 5 risk for severe thunderstorms this afternoon and evening. The main hazards will be hail up to the size of ping pong balls and damaging wind gusts of 60 mph. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday The probability for widespread hazardous weather is low. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation may be required today.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Jun 28, 1:58 PM CST, 2 hours 7 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Grand Forks ND
258 PM CDT Sat Jun 28 2025
NDZ024-026-282030-
Nelson ND-Eddy ND-
258 PM CDT Sat Jun 28 2025
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN NELSON AND EASTERN
EDDY COUNTIES THROUGH 330 PM CDT...
At 257 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Mchenry, or 26 miles northeast of Carrington, moving northeast at 10
mph.
HAZARD...Penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Minor hail damage to vegetation is possible.
This storm will remain over mainly rural areas of southwestern Nelson
and eastern Eddy Counties.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building.
&&
LAT...LON 4784 9860 4770 9824 4767 9829 4767 9850
4759 9850 4759 9883
TIME...MOT...LOC 1957Z 220DEG 11KT 4764 9863
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...<30 MPH
Rafferty/LynchThe radar
The Fargo/Grand Forks radar (KMVX), 149 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:04 UTC.
Event by event
4 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Hail, Kittson
- When
- June 28, 4:14 PM CST to 4:19 PM CST
- Where
- Kittson County, 1.14 mi SE of Lancaster
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 48.860, -96.800
Hail estimated to be around 1 inch at gas station in Lancaster. Time estimated on radar.
Thunderstorm Wind, Clay
- When
- June 28, 6:12 PM CST to 6:18 PM CST
- Where
- Clay County, Comstock
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph) estimated gust
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 46.670, -96.750
Downed tree.
Hail, Clay
- When
- June 28, 7:08 PM CST to 7:12 PM CST
- Where
- Clay County, 0.84 mi SW of Barnesville
- Measured
- 1.25 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 46.640, -96.440
Hail reported via ice-chip research team.
Hail, Clay
- When
- June 28, 7:20 PM CST to 7:23 PM CST
- Where
- Clay County, 0.84 mi SE of Barnesville
- Measured
- 1.5 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 46.640, -96.420
Reported via ice-chip research team.
What these are
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
- 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.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in South Dakota, June 28 to 29, 2025
- Tornado and Hail in South Dakota, June 28 to 29, 2025
- Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Minnesota, June 28 to 29, 2025
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Ohio, June 28, 2025
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in North Carolina, June 28, 2025
- Flash Flood and Hail in Pennsylvania, June 28, 2025
- Damaging Winds in Virginia, June 28, 2025
- Flash Flooding in Oklahoma, June 28, 2025
- Damaging Winds in Maryland, June 28, 2025
- Damaging Winds in Virginia, June 28, 2025
- Hail in North Dakota, June 28, 2025
- Hail and Damaging Winds in South Dakota, June 28 to 29, 2025
More
Every storm in Minnesota in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, June 2025
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: 1272706, 1272709, 1272724, 1272720, 1272723.