Showers and thunderstorms moved across the southern half of Minnesota, including the Twin Cities metro during the late afternoon and evening hours of September 21st. The storm environment consisted of favorable instability, low cloud bases, and some veering winds with height.
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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.
Showers and thunderstorms moved across the southern half of Minnesota, including the Twin Cities metro during the late afternoon and evening hours of September 21st. The storm environment consisted of favorable instability, low cloud bases, and some veering winds with height. Although the shear profile was considered only marginal (weak) at the time, a few storms did manage to become severe. Two swaths of large hail ranging from quarter (1-inch) to Hen Egg (2-inch) sized hail fell across portions of the southern Twin Cities metro and in Steele in Waseca Counties.
Two-inch diameter hailstones were reported on the east side of Lake Minnetonka (Hennepin), one mile south of Woodbury (Washington), and six miles NW of New Richland (Waseca).
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 Sep 21, 12:04 PM CST, 4 hours 3 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 104 PM CDT Sun Sep 21 2025 .KEY MESSAGES... - Isolated showers and storms this afternoon/evening, a small chance for strong/severe storms mainly in southern MN. - Lingering shower chances Monday, and possibly Tuesday across the south and east. - Rest of the week, drying out with above normal temperatures of highs the mid 70s. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 100 PM CDT Sun Sep 21 2025 Today... Interesting weather setup with small and compacts upper level low spinning across northwest Minnesota. Upper level ascent ahead of this PV anomaly, was leading to clouds and some rain showers. For the rest of today, expect isolated rain showers mainly along and north of I-94 from this feature. Farther south, there was an area of clouds and showers across southeast Minnesota, and these were tied to an area of low level Theta_E advection, This will be the focus for showers and some thunderstorms this afternoon through the late evening. Forecast soundings for later today show low LCLs, a veered hodograph, and around 1500 J/kg of uncapped CAPE. The current thinking is the uncapped nature of the environment should lead to several thunderstorms, and the lack of strong deep layer shear means the updrafts will be short-lived and relatively weak. However, there is a scenario where a couple storms are able to tap into the marginal shear, and remain somewhat isolated. If this were the case, could see a potential for a brief tornado, and perhaps some large hail. SPC has introduced a 2 percent tornado chance for this reason. Later this evening, storms will become more elevated as we lose the surface heating. This will bring an end to the tornado threat, but some hail is possible for a few hours past sunset. In summary, the severe weather threat is low, which is why there is only a Marginal Risk, but a few of the stronger storms could pose a tornado and/or hail threat. Monday and Tuesday... The upper level trough bringing the chances for rain will become more positively tilted and shear out, but this will be a slow process. A few areas of positive vorticity will rotate across the Upper Midwest, and could bring lingering small chances for a light rain showers mainly to the south along I-90, and along/east of I-35. By Wednesday, confidence in dry weather increases. Upper level subsidence is reflected in increasing surface pressure, so expect more sun than clouds, with light winds expected through the weekend. Temperatures will be in the 70s, with dewpoints in the 50s. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z MONDAY/... Issued at 100 PM CDT Sun Sep 21 2025 Areas of sct to bkn low to mid-level cu cover most sites this afternoon. We have already began to see areas of light SHRA develop near STC over to EAU which have developed a little faster than what forecast guidance anticipated. Thus introduced tempo groups for SHRA at STC, and EAU for the next couple of hours. Showers and iso areas of TSRA are expected to become more widespread across all sites except for STC, and AXN starting later this afternoon mostly after 22/23z timeframe then progressing from west to east. Confidence lacks on direct impacts at each site so continued with prob30 TSRA mentions but tried to shrink the timing window a bit. Once rain passes, fog is expected to develop late tonight into early tomorrow morning with IFR to LIFR visibilities likely across our western most sites. Southwest winds will remain light becoming variable tonight through the rest of the period as the center of a surface low passes overhead Monday. KMSP...Best timing for precip looks to range between 00z to 04z this evening. A few pockets of thunder are possible thus changed previously mentioned SHRA to TSRA. Cigs will decrease to near MVFR late tonight into tomorrow morning. There is a potential IFR cigs do occur but lacked confidence with duration thus, used sub 1000kft sct cigs for now. /OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/ TUE-WED...VFR. Wind NE 5-10 kts. THU-FRI...VFR. Wind NW 5-10 kts. && .MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...None. WI...None. && DISCUSSION...JRB AVIATION...Dunleavy
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 1236 PM CDT Sun Sep 21 2025 MNZ041>045-047>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ014>016-023>028- 221745- 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- 1236 PM CDT Sun Sep 21 2025 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central and southern Minnesota, and west central Wisconsin. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight. Scattered thunderstorms this afternoon/evening. A few storms over southern Minnesota, including the Twin Cities metro, may be strong to severe, with the main hazard being large hail. There is a non- zero chance of a brief tornado. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. Isolated to scattered thunderstorms can be expected over far southern Minnesota on Monday. A few storms may be strong to severe, with the main hazards being large hail and damaging winds. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN spotter activation may be needed this afternoon into tonight. Dunleavy
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 357 PM CDT Sun Sep 21 2025 MNZ083-212130- Blue Earth MN- 357 PM CDT Sun Sep 21 2025 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN BLUE EARTH COUNTY UNTIL 430 PM CDT... At 357 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near Vernon Center, or 15 miles southwest of Mankato, moving east at 20 mph. HAZARD...Nickel size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible. Locations impacted include... Good Thunder, Vernon Center and Garden City. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Monitor the weather situation closely and be alert for threatening weather conditions. 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 4397 9425 4403 9426 4408 9404 4393 9398 TIME...MOT...LOC 2057Z 258DEG 16KT 4400 9419 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.88 IN MAX WIND GUST...<30 MPH ETA
Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 416 PM CDT Sun Sep 21 2025 MNZ083-212145- Blue Earth MN- 416 PM CDT Sun Sep 21 2025 ...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT EAST CENTRAL BLUE EARTH COUNTY UNTIL 445 PM CDT... At 416 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over Good Thunder, or 11 miles south of Mankato, moving east at 30 mph. HAZARD...Penny size hail. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible. Locations impacted include... St. Clair and Pemberton. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Monitor the weather situation closely and be alert for threatening weather conditions. 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 4397 9400 4406 9403 4411 9377 4398 9377 TIME...MOT...LOC 2116Z 265DEG 24KT 4401 9401 MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN MAX WIND GUST...<30 MPH ETA
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
459 PM CDT Sun Sep 21 2025
MNZ083-084-212245-
Waseca MN-Blue Earth MN-
459 PM CDT Sun Sep 21 2025
...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN WASECA
AND EAST CENTRAL BLUE EARTH COUNTIES UNTIL 545 PM CDT...
At 459 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a line of strong
thunderstorms extending from near Lake Crystal to 5 miles north of
Waldorf, or extending from 13 miles southwest of Mankato to 17 miles
southeast of Mankato, moving east at 10 mph.
HAZARD...Penny size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible.
Locations impacted include...
Waseca, Janesville, St. Clair, Good Thunder, Pemberton, Smiths Mill,
Alma City and Waseca Airport.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Monitor the weather situation closely and be alert for threatening
weather conditions.
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 4400 9410 4407 9415 4411 9412 4417 9377
4417 9351 4397 9357
TIME...MOT...LOC 2158Z 256DEG 9KT 4405 9419 4407 9408 4402 9387 4400
9382 4401 9370
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.75 IN
MAX WIND GUST...<30 MPH
ETAThe Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 97 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:05 UTC.
23 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Report of hail covering the ground, with the largest stone being quarter-sized. Also tree branches down.
Spotter measured hailstones of penny to quarter size.
Report of a large amount of hail, the largest around quarter sized.
Golf ball size hail on Hwy 30 west of Blooming Prairie.
Photo measurement provided via social media.
Report of half-inch to Ping Pong Ball sized hail for two minutes.
Report received via mPING.
Report submitted via X.
Report received via mPING.
Report received via mPING.
Report received via mPING.
Report received from mPing.
Hail measurement provided via X.
Report received from mPING.
Report received from mPING.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Minnesota in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, September 2025
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: 1292552, 1292556, 1292554, 1292553, 1292880, 1292883, 1292899, 1292900, 1292904, 1295167, 1295162, 1295163, 1295164, 1295165, 1295166, 1295168, 1294936, 1292905, 1295157, 1295158, 1295160, 1295161, 1295159.