An upper-level low which had been nearly stationary over Hudson Bay in Canada was producing several disturbances moving across the upper Midwest in early to mid-June. On June 15th, enough mid-level instability and surface moisture was in place to generate scattered showers and thunderstorms that afternoon.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
An upper-level low which had been nearly stationary over Hudson Bay in Canada was producing several disturbances moving across the upper Midwest in early to mid-June. On June 15th, enough mid-level instability and surface moisture was in place to generate scattered showers and thunderstorms that afternoon. In Mille Lacs County, one storm briefly pulsed up strong enough to produce a 67-mph wind gust approximately 9 miles north of Milaca. The storm continued southeast into Isanti County where a couple trees were downed in Dalbo and Stanchfield.
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 Jun 15, 1:38 PM CST, 3 hours 42 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 238 PM CDT Mon Jun 15 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Scattered showers and storms possible this afternoon to evening. Strong wind gusts are the primary concern, especially in western Minnesota. - Quiet Tuesday, followed by our best chance for showers and storms this week throughout the day Wednesday. - Temperatures remain near normal in the mid to upper 70s for highs through the period. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 238 PM CDT Mon Jun 15 2026 Satellite has continued to show cumulus bubbling underneath a scattered cirrus deck that has persisted throughout the day, the main consequence of which is the surface thermal profile ahead of potential showers and storms later this afternoon and evening. There are a few storms ongoing in portions of South Dakota that have produced some wind gusts around 60mph (base severe thunderstorm level), and these storms will be moving into western Minnesota within a couple hours. Most high resolution guidance maintains the presence of showers and storms through Minnesota before they weaken after heating ends this evening, with winds being the primary concern even from decaying cells later in the event. Timing wise, we will start to see some showers in western Minnesota within the hour, with the best environment along the upper level shortwave lagging behind the leading edge by an hour or so. The Twin Cities impacts look to start closer to 7pm, ending rapidly as we start to cool cutting off whatever instability we have remaining. Even as instability dwindles to nothing, we could see a few strong gusts from collapsing storms as late as 9pm as showers persist into western WI into the overnight hours. Generally, we expect some gusty winds to cause some isolated impacts, but widespread severe weather is not expected with most of the activity more likely to be covered via Special Weather Statement than Severe Thunderstorm Warning given the environment. As of 230pm, our neighboring offices to the west in Aberdeen (ABR), and Sioux Falls (FSD) have one severe thunderstorm warning for some reported 60mph gusts and a Special Weather Statement for potential 40-60mph gusts respectively. Showers look to exit western WI a few hours after sunrise with Tuesday showing a window of clearing between the departing/weakening showers to the east and another round of showers and storms from the west by the evening to overnight. High resolution guidance that reaches through the first half of Wednesday including the 12/18z HRRR/RRFS have begun to resolve an MCS type feature Wednesday morning as a nocturnal LLJ couples with upper level forcing via left exit region of an upper level jet streak. With surface temperatures in the low to mid 50s during the morning, instability will generally be the limiting factor with the wind threat being most apparent if we see some heavier showers and evaporative cooling momentum enhanced gusts. An early-Spring strength surface low will spun up and track along the aforementioned left exit region of the upper level jet streak coupling with the mid level shortwave to produce a strong surface low, and based on the track would result in some area wide showers and perhaps a few weak storms throughout the day with showers departing early Thursday as the surface low pushes over the Great Lakes. Forecast soundings continue to show some instability building during the day, however aside from a brief window in the morning for western WI and perhaps far southern MN depending on the low track, we are not located in the idea position for severe weather with the better focus being to our south in portions of Missouri, southern Iowa, and Illinois. A weak Canadian high moves into the region behind the departing system to end the week but we maintain our northwesterly flow aloft in an almost clipper-like winter pattern, bringing potential for more shortwave energy and isolated showers and storms into the early weekend. Ensemble guidance across the board is much less enthusiastic about precipitation chances after Wednesday's system until at least early next week, with fairly low confidence in individual systems beyond the weekend such that the forecast is likely to change as we get closer. Temperature wise, the GEFS produce a more amplified pattern towards the end of the period resulting in some gradually warming temperatures, with the EPS flatter pattern keeping us in the mid to upper 70s for longer and even into the end of the month. && .AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 00Z WEDNESDAY/... Issued at 1219 PM CDT Mon Jun 15 2026 Shower chances have ramped up for this afternoon and evening, especially across western and central Minnesota. Still, with the scattered nature of these showers and thunderstorms there is a fair amount of uncertainty so have not changed the previous TAFs all that much. There looks to be two main waves of precip with one this afternoon/early evening (TSRA possible) and a second one (mainly -SHRA) overnight into the early morning. MVFR cigs/vis possible with both rounds before a return to VFR with clearing by Tuesday morning. West winds with gusts around 20kts will continue through this afternoon before diminishing to 10kts or less overnight. A shift to the northwest is expected by morning. KMSP...As mentioned above, one round of scattered showers is expected this evening with a second one arriving early tomorrow morning. The thunder threat is uncertain this evening, so have opted to stick with straight -SHRA, but this may need to be amended later this afternoon to include the TS mention. A window of MVFR cigs with more -SHRA is expected from around 09z to 12z. Winds go from westerly to northwesterly overnight. /OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/ WED...MVFR/SHRA likely, chc -TSRA/IFR. Wind SE 5-15kts. THU...MVFR/-SHRA early, then VFR. Wind NW 5-10G20kts. FRI...VFR. Wind WNW 5-15kts. && .MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...None. WI...None. && DISCUSSION...TDH AVIATION...Dye
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 241 PM CDT Mon Jun 15 2026 MNZ041>045-047>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ014>016-023>028- 161945- 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- 241 PM CDT Mon Jun 15 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central and southern Minnesota, and west central Wisconsin. .DAY ONE...Tonight. Isolated to scattered storms may produce some gusty winds. Isolated severe wind gusts possible, primarily in western Minnesota this afternoon. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday. Another round of more widespread showers and storms are possible on Wednesday, including a round during the morning and a separate round later in the day. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN spotter activation may be needed.
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
402 PM CDT Mon Jun 15 2026
MNZ041-042-047>049-055>057-152200-
Douglas MN-Kandiyohi MN-Todd MN-Stevens MN-Pope MN-Chippewa MN-
Stearns MN-Swift MN-
402 PM CDT Mon Jun 15 2026
...RAIN SHOWERS WITH BRIEF GUSTY WINDS WILL IMPACT CHIPPEWA...
KANDIYOHI...STEVENS...DOUGLAS...POPE...SWIFT...TODD AND WESTERN
STEARNS COUNTIES UNTIL 5 PM CDT...
At 402 PM CDT, An area of rain showers with occasional lighting has
been producing brief wind gusts up to 50 to 55 mph across far-eastern
South Dakota & western Minnesota. Occasional wind gusts up to 50 to
55 mph are expected to continue as the rain moves eastwards across
west-central Minnesota. These showers are moving east at 25 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 50 to 55 mph.
SOURCE...Trained spotters & weather stations reported.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around
unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include...
Willmar, Alexandria, Montevideo, Morris, Sauk Centre, Melrose, Long
Prairie, Benson, Staples, Glenwood, Appleton, Clara City, Starbuck,
New London, Spicer, Atwater, Browerville, Hancock, Raymond and
Kerkhoven.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Monitor the weather situation closely and be alert for threatening
weather conditions.
&&
LAT...LON 4541 9616 4576 9624 4576 9576 4611 9577
4611 9515 4637 9516 4637 9473 4635 9465
4577 9464 4541 9476 4490 9476 4489 9566
4495 9579 4515 9604 4518 9610 4541 9612
TIME...MOT...LOC 2058Z 281DEG 23KT 4576 9620 4611 9572 4638 9510 4576
9508 4488 9520 4488 9546 4489 9569 4515 9605
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN
MAX WIND GUST...50 MPH
ETASpecial Weather Statement National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 500 PM CDT Mon Jun 15 2026 MNZ041>045-047>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-160200- 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- Including the cities of Alexandria, Long Prairie, Little Falls, Princeton, Mora, Morris, Glenwood, St Cloud, Sauk Rapids, Elk River, Cambridge, Center City, Madison, Benson, Montevideo, Willmar, Litchfield, Monticello, Minneapolis, Blaine, St Paul, Stillwater, Granite Falls, Olivia, Hutchinson, Gaylord, Chanhassen, Chaska, Victoria, Shakopee, Hastings, Redwood Falls, New Ulm, St Peter, Le Sueur, Faribault, Red Wing, St James, Mankato, Waseca, Owatonna, Fairmont, Blue Earth, and Albert Lea 500 PM CDT Mon Jun 15 2026 ...GUSTY WINDS FROM RAIN SHOWERS THIS EVENING... Rain showers moving out of the Dakotas will continue to spread eastwards across Minnesota this evening. Wind gusts of 30-40 mph are expected with any of the rain showers but brief gusts around 50 mph are possible at times, especially across west-central Minnesota. The rain showers will continue into tonight but the potential for gusty winds of 40-50 mph is expected to decrease by sunset.
The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 115 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:20 UTC.
3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
RWIS Sensor located on U.S. 169 MNDOT near MP 200 measured a 67-mph wind gust.
Strong thunderstorm winds downed a tree in Dalbo. An RWIS station near MP 200 on Hwy 169 in Mille Lacs had earlier recorded a 67-mph wind gust.
Strong thunderstorm winds downed a tree near Stanchfield.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Minnesota in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, June 2026
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: 1354228, 1354213, 1354218.