Minnesota, 2026

Damaging Wind in Minnesota, June 17, 2026

June 17, 2026 · NWS FSD · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Scattered afternoon thunderstorms developed along weak convergence in deep cyclonic flow, and despite weak MLCAPE up to 250-500 J/kg, very strong 850-700 hPa winds led to strong outflows on decaying storms with gusts locally 60 to 70 mph.

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 FSD wrote it up.

Scattered afternoon thunderstorms developed along weak convergence in deep cyclonic flow, and despite weak MLCAPE up to 250-500 J/kg, very strong 850-700 hPa winds led to strong outflows on decaying storms with gusts locally 60 to 70 mph.

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 Sioux Falls, SD wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 17, 12:45 PM CST, 3 hours 27 minutes earlier. Its key messages:

  • Strong northwest winds will continue today with gusts of 40 to 50 mph. A Wind Advisory will be in effect for the entire area until 9 pm this evening.
  • Isolated to scattered showers this afternoon could result in slightly higher wind gusts (to 60 mph) during the afternoon.
  • Isolated showers on Thursday could produce wind gusts to 40 mph.
  • Strong to severe storms could return on Saturday along with locally heavy rain. Specific details are uncertain, but as of now, the highest probabilities for severe storms remains south and west of the area.
Area forecast discussion, Jun 17, 12:45 PM CST, 3 hours 27 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
145 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

.KEY MESSAGES...

- Strong northwest winds will continue today with gusts of 40
  to 50 mph. A Wind Advisory will be in effect for the entire
  area until 9 pm this evening.

- Isolated to scattered showers this afternoon could result in
  slightly higher wind gusts (to 60 mph) during the afternoon.

- Isolated showers on Thursday could produce wind gusts to 40
  mph.

- Strong to severe storms could return on Saturday along with
  locally heavy rain. Specific details are uncertain, but as of
  now, the highest probabilities for severe storms remains south
  and west of the area.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
Issued at 144 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

A strong jet max continues to wrap around the south side of an upper
level low, bringing strong winds to the area. Peak mixing suggests
that wind gusts could approach 50 mph. Model soundings also indicate
some weaker surface based instability this afternoon, which will
likely generate scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms. The
main concerns from any of this activity will be the potential to mix
down even stronger winds, possibly 60 to 65 mph. These stronger
winds will remain much more isolated.

Thursday will see deep, but weakening northwest flow across the
area. We will likely see a threat for isolated showers with locally
gusty winds to 40 mph as surface based peak mixing CAPE climbs to
about 200 J/kg.

Thursday night into Friday a weak wave will approach and bring some
elevated moisture return and very weak instability. For now any
impacts from this will be very minor.

The next system of interest will come Saturday, but with some
differences from model to model. The 6z EC Ensemble is bringing a 20-
30 percent chance for 2+" of rain to around the Missouri River into
parts of northwest IA while the 12z GFS ensemble and 12z Canadian
ensemble leave these better chances farther south and closer to I-
80. Classically the heavier rain many times falls between roughly
the surface to 850 mb boundary and for now that remains south of the
area, but will need to be monitored in case it drifts north.
Regardless, flooding potential is fairly low as rainfall has been
spotty at best lately.

Below normal temperatures and periodic chances for showers and
thunderstorms are expected Monday through Wednesday next week. A few
shortwaves are expected to move through, with slightly better
chances Monday and Wednesday.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z THURSDAY/...
Issued at 1129 AM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

MVFR ceilings should gradually lift through mid afternoon.
Northwest winds will gust to 45 to 55 mph at times, diminishing
this evening. Scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms
remain likely through the afternoon into the evening and could
produce localized wind gusts to 60 mph as well as very brief
heavy rain.

&&

.FSD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
SD...Wind Advisory until 9 PM CDT this evening for SDZ038>040-050-
     052>071.
MN...Wind Advisory until 9 PM CDT this evening for MNZ071-072-080-
     081-089-090-097-098.
IA...Wind Advisory until 9 PM CDT this evening for IAZ001>003-
     012>014-020>022-031-032.
NE...Wind Advisory until 9 PM CDT this evening for NEZ013-014.

&&

DISCUSSION...08
AVIATION...08
Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 17, 9:20 AM CST, 6 hours 52 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
1020 AM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

IAZ001>003-012>014-020>022-031-032-MNZ071-072-080-081-089-090-097-
098-NEZ013-014-SDZ038>040-050-052>071-181530-
Lyon-Osceola-Dickinson-Sioux-O'Brien-Clay-Plymouth-Cherokee-
Buena Vista-Woodbury-Ida-Lincoln-Murray-Cottonwood-Nobles-Jackson-
Pipestone-Rock-Dixon-Dakota-Beadle-Kingsbury-Brookings-Gregory-
Jerauld-Sanborn-Miner-Lake-Moody-Brule-Aurora-Davison-Hanson-McCook-
Minnehaha-Charles Mix-Douglas-Hutchinson-Turner-Bon Homme-Yankton-
Union-
1020 AM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for northwest Iowa, west central
Iowa, southwest Minnesota, northeast Nebraska, central South
Dakota, east central South Dakota, south central South Dakota and
southeast South Dakota.

.DAY ONE...Today and tonight.

Strong west to northwest winds are anticipated with gusts averaging
40 and 50 mph at times before weakening this evening. Scattered
showers and isolated are expected this afternoon. While severe
storms are not anticipated, wind gusts could increase in very
localized locations to 50 to 60 mph.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday.

Though uncertain, thunderstorm risks may increase by late Friday and
continue through Saturday. It is uncertain as to if severe storms
will be possible.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation is not expected at this time.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 17, 3:42 PM CST, 30 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
442 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0431 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     4 N Dolton              43.54N 97.39W
06/17/2026  M62 MPH          McCook             SD   Mesonet

            Mesonet station 322 SD RWIS STANLEY CORNER.

&&

JC
Local storm report, Jun 17, 3:49 PM CST, 23 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
449 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0433 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     3 SE Montrose           43.67N 97.15W
06/17/2026  M55 MPH          McCook             SD   Mesonet

            Mesonet station 18 SD RWIS Montrose.

&&

JC
Local storm report, Jun 17, 3:56 PM CST, 16 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
456 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0443 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     3 W Dell Rapids         43.82N 96.78W
06/17/2026  M54 MPH          Minnehaha          SD   Mesonet

            Mesonet station 17 SD RWIS DELL RAPIDS.

&&

JC
Local storm report, Jun 17, 4:00 PM CST, 12 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
500 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0444 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     5 S Freeman             43.28N 97.42W
06/17/2026  M61 MPH          Hutchinson         SD   Mesonet

            Mesonet station 163 SD RWIS Freeman.

&&

JC
Local storm report, Jun 17, 4:03 PM CST, 9 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
503 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0454 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     3 NNW Sioux Falls       43.58N 96.75W
06/17/2026  M55 MPH          Minnehaha          SD   ASOS

            ASOS station KFSD Sioux Falls Airport.

&&

JC
Local storm report, Jun 17, 4:05 PM CST, 7 minutes before
Preliminary Local Storm Report
National Weather Service Sioux Falls SD
505 PM CDT Wed Jun 17 2026

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0452 PM     Tstm Wnd Gst     3 ESE Parker            43.37N 97.08W
06/17/2026  M57 MPH          Turner             SD   Mesonet

            Mesonet station 310 SD RWIS Parker.

&&

JC

The radar

The Sioux Falls radar (KFSD), 28 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:12 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Rock

When
June 17, 4:12 PM CST to 4:15 PM CST
Where
Rock County, 0.85 mi SW of Beaver Creek
Measured
60 kt (69 mph) measured gust
Reported by
Department of Highways
Coordinates
43.610, -96.380

Wind gust measured by Minnesota Road Weather Information System site near Beaver Creek.

What these are

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

More

Every storm in Minnesota in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, June 2026

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: 1346760.