Tornadoes · United States · Minnesota · 2001

F0 tornado, Spicer to Willmar, Minnesota, June 11, 2001

From Spicer to Willmar, this F0 tornado ran 0.5 miles across Kandiyohi County on June 11, 2001, touching down at 3:50 PM CDT and reaching 25 yards wide. It killed nobody.

The rating scale

Tracks are drawn in the color of the rating. The Fujita scale rates the damage rather than measuring the wind: the speeds are what that damage is taken to imply.

  1. F040 to 72 mphthis tornado

    Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.

  2. F173 to 112 mph

    Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.

  3. F2113 to 157 mph

    Considerable damage. Roofs torn off well-built houses, frame homes shifted on their foundations, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted, cars lifted off the ground.

  4. F3158 to 206 mph

    Severe damage. Whole stories of well-built houses destroyed, large buildings badly damaged, trains overturned, trees debarked, heavy cars lifted and thrown.

  5. F4207 to 260 mph

    Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.

  6. F5261 to 318 mph

    Incredible damage. Strong frame houses swept off their foundations, car-sized missiles thrown more than 100 meters, steel-reinforced concrete badly damaged, high-rise buildings deformed.

  7. Unrated

    The survey recorded a tornado but could not put a number on it, most often because it crossed open country and damaged nothing a rating can be read from.

The record

Rating
F0
Date
June 11, 2001
Touchdown
3:50 PM CDT (20:50 UTC)
Path length
0.5 miles (0.8 km)
Path width
25 yards (23 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
County
Kandiyohi County
Touchdown point
45.150, -95.070
Lift-off point
45.150, -95.070
Record number
968

What the Weather Service recorded

Sheds and pole barns down. Church lost part of its roof. Two people were injured when their truck and camper were flung to the edge of a lake.

This was the last tornado associated with the complex that produced the Benson F2 tornado. The storm had travelled along Highway 212 from Danvers to Benson to Kandiyohi, producing numerous tornadoes, hail, and strong wind gusts.

From NOAA NCEI's Storm Events Database, the narrative the local forecast office wrote for Storm Data.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the tornado touched down, 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 tornado touched down at Jun 11, 3:40 PM CDT, 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 11, 3:40 PM CDT, 10 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
340 PM CDT MON JUN 11 2001

CURRENTLY UNDER SEVERE WEATHER OPERATIONS WITH SURFACE LOW OVER
SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA AND PRESSURE FALLS ACROSS THE TWIN CITIES.
SEVERE CONVECTION APPEARS TO BE RIDING THE THERMAL RIDGE INTO
CENTRAL MINNESOTA AT THIS TIME. EXPECT CONVECTION DURING THE
FORECAST PERIOD TO FOLLOW THE LOWER LEVEL THETA E RIDGE.  THIS IS
EXPECTED TO MOVE PAST THE TWIN CITIES INTO SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND
WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN BY MIDNIGHT...REDEVELOP INTO SOUTHWEST
MINNESOTA MONDAY...THEN SURGE BACK ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL AND EAST
CENTRAL MINNESOTA TUESDAY NIGHT. OUR COUNTY WARNING AREA EXPECTED TO
BE IN AN ACTIVE WEATHER PATTERN THROUGH THE FORECAST PERIOD. SEVERAL
DYNAMIC SYSTEMS ARE FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS WITH THE SOUTHWEST FLOW
ALOFT. A CLOSED UPPER LOW IS THEN FORECAST TO EVENTUALLY MOVE INTO
THE NORTH CENTRAL PLAINS STATES WEDNESDAY.

.MSP...NONE.
 WH

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 11, 11:03 AM CDT, 4 hours 47 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1103 AM CDT MON JUN 11 2001

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1057 AM    BROWERVILLE               MN   1.25 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   TODD                           REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.
Local storm report, Jun 11, 11:16 AM CDT, 4 hours 34 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1116 AM CDT MON JUN 11 2001

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LMOCATION....

1114 AM    LITTLE FALLS              MN   1 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   MORRISON                       REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.
Local storm report, Jun 11, 11:32 AM CDT, 4 hours 18 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1132 AM CDT MON JUN 11 2001

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1130 AM    EAGLE BEND                MN   1.75 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   TODD                           REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.
Local storm report, Jun 11, 12:50 PM CDT, 3 hours before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1250 PM CDT MON JUN 11 2001

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1005 AM    BRANDON                   MN   .88 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   DOUGLAS                        REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

1050 AM    3 S SAUK CENTRE           MN   1 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   STEARNS                        REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

1120 AM    1 N ROSE CITY             MN   1.75 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   DOUGLAS                        REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

1127 AM    4 NW CLOTHO               MN   1.75 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   TODD                           REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

1132 AM    EAGLE BEND                MN   1 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   TODD                           REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.
Local storm report, Jun 11, 1:20 PM CDT, 2 hours 30 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
120 PM CDT MON JUN 11 2001

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOfCATION....

1250 PM    BUCKMAN                   MN   .75 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   MORRISON                       REPORTED BY CITY OFFICIAL
Local storm report, Jun 11, 1:40 PM CDT, 2 hours 10 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
140 PM CDT MON JUN 11 2001

SUMMARY OF REPORTS TODAY

TIME(CDT)  .....CITY LOCATION..... STATE  ...EVENT/REMARKS...
           ....COUNTY LOCATION....

1005 AM    BRANDON                   MN   .88 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   DOUGLAS                        REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

1050 AM    3 S SAUK CENTRE           MN   1 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   STEARNS                        REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

1057 AM    BROWERVILLE               MN   1.25 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   TODD                           REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.

1114 AM    LITTLE FALLS              MN   1 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   MORRISON                       REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

1120 AM    1 N ROSE CITY             MN   1.75 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   DOUGLAS                        REPORTED BY PUBLIC.

1127 AM    4 NW CLOTHO               MN   1.75 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   TODD                           REPORTED BY STORM
                                          SPOTTER.

1132 AM    EAGLE BEND                MN   1 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   TODD                           REPORTED BY LAW
                                          ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL.

1250 PM    BUCKMAN                   MN   .75 INCH HAIL
06/11/01   MORRISON                       REPORTED BY CITY OFFICIAL

The air that afternoon

The radiosonde launches on either side of the tornado, from the nearest station that was launching then, drawn and analyzed the way Storm Lab does: the same diagram, the same parcel and shear definitions SPC's mesoanalysis uses.

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), 12:00Z

8.8 hours before the tornado, 120 km from the path. June 11, 2001.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 2001-06-11Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 0 joules per kilogram, CIN -461, lifted condensation level 1636 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 2001-06-11The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 93 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 31 knots.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-461 J/kg
Surface CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1636 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
31 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
12 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
93 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
168 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0
0-3 km lapse rate
3.1 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), 00:00Z

3.2 hours after it, 120 km from the path. June 12, 2001.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 2001-06-12Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 1964 joules per kilogram, CIN -312, lifted condensation level 1357 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed. The warm shading is its CAPE, the cool shading the inhibition it has to break through.
HodographHodograph, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 2001-06-12The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers as a curve, rings every 10 meters per second labeled in knots. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 237 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 66 knots.1939587897Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km. RM and LM are the right and left moving storms Bunkers' method gives; the shaded area is the 0 to 1 km storm-relative helicity.
Mixed-layer CAPE
1964 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-312 J/kg
Surface CAPE
1463 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1357 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
66 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
37 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
237 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
300 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
4.5
0-3 km lapse rate
3.8 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The surface observations

Willmar/Rice (ILL), 4 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)Temp (°F)Dew point (°F)WindGust (kt)Pressure (mb)Weather
00:00 UTC

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of airport observations.

This ground now

The live radar over the trackEvery 2001 tornado in MinnesotaEvery tornado in Minnesota since 1950Warnings in force in Minnesota nowThe forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of June 11, 2001

29 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
June 114:25 AM CDTF1Hancock, MS1.040$50,000
June 115:25 AM CDTF1Harrison, MS0.370$100,000
June 116:35 AM CDTF0Jackson, MS1.030$10,000
June 117:00 AM CDTF1George, MS10.0752$150,000
June 117:40 AM CDTF0Mobile, AL2.575$20,000
June 113:30 PM EDTF0Duval, FL0.1101$40,000
June 112:40 PM CDTF0Swift, MN0.120
June 112:43 PM CDTF0Swift, MN0.120
June 112:44 PM CDTF0Swift, MN0.125
June 112:48 PM CDTF1Swift, MN0.120
June 112:49 PM CDTF0Swift, MN0.120
June 112:55 PM CDTF0Todd, MN0.120
June 113:00 PM CDTF0Swift, MN0.525
June 113:06 PM CDTF2Swift, MN8.01507$10 million
June 113:27 PM CDTF1Swift, MN7.050
June 113:33 PM CDTF0Swift, MN0.225
June 113:39 PM CDTF1Kandiyohi, MN2.050
June 113:47 PM CDTF1Kandiyohi, MN1.0502
June 114:25 PM CDTF1Meeker, MN0.550
June 113:30 PM PDTF0King, WA0.00
June 116:00 PM CDTF1Scott, MN0.550$50,000
June 116:05 PM CDTF0Covington, AL3.550$10,000
June 116:11 PM CDTF0Buffalo, WI1.550
June 119:00 PM EDTF0Atkinson, GA0.110$4,000
June 119:10 PM EDTF0Union, FL0.110$4,000
June 119:00 PM CDTF0Green Lake, WI0.230$100,000
June 119:13 PM CDTF1Dodge, WI8.075$700,000
June 119:45 PM CDTF1Washington, WI6.375$420,000
June 111:50 AM EDTF1Madison, FL0.31001$200,000

What this means

Ratings are the survey's, read off the damage rather than measured; the rating scale is above. Tornado counts rise through the record as reporting improved, so a year in the 1950s is not comparable with one today except for the strongest tornadoes, which were always noticed.

Sources

NOAA Storm Prediction Center tornado database, 1950-2025, the official record kept by NOAA's Storm Prediction Center.