Tornadoes · United States · Minnesota · 2022

EF0 tornado, Green Isle to Assumption, Minnesota, May 11, 2022

From Green Isle to Assumption, this EF0 tornado ran 5.5 miles across Carver and Sibley counties on May 11, 2022, touching down at 7:37 PM CDT and reaching 50 yards wide. It killed nobody.

The rating scale

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

  1. EF065 to 85 mphthis tornado

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

  2. EF186 to 110 mph

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

  3. EF2111 to 135 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. EF3136 to 165 mph

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

  5. EF4166 to 200 mph

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

  6. EF5over 200 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
EF0
Date
May 11, 2022
Touchdown
7:37 PM CDT (00:37 UTC)
Lifted
7:42 PM CDT (00:42 UTC)
On the ground
5 minutes
Path length
5.5 miles (8.8 km)
Path width
50 yards (46 m)
Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Counties
Carver and Sibley counties
Touchdown point
44.639, -93.918
Lift-off point
44.704, -93.856
Record number
2205111837-01

The damage survey

8 damage points were recorded along this path by NWS MPX, in the Damage Assessment Toolkit the survey teams carry. The strongest indicator was rated EF0. The highest wind the damage implies is 75 mph.

  • Tree damage and minor structural damage to a single family home. Beginning point.

Survey points are preliminary and are the raw material the published rating was built from. Source: NWS Damage Assessment Toolkit.

What the Weather Service recorded

A cluster of storms produced large hail stones west of Granite Falls, near Olivia, and northeast toward the northwest suburbs of the Twin Cities. Most of these storms were elevated but had a steep lapse rate to generate large hail, up to 2 inches in diameter at times. ||These late morning, and early afternoon storms moved northeast out of Minnesota. A warm front lifted northward across southern Minnesota during the afternoon with a potent shortwave moving northeast out of Nebraska. This shortwave generated a large complex of storms and quickly moved northeast across southern Minnesota and produced numerous damaging wind gusts, tornadoes and hail. There were even some flooding concerns as three to five inches of rain fell across portions of west central and central Minnesota by the late evening as the storms diminished and moved off to the northeast.||Three tornadoes occurred within the large bow echo that surged from southwest Minnesota, northeast toward east central Minnesota. One occurred in Brown County, another in Sibley and Carver County, and a third in Anoka County. All of the tornadoes were rated EF0 and produced mainly tree and roof damage.||According to Xcel Energy, more than 75,000 customers were without power across southern Minnesota during the peak of the storm.

A tornado broke several dozen trees and ripped part of a tin roof off a shed. The tornado traveled into southwestern Carver County, dissipating about one mile northeast of Assumption Lake. Maximum winds were estimated at 75 mph.

The tornado started in northeastern Sibley County before moving into southwestern Carver County, dissipating about one mile northeast of Assumption Lake. While in Carver County, it broke several dozen trees. Maximum winds were estimated at 75 mph.

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

The warnings

38 minutes of warning. NWS MPX issued a tornado warning for this county at 23:59 UTC, 38 minutes before the tornado touched down, in force until 00:45 UTC.

The county was under a tornado watch, issued at 22:31 UTC and running to 02:12 UTC.

Issued (UTC)ExpiredProductOffice
22:31 UTC02:12 UTCTornado WatchMPX
23:31 UTC00:30 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPX
23:40 UTC00:30 UTCTornado WarningMPX
23:59 UTC00:45 UTCTornado WarningMPX
00:12 UTC00:25 UTCSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPX
07:21 UTC10:54 UTCDense Fog AdvisoryMPX

Every warning and watch covering the touchdown point that day, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service products. Lead time is measured from the issue of the warning in force to the touchdown time in the database, both of which were recorded to the minute by different people.

The forecast that day

The Storm Prediction Center had this point in a Enhanced Risk, with a 0.10 chance of a tornado within 25 miles. The outlook in force was issued at 19:59 UTC.

SPC's Day 1 convective outlook as it stood when the tornado began, read at the touchdown point. The same archive is on the radar archive.

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), 00:00Z

0.6 hours before the tornado, 30 km from the path. May 12, 2022.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Minneapolis, MN at 00:00Z on 2022-05-12Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 243 joules per kilogram, CIN -306, lifted condensation level 862 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°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 2022-05-12The 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 439 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 65 knots.19395878Sfc1 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
243 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-306 J/kg
Surface CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
862 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
65 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
31 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
439 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
580 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
17.2
0-3 km lapse rate
4.5 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), 12:00Z

11.4 hours after it, 30 km from the path. May 12, 2022.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 2022-05-12Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel lifted from the surface. Mixed-layer CAPE 892 joules per kilogram, CIN -300, lifted condensation level 877 meters above ground. Wind barbs in knots down the right edge.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°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 2022-05-12The 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 133 square meters per square second, 0 to 6 km bulk shear 38 knots.19395878Sfc1 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
892 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-300 J/kg
Surface CAPE
0 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
877 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
38 kt
0-1 km bulk shear
20 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
133 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
214 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
2.2
0-3 km lapse rate
2.5 K/km

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The surface observations

Glencoe (GYL), 18 km from the path, in the two hours either side.

Time (UTC)Temp (°F)Dew point (°F)WindGust (kt)Pressure (mb)Weather
22:55 UTC69.85950° 14 kt241011.5
23:15 UTC68.75960° 13 kt251009.5-RA
23:35 UTC67.56160° 13 kt211009.1VCTSRA
23:55 UTC67.56280° 14 kt201009.8-RA
00:15 UTC67.865.560° 12 kt291009.1-TSRA
00:35 UTC66.263.7250° 22 kt311013.2+TSRA
00:55 UTC63.762.2190° 3 kt1010.8TSRA
01:15 UTC64.862.6170° 7 kt151010.8-TSRA
01:35 UTC64.462.8180° 6 kt1010.2-TSRA
01:55 UTC6563.5180° 12 kt191011.2TSRA
02:15 UTC64.863.5190° 11 kt181010.8-TSRA
02:35 UTC64.663.5200° 9 kt141012.5-TSRA

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

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 32 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the touchdown began at 00:36 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment, over the track

Reflectivity and velocity, decoded from the Level II archive in the browser. Volumes take a few seconds to open the first time.

What was reported nearby

Local storm reports within 60 km of the path, in the three hours either side.

Time (UTC)ReportWhereCountyRemark
23:54 UTCTORNADO1 Wnw New UlmBrown, MNTRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED TORNADO JUST WEST OF NEW ULM.
23:56 UTCTSTM WND DMG6 Ssw Buffalo LakeRenville, MNLAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED DESTROYED BARN, GRAIN BIN, AND MULTIPLE TREES DOWN. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
00:10 UTCHAIL 1.25Belle PlaineScott, MNTIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
00:30 UTCFUNNEL CLOUDMadison LakeBlue Earth, MNREPORTED NEAR 230TH AND 604TH AVE.
00:30 UTCFLOODHutchinsonMcleod, MNSEWER BACKUPS/MINOR STREET FLOODING; ALSO OCCURRED IN GLENCOE AND BROWNING.
00:35 UTCTSTM WND DMGGaylordSibley, MN10 TREE SNAPPED ONTO POWER LINE, POWER OUT.
00:37 UTCTORNADO5 Ese Green IsleSibley, MNA STORM SURVEY DETERMINED A TORNADO BROKE SEVERAL DOZEN TREES AND RIPPED PART OF A TIN ROOF OFF A SHED. ITS PATH LENGTH WAS 5.6 MILES AND IT TRAVELED INTO SOUTHWEST CARVER COUNTY, DISSIPATING ABOUT ONE MILE NORTHEAST OF
00:50 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 Ene KasotaLe Sueur, MNREPORTS OF ROOF DAMAGE AND TREE DAMAGE.
00:56 UTCTSTM WND GST 664 Nnw Eagle LakeBlue Earth, MNAWOS STATION KMKT MANKATO AP.
00:57 UTCTSTM WND GST 533 E MankatoBlue Earth, MNTIME ESTIMATE BY RADAR.
00:58 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 Sw CarverCarver, MNTREE DOWN IN DALHGREN TWP. TIME ESTIMATED VIA RADAR.
01:00 UTCTSTM WND DMGElysianLe Sueur, MNTREES DOWN AND POWER LINES DOWN IN ELYSIAN. E60 MPH WINDS.
01:00 UTCTSTM WND GST 54ShakopeeScott, MNTIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
01:01 UTCTSTM WND GST 791 Nnw MorristownRice, MNHWY 13 AND CO RD 7.
01:02 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Ssw CologneCarver, MNPOWER LINE DOWN/MULTIPLE TREES DOWN. TIME ESTIMATED VIA RADAR.
01:04 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 Nne ChaskaCarver, MNPINE TREE OVER ROAD. TIME ESTIMATED VIA RADAR.
01:04 UTCTSTM WND GST 582 Sse ShakopeeScott, MNTIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. REPORT BY LAW ENFORCEMENT.
01:05 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Sw HutchinsonMcleod, MN12-14 INCH TREE SNAPPED AT TRUNK DALE ST. AND S. GRADE RD. SW.
01:05 UTCTSTM WND DMG2 Ese ChanhassenHennepin, MNLARGE TREE BRANCH BLOCKING DELL ROAD IN EDEN PRAIRIE. INFO SENT VIA TWITTER.
01:05 UTCTSTM WND DMGKilkennyLe Sueur, MNREPORTS OF DOWNED TREES.
01:07 UTCTSTM WND GST 771 Wnw ShakopeeCarver, MNMEASURED AT HOME ASOS STATION.
01:10 UTCTSTM WND DMGCrystalHennepin, MNTREES DOWN PER PUBLIC WORKS. LARGE TREE BLOCKING RESIDENTIAL STREET IN CRYSTAL, MN. PHOTO PROVIDED VIA TWITTER.
01:10 UTCTSTM WND DMGWatervilleLe Sueur, MNTREES DOWN ACROSS THE CITY OF WATERVILLE.
01:10 UTCTSTM WND GST 672 Sw Eden PrairieHennepin, MNRECORDED VIA FLYING CLOUD ARPT ASOS.
01:10 UTCHAIL 11 Sse MedinaHennepin, MNSOME QUARTER SIZE HAIL, LOTS OF NICKEL SIZE HAIL.
01:10 UTCHAIL 1.52 N ChaskaCarver, MN
01:10 UTCHAIL 1.52 Se ShakopeeScott, MNTIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR.
01:10 UTCHAIL 21 S ShakopeeScott, MN
01:13 UTCTSTM WND GST 64HopkinsHennepin, MN
01:15 UTCTSTM WND DMG3 S MinneapolisHennepin, MNLARGE TREE FELL ON TOP OF CAR IN SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS. PHOTO PROVIDED VIA TWITTER.
01:15 UTCTSTM WND DMGChanhassenCarver, MNSEVERAL DOWNED TREES ON POWER LINES.
01:15 UTCHAIL 1.253 Sse LakevilleDakota, MN
01:20 UTCTSTM WND DMGRobbinsdaleHennepin, MNTREES AND BRANCHES DOWN ON THE NORTH SIDE OF CRYSTAL LAKE. SOME WERE BLOCKING ROADS. POWER ALSO OUT.
01:20 UTCTSTM WND GST 613 Ene RichfieldHennepin, MNMSP INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
01:25 UTCTSTM WND DMG1 Sse Brooklyn ParkHennepin, MNLARGE TREE BRANCES DOWN.
01:25 UTCHAIL 12 N Apple ValleyDakota, MN
01:26 UTCHAIL 1.25Apple ValleyDakota, MNMULTIPLE REPORTS OF 1 TO 1.25 INCH HAIL IN APPLE VALLEY.
01:29 UTCHAIL 12 Ssw EaganDakota, MN
01:35 UTCFLOOD2 Wnw RichfieldHennepin, MN1.12 INCHES OF RAIN IN 30 MINUTES; CARS STRANDED ON HWY 62 NEAR I-35W FROM DRIVING THROUGH PONDED WATER.
01:40 UTCFLOODMaple PlainHennepin, MNSTREET FLOODING IN MAPLE PLAIN AT HWY 12.

From the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service local storm reports.

This ground now

The live radar over the trackEvery 2022 tornado in MinnesotaEvery tornado in Minnesota since 1950Warnings in force in Minnesota nowThe forecast where you are

The other tornadoes of May 11, 2022

6 more were confirmed in the United States that day.

DateTimeRatingWherePath (mi)Width (yd)DeathsInjuriesDamage
May 115:33 PM CDTEF1Murray, MN3.575
May 115:46 PM CDTUnratedCottonwood, MN0.125
May 115:47 PM CDTEF1Cottonwood, MN0.950
May 116:10 PM CDTUnratedCottonwood, MN0.025
May 116:51 PM CDTEF0Brown, MN1.550
May 118:29 PM CDTEF0Anoka, MN3.250

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.