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.
EF065 to 85 mphthis tornado
Light damage. Surface peeled off some roofs, gutters and siding damaged, branches broken, shallow-rooted trees pushed over.
EF186 to 110 mph
Moderate damage. Roofs badly stripped, mobile homes overturned or badly damaged, exterior doors lost, windows broken.
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.
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.
EF4166 to 200 mph
Devastating damage. Well-built houses leveled, structures with weak foundations moved some distance, cars thrown and large missiles generated.
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.
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) | Expired | Product | Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22:31 UTC | 02:12 UTC | Tornado Watch | MPX |
| 23:31 UTC | 00:30 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX |
| 23:40 UTC | 00:30 UTC | Tornado Warning | MPX |
| 23:59 UTC | 00:45 UTC | Tornado Warning | MPX |
| 00:12 UTC | 00:25 UTC | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | MPX |
| 07:21 UTC | 10:54 UTC | Dense Fog Advisory | MPX |
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.
- 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
Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), 12:00Z
11.4 hours after it, 30 km from the path. May 12, 2022.
- 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
The surface observations
Glencoe (GYL), 18 km from the path, in the two hours either side.
| Time (UTC) | Temp (°F) | Dew point (°F) | Wind | Gust (kt) | Pressure (mb) | Weather |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22:55 UTC | 69.8 | 59 | 50° 14 kt | 24 | 1011.5 | |
| 23:15 UTC | 68.7 | 59 | 60° 13 kt | 25 | 1009.5 | -RA |
| 23:35 UTC | 67.5 | 61 | 60° 13 kt | 21 | 1009.1 | VCTSRA |
| 23:55 UTC | 67.5 | 62 | 80° 14 kt | 20 | 1009.8 | -RA |
| 00:15 UTC | 67.8 | 65.5 | 60° 12 kt | 29 | 1009.1 | -TSRA |
| 00:35 UTC | 66.2 | 63.7 | 250° 22 kt | 31 | 1013.2 | +TSRA |
| 00:55 UTC | 63.7 | 62.2 | 190° 3 kt | 1010.8 | TSRA | |
| 01:15 UTC | 64.8 | 62.6 | 170° 7 kt | 15 | 1010.8 | -TSRA |
| 01:35 UTC | 64.4 | 62.8 | 180° 6 kt | 1010.2 | -TSRA | |
| 01:55 UTC | 65 | 63.5 | 180° 12 kt | 19 | 1011.2 | TSRA |
| 02:15 UTC | 64.8 | 63.5 | 190° 11 kt | 18 | 1010.8 | -TSRA |
| 02:35 UTC | 64.6 | 63.5 | 200° 9 kt | 14 | 1012.5 | -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) | Report | Where | County | Remark |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23:54 UTC | TORNADO | 1 Wnw New Ulm | Brown, MN | TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED TORNADO JUST WEST OF NEW ULM. |
| 23:56 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 6 Ssw Buffalo Lake | Renville, MN | LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED DESTROYED BARN, GRAIN BIN, AND MULTIPLE TREES DOWN. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. |
| 00:10 UTC | HAIL 1.25 | Belle Plaine | Scott, MN | TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. |
| 00:30 UTC | FUNNEL CLOUD | Madison Lake | Blue Earth, MN | REPORTED NEAR 230TH AND 604TH AVE. |
| 00:30 UTC | FLOOD | Hutchinson | Mcleod, MN | SEWER BACKUPS/MINOR STREET FLOODING; ALSO OCCURRED IN GLENCOE AND BROWNING. |
| 00:35 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Gaylord | Sibley, MN | 10 TREE SNAPPED ONTO POWER LINE, POWER OUT. |
| 00:37 UTC | TORNADO | 5 Ese Green Isle | Sibley, MN | A 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 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 Ene Kasota | Le Sueur, MN | REPORTS OF ROOF DAMAGE AND TREE DAMAGE. |
| 00:56 UTC | TSTM WND GST 66 | 4 Nnw Eagle Lake | Blue Earth, MN | AWOS STATION KMKT MANKATO AP. |
| 00:57 UTC | TSTM WND GST 53 | 3 E Mankato | Blue Earth, MN | TIME ESTIMATE BY RADAR. |
| 00:58 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 3 Sw Carver | Carver, MN | TREE DOWN IN DALHGREN TWP. TIME ESTIMATED VIA RADAR. |
| 01:00 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Elysian | Le Sueur, MN | TREES DOWN AND POWER LINES DOWN IN ELYSIAN. E60 MPH WINDS. |
| 01:00 UTC | TSTM WND GST 54 | Shakopee | Scott, MN | TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. |
| 01:01 UTC | TSTM WND GST 79 | 1 Nnw Morristown | Rice, MN | HWY 13 AND CO RD 7. |
| 01:02 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 Ssw Cologne | Carver, MN | POWER LINE DOWN/MULTIPLE TREES DOWN. TIME ESTIMATED VIA RADAR. |
| 01:04 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 3 Nne Chaska | Carver, MN | PINE TREE OVER ROAD. TIME ESTIMATED VIA RADAR. |
| 01:04 UTC | TSTM WND GST 58 | 2 Sse Shakopee | Scott, MN | TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. REPORT BY LAW ENFORCEMENT. |
| 01:05 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 Sw Hutchinson | Mcleod, MN | 12-14 INCH TREE SNAPPED AT TRUNK DALE ST. AND S. GRADE RD. SW. |
| 01:05 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 2 Ese Chanhassen | Hennepin, MN | LARGE TREE BRANCH BLOCKING DELL ROAD IN EDEN PRAIRIE. INFO SENT VIA TWITTER. |
| 01:05 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Kilkenny | Le Sueur, MN | REPORTS OF DOWNED TREES. |
| 01:07 UTC | TSTM WND GST 77 | 1 Wnw Shakopee | Carver, MN | MEASURED AT HOME ASOS STATION. |
| 01:10 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Crystal | Hennepin, MN | TREES DOWN PER PUBLIC WORKS. LARGE TREE BLOCKING RESIDENTIAL STREET IN CRYSTAL, MN. PHOTO PROVIDED VIA TWITTER. |
| 01:10 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Waterville | Le Sueur, MN | TREES DOWN ACROSS THE CITY OF WATERVILLE. |
| 01:10 UTC | TSTM WND GST 67 | 2 Sw Eden Prairie | Hennepin, MN | RECORDED VIA FLYING CLOUD ARPT ASOS. |
| 01:10 UTC | HAIL 1 | 1 Sse Medina | Hennepin, MN | SOME QUARTER SIZE HAIL, LOTS OF NICKEL SIZE HAIL. |
| 01:10 UTC | HAIL 1.5 | 2 N Chaska | Carver, MN | |
| 01:10 UTC | HAIL 1.5 | 2 Se Shakopee | Scott, MN | TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. |
| 01:10 UTC | HAIL 2 | 1 S Shakopee | Scott, MN | |
| 01:13 UTC | TSTM WND GST 64 | Hopkins | Hennepin, MN | |
| 01:15 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 3 S Minneapolis | Hennepin, MN | LARGE TREE FELL ON TOP OF CAR IN SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS. PHOTO PROVIDED VIA TWITTER. |
| 01:15 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Chanhassen | Carver, MN | SEVERAL DOWNED TREES ON POWER LINES. |
| 01:15 UTC | HAIL 1.25 | 3 Sse Lakeville | Dakota, MN | |
| 01:20 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | Robbinsdale | Hennepin, MN | TREES AND BRANCHES DOWN ON THE NORTH SIDE OF CRYSTAL LAKE. SOME WERE BLOCKING ROADS. POWER ALSO OUT. |
| 01:20 UTC | TSTM WND GST 61 | 3 Ene Richfield | Hennepin, MN | MSP INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. |
| 01:25 UTC | TSTM WND DMG | 1 Sse Brooklyn Park | Hennepin, MN | LARGE TREE BRANCES DOWN. |
| 01:25 UTC | HAIL 1 | 2 N Apple Valley | Dakota, MN | |
| 01:26 UTC | HAIL 1.25 | Apple Valley | Dakota, MN | MULTIPLE REPORTS OF 1 TO 1.25 INCH HAIL IN APPLE VALLEY. |
| 01:29 UTC | HAIL 1 | 2 Ssw Eagan | Dakota, MN | |
| 01:35 UTC | FLOOD | 2 Wnw Richfield | Hennepin, MN | 1.12 INCHES OF RAIN IN 30 MINUTES; CARS STRANDED ON HWY 62 NEAR I-35W FROM DRIVING THROUGH PONDED WATER. |
| 01:40 UTC | FLOOD | Maple Plain | Hennepin, MN | STREET 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.
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.