Funnel Clouds Possible in Iowa This Evening

WWUS83 KARX 182305
SPSARX

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
604 PM CDT FRI JUL 18 2008

IAZ008>011-018-019-029-190100-
ALLAMAKEE-CHICKASAW-FAYETTE-FLOYD-HOWARD-MITCHELL-WINNESHIEK-
604 PM CDT FRI JUL 18 2008

…WEAK FUNNEL CLOUDS FORMING OVER PARTS OF NORTHEAST IOWA…

CONDITIONS ARE RIPE EARLY THIS EVENING FOR OCCASIONAL WEAK
FUNNEL CLOUDS TO FORM OVER PARTS OF NORTHEAST IOWA. THERE HAS
ALREADY BEEN SOME REPORTED IN FLOYD COUNTY…AND OTHERS ARE SURE TO
FORM.

THESE FUNNEL CLOUDS SHOULD NOT LAST LONG AND MOST OF THEM DO NOT
TOUCHDOWN.

IF A FUNNEL IS OBSERVED…HAVE A PLACE OF SHELTER IN MIND JUST IN
CASE THEY DO BEGIN TO EXTEND DOWN CLOSER TO THE GROUND.

July 17th Severe Update

The chance for any more rain tonight into Friday morning is looking very slim, and if any thunderstorms develop, they’ll remain isolated.  The Flash Flood Watch for southeast Minnesota, north Iowa, and southwest Wisconsin was canceled by the National Weather Service at 8:15pm this evening.  There is still a chance for a few t-storms Friday, but the best chance will remain in central Iowa.

5:10pm Update: New thundershowers are developing along the Iowa/Minnesota border…these are not expected to become severe.

3:45pm Update: Just light rain remains in southeast Minnesota, and the severe thunderstorm watch has been cancelled early for all of southeast Minnesota.  There is a chance for rain developing again late this evening and overnight, and while severe weather is not expected with these storms, locally heavy rain and the resulting flooding potential is a concern.

2:50pm Update: Severe Thunderstorm Warnings continue for Cerro Gordo, Floyd, and Wright counties.  Hail to the size of pennies has been reported and a strong core with large hail is moving toward Charles City, Iowa.

2:20pm Update: Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Cerro Gordo county in Iowa, including Mason City, until 3pm.  Penny size hail has been reported a half mile southwest of Mason City and the storm is moving east at 25mph.  It is looking like rain will wrap-up by 5pm throughout much of southeast Minnesota, but the line in north Iowa will only slowly progress into this evening…increasing the threat of localized flooding.

1:15pm Update: Strong to severe storms are affecting Emmet and Kossuth counties in north Iowa, and the severe t-storm warnings will expire at 1:30pm for those counties.  The threat from these storms (as will be the threat for the rest of today) is strong wind and hail to the size of nickels.  So far, actual severe reports have been very limited.

Heavy rain and potential flash flooding will be the greatest concern for the rest of today and tonight.

July 16th Severe Update

9:30 p.m. update:

Flash flood warning cancelled for Northeast Houston County.

Flood Advisory expired for Houston, Winona, La Crosse, and Vernon counties.

7:00 p.m. update:

A Flash Flood Warning is in effect for northeast Houston county until 9:30 p.m. Wednesday.

A Flood Advisory is in effect for Houston, Winona, La Crosse, and Vernon counties until 8:15 p.m. Wednesday.

Earlier updates:

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for Goodhue and Wabasha counties in MN and in Trempealeau county in Wisconsin until 6:00 p.m.. Already storms with hail and wind have developed across the area, especially into Wisconsin. It’s a sticky, warm day with a nearly stationary front nearby us. This will be the focus for storms as it wobbles across the region today. Stay tuned…

 

July 15th: A Cool and Scary-Looking Storm

We have a ton of pictures from the storm pouring into our email. We’re working quickly to get them online! Thanks for sending them in. For storm pictures, click here!

An incredibly photogenic storm developed rapidly just south of Rochester, around I-90, right around the 7:30-8:00 p.m. hour on Tuesday. We were watching it and timelapsing from our Suk Law Firm Skycam from downtown Rochester. It was an impressive looking storm to the eye, and did produce dime and nickel-sized hail, along with heavy rain to places such as Stewartville and Dover. It was anything from “awesome” to “scary” as viewers described to us!

 

July 11th EF-3 Tornado in Willmar

Picture from the NWS Chanhassen tornado survey

While there wasn’t much in the way of verified severe weather here in southern Minnesota and north Iowa last Friday, tornadoes struck central to northwest Minnesota–the worst being in Willmar.  The NWS office in Chanhassen has posted a summary of Friday’s severe weather that struck much of Minnesota.  The most significant event of Friday’s storms occurred in Willmar, where an EF-3 rated tornado struck near the city (pictured below).  The folks over at SevereStudios.com also got some great video of the tornado.

Picture of the Willmar tornado taken by Benson County Skywarn spotter Joyce Nokleby

Visit NWS Chanhassen’s event synopsis for more pictures of the tornado and the damage it caused, along with a few more details on storms elsewhere in the state.

Click here for a summary of radar, storm reports, and rainfall totals from last Friday in southeast Minnesota, northeast Iowa, and southwest Wisconsin.

One For the Record Books

Here’s a sweltering fact: today’s record high temperature in Rochester is not JUST a record high…but an all-time record high in over 100 years of data! On this day in 1936, 108° was jotted down in the record books. This is the highest the mercury has ever climbed for the med city. Now THAT’s hot. If you want proof, take at look at the KTTC Almanac for today:

We’re going to see our own dose of warmer weather - but we can’t call it hot by that comparison. We’ll top out around 90° for our Tuesday for many locations. Rochester still has not seen a 90° reading this year. We usually have a couple by now. We’ll see if we get there!

Quiet Weekend - but a Not-So-Quiet Week?

Above: The sun sets Sunday, July 13th over downtown Rochester from the Suk Law Firm Skycam, wrapping up a weekend of windy, comfy warmth.

Things have surely been quiet this weekend, but those winds have been quite gusty at times! Hopefully you got out and enjoyed the treat of fantastic weekend weather - whatever you did! Look for things to warm up a couple of degrees for our Monday - we’re talking low 80s across the area. Daytime heating and cooler air aloft may spark a couple of thundershowers tomorrow afternoon, but I’m not anticipating a widespread event. The better chance for thunderstorms comes mid-week, along with the heat and humidity. Not every day will be a washout, but storms are likely as we get into an active, quick-moving, unsettled pattern. In the meantime, check out these photos taken by Kim Crain. These were taken at the Joliet Speedway in Joliet, Illinois on Friday, July 11th. You can see the shelf cloud from the line of severe storms that moved through that area too. Pretty nifty stuff, certainly scary if you don’t recognize it!

Shelf Cloud at Joliet Speedway, July 11th, 2008. Photo by Kim Crain.

Shelf Cloud at Joliet Speedway, July 11th, 2008. Photo by Kim Crain.

What a difference!

We can truly appreciate a day like this when we are in the middle of summer. Was there not a little hint of fall in the air today? Weather like this always reminds me of that first cold front we get in September, when drier air makes its way in and reminds us why we live in this part of the country! Our dew points have dropped nearly 25 - 30 degrees, and temps at least 10 degrees, after the cold front that came through last night. What a refreshing Saturday! We’ll see some clouds tonight as the storm system responsible continues to spin well to our north. Rain chances will stay confined to northern Minnesota and high pressure will grace us for the rest of the weekend. Winds will still be a little breezy tomorrow, out of the northwest, gusting to around 30 to 35 miles per hour at times.

For a full listing of the severe weather reports from last night and a pretty neat radar loop of the line of storms, you can click here. Thanks goes to the National Weather Service in La Crosse for compiling this.

Enjoy this fantastic dose of weather!

7/11 Severe Update: Southeast Minnesota

(12:50 am) ARX issues Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Allamakee, Winneshiek [IA] till 1:30 AM CDT

(12:43 am) Decorah [Winneshiek Co, IA] law enforcement reports HAIL of nickel size (E0.88 INCH)

(11:53pm) ARX cancels Severe Thunderstorm Watch for Dodge, Mower, Olmsted, Wabasha, Winona [MN] and Buffalo, Clark, Taylor, Trempealeau [WI]

(11:45pm) 4 W Rushford [Fillmore Co, MN] trained spotter reports TSTM WND DMG at 11:45 PM CDT — tree down blocking parts of highway 30.

(11:42pm) Cooler, drier air is moving in to MN and IA behind this line of thunderstorms. Check out your forecast.

(11:28pm) ARX continues Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Olmsted, Winona [MN] and Buffalo, Clark, Jackson, Taylor, Trempealeau [WI] till 11:45 PM CDT

(11:24pm) ARX: 1 E Whalan [Fillmore Co, MN] trained spotter reports TSTM WND GST of E60 MPH at 11:23 PM CDT –

(11:24pm) ARX continues Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Fillmore, Mower [MN] till 12:00 AM CDT

(11:22pm) ARX continues Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Fillmore, Mower [MN] till 12:00 AM CDT

(11:09PM) ARX continues Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Dodge, Mower, Olmsted, Wabasha [MN] and Buffalo [WI] till 11:15 PM CDT

(11:06PM) ARX continues Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Olmsted, Winona [MN] and Buffalo, Clark, Jackson, Taylor, Trempealeau [WI] till 11:45 PM CDT

(11:03pm) ARX continues Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Dodge, Mower, Olmsted, Wabasha [MN] and Buffalo [WI] till 11:15 PM CDT

(10:58pm) ARX issues Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Fillmore, Mower [MN] till 12:00 AM CDT

(10:56pm) MPX: 2 Sw Albert Lea [Freeborn Co, MN] trained spotter reports TSTM WND DMG at 10:54 PM CDT — twenty four inch tree toppled.

(10:54pm) ARX: Weaver [Wabasha Co, MN] trained spotter reports TSTM WND GST of E50 MPH at 10:48 PM CDT — trained spotter near weaver reported estimated 50 miles per hour.

(10:46pm) ARX continues Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Olmsted, Winona [MN] and Buffalo, Clark, Jackson, Taylor, Trempealeau [WI] till 11:45 PM CDT

(10:42pm) ARX issues Severe Thunderstorm Watch for Allamakee, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette, Floyd, Howard, Mitchell, Winneshiek [IA] till 5:00 AM CDT

(10:42pm) ARX continues Severe Thunderstorm Watch for Dodge, Fillmore, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Wabasha, Winona [MN] and Buffalo, Clark, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon [WI] till 3:00 AM CDT

(10:39pm) Storm Prediction Center issues SEVERE TSTM watch till 10:00 UTC (Watch Quickview)

(10:37pm) MPX cancels Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Steele [MN]

(10:30pm) ARX: 1 Sw Oronoco [Olmsted Co, MN] fire dept/rescue reports TSTM WND GST of E75 MPH at 10:26 PM CDT

(10:15pm) ARX: Lake City [Wabasha Co, MN] amateur radio reports TSTM WND GST of E40 MPH at 10:13 PM CDT

(10:13pm) MPX issues Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Freeborn [MN] till 11:00 PM CDT

(10:10pm) ARX continues Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Dodge, Mower, Olmsted, Wabasha [MN] and Buffalo [WI] till 11:15 PM CDT

(10:02pm) Storms are moving to the east at 45mph.

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR…
LAKE CITY AND CLAREMONT AROUND 1010 PM…
MAZEPPA AROUND 1015 PM…
DODGE CENTER AROUND 1020 PM…
MANTORVILLE AND ORONOCO AROUND 1025 PM…
WABASHA AND HAYFIELD AROUND 1035 PM…
AUSTIN AND MONDOVI AROUND 1040 PM…
BROWNSDALE AND KELLOGG AROUND 1045 PM…
ROCHESTER AND ALMA AROUND 1050 PM…

(10:00pm) MPX cancels Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Blue Earth, Rice [MN]

(10:00pm) MPX continues Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Steele, Waseca [MN] till 10:15 PM CDT

(9:58pm) ARX issues Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Dodge, Mower, Olmsted, Wabasha [MN] and Buffalo [WI] till 11:15 PM CDT

(9:49pm) Be sure to catch the latest details on tonight’s severe weather on the KTTC NewsCenter at 10pm. Also, the latest watches and warnings can be viewed at KTTC.com Note the new application on our homepage that allows you to upload your digital pictures and video directly to our website.

(9:39pm) MPX continues Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Blue Earth, Rice, Steele, Waseca [MN] till 10:15 PM CDT

(9:38pm) MPX: 5 Sw Northfield [Rice Co, MN] trained spotter reports HAIL of penny size (M0.75 INCH) at 09:36 PM CDT

(9:29pm) MPX issues Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Dakota, Goodhue, Rice [MN] and Barron, Dunn, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, St. Croix [WI] till 10:30 PM CDT

(9:15pm) ARX issues Severe Thunderstorm Watch for Dodge, Fillmore, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Wabasha, Winona [MN] and Buffalo, Clark, Jackson, La Crosse, Monroe, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon [WI] till 3:00 AM CDT

(hit ‘refresh’ for updates to this post)

7/11 Severe Update: T-Storm Watches, Warnings

9:29 p.m. update: MPX issues Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Dakota, Goodhue, Rice [MN] and Barron, Dunn, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, St. Croix [WI] till 10:30 PM CDT

9:15 p.m. update: Severe Thunderstorm Watch in effect for southeastern Minnesota until 3:00 a.m. Saturday. This also includes our counties in Western Wisconsin.

Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Steele and Waseca until 10:15 p.m..

Severe Thunderstorm Warning in effect for eastern Rice and western Goodhue counties until 9:30 p.m.. Numerous wind damage reports and winds in excess of 65 mph have been reported as this line of storms continues to move east around 50 mph. One to two-foot diameter trees down in Northfield in Rice County from strong winds. Stay tuned…

—

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for Emmet, Kossuth, Winnebago, Faribault, Martin, and Waseca counties until 11:00 p.m. Friday.

Things are quiet now, but are just starting to get going in western Minnesota and northwestern Iowa. More volatile weather is taking place well to our north and west, where a Tornado Watch and tornado warnings are in effect.

Expect the evening to be hot, muggy, uncomfortable, and then the storms should arrive around the 9-10 p.m. timeframe, from west to east. Keep it tuned to KTTC, check out www.kttc.com, and we’ll continue to follow the situation here!