Rare October tornado watch covers Twin Cities as severe storms bring large hail

A rare late-October tornado watch put the Minneapolis-St. Paul area on alert Wednesday as severe thunderstorms rolled across Minnesota and into western Wisconsin on an unusually warm fall day. The Storm Prediction Center issued Tornado Watch 698 at 3:40 p.m. CT, running until 9 p.m., according to Patch.

Which areas are under the tornado watch in Minnesota?

Patch reported that the watch covers 21 Minnesota counties: Anoka, Benton, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Goodhue, Hennepin, Isanti, Kanabec, Le Sueur, McLeod, Mille Lacs, Nicollet, Pine, Ramsey, Rice, Scott, Sherburne, Sibley, Washington and Wright. Rolling Out, citing the weather service, listed western Wisconsin counties as well, including Barron, Chippewa, Dunn, Eau Claire, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Rusk and St. Croix. CBS Minnesota put the Minnesota count at 20; the difference appears to come from Pine County, which the Duluth weather office handled separately.

Was there a tornado warning in Minneapolis?

As of midafternoon, no tornado warning had been issued for the metro, according to CBS Minnesota and Rolling Out. By 4:30 p.m., three severe thunderstorm warnings were in effect and there had been several reports of rotation, the National Weather Service in the Twin Cities said in an update cited by Patch. Earlier, a report of 3-inch hail came in near Atwater in Kandiyohi County just before 2 p.m., Rolling Out reported. Conditions can change quickly, so check the weather service’s current warnings page for the latest.

How strong could storms get?

The Twin Cities sat under a Level 2 of 5 “slight” risk of severe weather. Forecasters said large hail, damaging winds up to about 70 mph and a few tornadoes were possible. Rolling Out reported the weather service called the tornado threat “highly conditional,” depending on how much the sun warmed the air ahead of the storms.

Why is an October tornado watch unusual?

Tornadoes are rare in Minnesota this late in the year, and many people are not thinking about storm safety in October. Storms were expected to move through the metro during the evening commute and after-school activities, and Hennepin County called off its siren testing because of the threat, according to Rolling Out. Sunset comes around 6 p.m., so any storm later in the watch would arrive after dark.

Tornado watch vs. tornado warning

A watch means conditions are favorable for tornadoes to develop. A warning means a tornado has been spotted or indicated on radar, and people in the warned area should take shelter immediately. The weather service recommends a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor, away from windows.

What’s the Minneapolis weather after the storms?

Cooler, drier air follows. Patch, citing the forecast, said overnight lows would drop to around 42 degrees, with a sunny Thursday near 56 and a mostly sunny Friday near 57. Rain chances return over the weekend.

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