Supercell thunderstorms developed across southern Minnesota during the afternoon of Thursday June 17th producing tornadoes and large hail initially.  These storms then developed a line of damaging wind gusts that moved through parts of Rochester, MN and eventually grew to produce strong to severe winds across much of southeast Minnesota, northeast Iowa, and into western Wisconsin into the evening hours.  There were numerous reports of 60 to 80 mph winds with trees down, power lines down, and building damage.

The worst wind damage occurred in two swaths.  The first went from near Rochester (or Byron, MN) east to Winona and into rural areas of Buffalo and Trempealeau Counties in western Wisconsin.  Another path of strong to damaging winds moved across northern Iowa and into southwest Wisconsin that led to sporadic damage and winds up to 70 mph.

National Weather Service staff members surveyed damage and determined there were at least four tornadoes.

1) The first tornado was on the ground in eastern Steele Co., MN north of Blooming Prairie and crossed briefly into Dodge County southwest of Claremont.  It was rated an EF0 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.  Damage about 2 miles southeast of Claremont was caused by this same storm but was determined to only be downburst related (straight-line wind).

2) The second tornado also formed in Steele County and tracked into rural parts of southwestern Dodge County, MN, northeast of Blooming Prairie.  It was rated an EF2 in Steele County but only produced EF1 damage in Dodge County.  Damage near County Roads 3 and 4 included partially torn off roofs and blown down trees.  The width of the small tornado was less than 100 feet.

3) Another tornado struck northwest Rochester, MN around 9:00 p.m. CDT as the thunderstorms transitioned into a line of damaging wind.  The tornado, rated an EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, produced intermittent damage starting near 50th Ave NW and traveled northeast behind the Wal-Mart shopping center near 55th Street NW.  It tracked across Highway 52 and hit a Menards building before continuing northeast and dissipating a few minutes later.  The path length of the tornado was around 2 miles long with a maximum width of 150 yards.  This was the first tornado to hit the city of Rochester since 1995.

4) A brief tornado touched down just west of Cream, WI (Buffalo County) and produced EF1 damage (95-100 mph) with a path width of about 75 yards. Numerous trees were sheared off and there was building damage in the area. The tornado tracked for about 2 miles, lifting about a mile east of Cream with a bulk of the speeds in the EF0 range (less than 88 mph). 

Other NWS survey information for June 17, 2010:

• NWS Minneapolis/Chanhassen
• NWS Duluth
• NWS Grand Forks

Doppler Radar Imagery

Click here for a radar loop every 20-30 min. from 7 pm to 11 pm on June 17, 2010 - Radar Loop

Damage Photos

Garage damage in northwest Rochester, MN			House damage in northwest Rochester, MN	Tree and fence damage in northwest Rochester, MN
Damage to Menards Store in northwest Rochester, MN			Damage to homes in northwest Rochester, MN	Damage to homes in northwest Rochester, MN
Damage to a home in southwest Dodge County, MN			Wind damage to a Turkey Farm south of Claremont, MN	Damage to an elevator near St.Charles, MN
Damage near Cream, Wisconsin (EF1 tornado)
Beginning of tornado path. Picture looking southeast. Damage in distance. About 1W Cream.			Close-up of EF1 tornado damage	Close-up of EF1 tornado damage. Looking east.
Tree damage 0.5 mi. west of Cream			End of damage path east of Cream

Storm Reports from June 17, 2010

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
233 AM CDT FRI JUN 18 2010

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0750 PM     HAIL             BLOOMING PRAIRIE        43.87N 93.05W
06/17/2010  E0.75 INCH       DODGE              MN   PUBLIC

            THE HAIL FELL FOR A COUPLE MINUTES

0755 PM     HAIL             BLOOMING PRAIRIE        43.87N 93.05W
06/17/2010  E0.25 INCH       DODGE              MN   EMERGENCY MNGR

            HEAVY RAIN

0821 PM     HAIL             CLAREMONT               44.04N 93.00W
06/17/2010  E1.00 INCH       DODGE              MN   EMERGENCY MNGR

0832 PM     TORNADO          6 W HAYFIELD            43.89N 92.97W
06/17/2010                   DODGE              MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

0835 PM     TSTM WND GST     HAYFIELD                43.89N 92.85W
06/17/2010  E50.00 MPH       DODGE              MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

0835 PM     TORNADO          5 S CLAREMONT           43.97N 93.00W
06/17/2010                   DODGE              MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            MOVING NORTHEAST

0844 PM     TSTM WND GST     DODGE CENTER            44.03N 92.85W
06/17/2010  M50.00 MPH       DODGE              MN   EMERGENCY MNGR

0845 PM     TSTM WND GST     DODGE CENTER            44.03N 92.85W
06/17/2010  E60.00 MPH       DODGE              MN   EMERGENCY MNGR

0857 PM     TSTM WND GST     ROCK DELL               43.91N 92.65W
06/17/2010  M70.00 MPH       OLMSTED            MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

0857 PM     TSTM WND GST     1 SE BYRON              44.02N 92.63W
06/17/2010  E70.00 MPH       OLMSTED            MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

0859 PM     HAIL             1 SE BYRON              44.02N 92.63W
06/17/2010  E0.88 INCH       OLMSTED            MN   AMATEUR RADIO

0900 PM     TSTM WND GST     1 SE BYRON              44.02N 92.63W
06/17/2010  E75.00 MPH       OLMSTED            MN   AMATEUR RADIO

0900 PM     TSTM WND GST     ROCK DELL               43.91N 92.65W
06/17/2010  M75.00 MPH       OLMSTED            MN   AMATEUR RADIO

0900 PM     HAIL             1 SE BYRON              44.02N 92.63W
06/17/2010  M1.00 INCH       OLMSTED            MN   AMATEUR RADIO

0903 PM     TSTM WND DMG     ROCHESTER               44.01N 92.48W
06/17/2010                   OLMSTED            MN   EMERGENCY MNGR

            ON THE NORTHWEST SIDE OF ROCHESTER...SEVERAL ROOFS WERE
            BLOWN OFF BUILDINGS AND A RETAIL BUILDING SUSTAINED HEAVY
            DAMAGE. TIME OF EVENT ESTIMATED FROM RADAR DATA.

0904 PM     TSTM WND GST     1 SE BYRON              44.02N 92.63W
06/17/2010  M80.00 MPH       OLMSTED            MN   EMERGENCY MNGR

0907 PM     TSTM WND GST     3 S HAYFIELD            43.85N 92.85W
06/17/2010  M55.00 MPH       DODGE              MN   PUBLIC

            WITH A PEAK GUST TO 60 MPH.

0911 PM     TSTM WND GST     1 SE BYRON              44.02N 92.63W
06/17/2010  M60.00 MPH       OLMSTED            MN   AMATEUR RADIO

0920 PM     TSTM WND GST     PLAINVIEW               44.17N 92.17W
06/17/2010  M48.00 MPH       WABASHA            MN   EMERGENCY MNGR

0920 PM     TSTM WND GST     POTSDAM                 44.16N 92.35W
06/17/2010  E50.00 MPH       OLMSTED            MN   EMERGENCY MNGR

0921 PM     TSTM WND GST     2 SE EYOTA              43.97N 92.20W
06/17/2010  M72.00 MPH       OLMSTED            MN   MESONET

0935 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 W ST. CHARLES         43.97N 92.08W
06/17/2010                   WINONA             MN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            POWER LINES DOWN

0935 PM     TSTM WND DMG     OSAGE                   43.28N 92.81W
06/17/2010                   MITCHELL           IA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN ACROSS MITCHELL
            COUNTY.

0937 PM     TSTM WND DMG     ST. CHARLES             43.97N 92.06W
06/17/2010                   WINONA             MN   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREES DOWN ALONG WITH RAILROAD GUARD RAILS.

0953 PM     TSTM WND DMG     CHESTER  &nbsnbsp;              43.49N 92.36W
06/17/2010                   HOWARD             IA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            LARGE TREE LIMB DOWN ACROSS HIGHWAY 63.

0954 PM     TSTM WND GST     WINONA                  44.05N 91.66W
06/17/2010  M61.00 MPH       WINONA             MN   AWOS

0954 PM     TSTM WND GST     WINONA                  44.05N 91.66W
06/17/2010  M61.00 MPH       WINONA             MN   AWOS

1010 PM     TSTM WND DMG     CRESCO                  43.37N 92.12W
06/17/2010                   HOWARD             IA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            POWER LINES DOWN.

1012 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 S GALESVILLE          44.07N 91.36W
06/17/2010                   TREMPEALEAU        WI   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREE DOWN BLOCKING A LANE OF HIGHWAY 53.

1017 PM     TSTM WND DMG     ETTRICK                 44.17N 91.27W
06/17/2010                   TREMPEALEAU        WI   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES DOWN.

1017 PM     TSTM WND GST     HARMONY                 43.56N 92.01W
06/17/2010  M60.00 MPH       FILLMORE           MN   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

1030 PM     TSTM WND DMG     4 SW SPRING GROVE       43.52N 91.70W
06/17/2010                   HOUSTON            MN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREE DOWN ACROSS HIGHWAY 44.

1036 PM     TSTM WND DMG     NORTHFIELD              44.47N 91.10W
06/17/2010                   JACKSON            WI   AMATEUR RADIO

            TREE DOWN

1043 PM     TSTM WND DMG     ADAMS                   43.96N 89.82W
06/17/2010                   ADAMS              WI   AMATEUR RADIO

            TREE DOWN ON HWY 12/27

1045 PM     TSTM WND DMG     MERRILLAN               44.45N 90.84W
06/17/2010                   JACKSON            WI   EMERGENCY MNGR

            TREE FELL ON BUILDING AND POWER OUT IN MERRILLAN.

1046 PM     HAIL             NODINE                  43.90N 91.45W
06/17/2010  E1.00 INCH       WINONA             MN   EMERGENCY MNGR

1054 PM     HAIL             2 S HOLMEN              43.93N 91.26W
06/17/2010  E0.25 INCH       LA CROSSE          WI   PUBLIC

1116 PM     TSTM WND GST     HARPERS FERRY           43.20N 91.15W
06/17/2010  E70.00 MPH       ALLAMAKEE          IA   TRAINED SPOTTER

1120 PM     HAIL             2 S LA CROSSE           43.80N 91.23W
06/17/2010  M0.50 INCH       LA CROSSE          WI   AMATEUR RADIO

            DIME SIZE HAIL SOUTH SIDE OF LA CROSSE. ALSO...1.01 RAIN
            IN 25 MINUTES

Rainfall Totals from June 17, 2010

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
848 AM CDT FRI JUN 18 2010

...24 HOUR RAINFALL TOTALS ACROSS THE AREA...

LOCATION                   RAINFALL    TIME     LAT/LON


IOWA

...ALLAMAKEE COUNTY...
WAUKON                     0.68        0700 AM  43.27N 91.47W
HARPERS FERRY              0.66        0700 AM  43.17N 91.24W
LANSING 4SE                0.54        0700 AM  43.32N 91.16W
DORCHESTER HIGHWAY 76      0.48        0700 AM  43.42N 91.51W

...CHICKASAW COUNTY...
IONIA                      1.06        0700 AM  43.03N 92.50W
NEW HAMPTON                0.91        0700 AM  43.06N 92.31W

...CLAYTON COUNTY...
VOLGA                      0.84        0700 AM  42.81N 91.52W
LITTLEPORT                 0.69        0700 AM  42.75N 91.37W
GUTTENBERG                 0.68        0700 AM  42.79N 91.10W
MARQUETTE                  0.68        0700 AM  43.04N 91.21W
EDGEWOOD                   0.62        0700 AM  42.65N 91.40W
MCGREGOR                   0.42        0700 AM  43.02N 91.17W
GARBER                     0.41        0700 AM  42.74N 91.26W
ELKADER                    0.23        0700 AM  42.84N 91.40W

...FAYETTE COUNTY...
ELDORADO                   1.06        0700 AM  43.05N 91.81W
FAYETTE                    0.94        0700 AM  42.85N 91.82W
OELWEIN AWOS               0.85        0700 AM  42.68N 91.97W

...FLOYD COUNTY...
NASHUA                     1.26        0700 AM  42.94N 92.57W
COLWELL                    1.19        0700 AM  43.16N 92.59W
CHARLES CITY AWOS          0.90        0700 AM  43.07N 92.61W
CHARLES CITY COOP          0.76        0700 AM  43.08N 92.67W
CHARLES CITY CEDAR RVR     0.57        0700 AM  43.06N 92.67W

...HOWARD COUNTY...
ELMA                       0.73        0700 AM  43.24N 92.44W
CRESCO                     0.46        0700 AM  43.37N 92.11W

...MITCHELL COUNTY...
OSAGE                      0.46        0700 AM  43.28N 92.81W
ST ANSGAR                  0.40        0700 AM  43.37N 92.83W

...WINNESHIEK COUNTY...
WAUCOMA                    0.96        0700 AM  43.05N 92.04W
DECORAH AWOS               0.49        0700 AM  43.28N 91.74W
BLUFFTON                   0.31        0700 AM  43.41N 91.90W

MINNESOTA

...DODGE COUNTY...
MANTORVILLE                2.04        0700 AM  44.07N 92.77W
DODGE CENTER AWOS          0.79        0700 AM  44.03N 92.83W

...FILLMORE COUNTY...
PILOT MOUND                0.77        0700 AM  43.78N 92.03W
LANESBORO                  0.60        0700 AM  43.72N 91.97W
LANESBORO-ROOT RIVER       0.58        0700 AM  43.72N 91.97W
SPRING VALLEY 3E           0.56        0700 AM  43.68N 92.33W
SPRING VALLEY 1 NW         0.55        0700 AM  43.70N 92.40W
SPRING VALLEY              0.50        0700 AM  43.69N 92.39W
HIGHLAND                   0.50        0700 AM  43.65N 91.84W
SPRING VALLEY 3SW          0.44        0700 AM  43.66N 92.41W
HARMONY                    0.38        0700 AM  43.55N 92.01W
PRESTON 1 NNE              0.36        0700 AM  43.68N 92.08W
CARIMONA                   0.36        0700 AM  43.66N 92.15W
PRESTON                    0.33        0700 AM  43.67N 92.07W
PRESTON AWOS               0.22        0700 AM  43.68N 92.18W

...HOUSTON COUNTY...
LA CRESCENT 1NNW           1.42        0700 AM  43.83N 91.31W
CALEDONIA 1 NW             1.18        0700 AM  43.62N 91.48W
MOUND PRAIRIE              1.08        0700 AM  43.78N 91.45W
HOUSTON                    0.91        0700 AM  43.77N 91.57W
CALEDONIA 6S               0.70        0700 AM  43.55N 91.51W
SPRING GROVE 4N            0.59        0700 AM  43.61N 91.62W

...MOWER COUNTY...
LANSING                    0.78        0700 AM  43.75N 92.95W
AUSTIN 3S                  0.12        0700 AM  43.62N 93.00W
AUSTIN                     0.11        0700 AM  43.67N 92.95W
AUSTIN-TURTLE CREEK        0.10        0700 AM  43.67N 92.95W
AUSTIN AWOS                0.04        0700 AM  43.67N 92.93W

...OLMSTED COUNTY...
ROCHESTER MAPLE VALLEY     2.05        0700 AM  44.02N 92.42W
ROCHESTER INTL AP          1.37        0700 AM  43.91N 92.50W
ROCHESTER - SILVER CREEK   0.93        0700 AM  44.03N 92.42W
ROCHESTER - CASCADE CREEK  0.91        0700 AM  44.03N 92.48W
ROCHESTER BELTLINE         0.81        0700 AM  43.91N 92.50W
DOVER                      0.66        0700 AM  44.01N 92.11W
ROCHESTER - BEAR CREEK     0.66        0700 AM  43.92N 92.48W
ELGIN                      0.54        0700 AM  44.10N 92.27W
ELBA                       0.50        0700 AM  44.05N 92.05W

...WABASHA COUNTY...
ZUMBRO FALLS               1.92        0700 AM  44.29N 92.42W
KELLOGG                    1.49        0700 AM  44.32N 92.00W
THEILMAN                   1.42        0700 AM  44.28N 92.19W
WABASHA                    1.41        0700 AM  44.39N 92.05W
LAKE CITY COOP             0.65        0700 AM  44.43N 92.28W

...WINONA COUNTY...
LA CRESCENT DAM 7          1.36        0600 AM  43.87N 91.31W
WINONA DAM 5A              0.96        0600 AM  44.09N 91.67W
WINONA AWOS                0.71        0700 AM  44.08N 91.70W
MINNESOTA CITY DAM 5       0.36        0600 AM  44.16N 91.81W
ALTURA                     0.19        0700 AM  44.15N 92.01W

WISCONSIN

...ADAMS COUNTY...
FRIENDSHIP                 0.42        0700 AM  43.98N 89.83W

...BUFFALO COUNTY...
ALMA DAM 4                 1.44        0600 AM  44.33N 91.92W
MONDOVI 6S                 0.92        0700 AM  44.48N 91.67W
MONDOVI MIRROR LAKE        0.70        0700 AM  44.57N 91.67W

...CLARK COUNTY...
NEILLSVILLE 3SW            0.50        0700 AM  44.53N 90.64W
NEILLSVILLE 1W             0.48        0700 AM  44.56N 90.61W
OWEN                       0.32        0700 AM  44.98N 90.55W

...CRAWFORD COUNTY...
PRAIRIE DU CHIEN           0.91        0700 AM  43.05N 91.13W
STEUBEN                    0.86        0700 AM  43.18N 90.87W
STEUBEN 4SE                0.78        0700 AM  43.13N 90.84W
LYNXVILLE DAM 9            0.58        0600 AM  43.21N 91.10W
PRAIRIE DU CHIEN AWOS      0.49        0700 AM  43.30N 89.76W
SOLDIERS GROVE             0.43        0700 AM  43.39N 90.78W

...GRANT COUNTY...
ROCKVILLE                  0.88        0700 AM  42.73N 90.64W
LANCASTER 4WSW             0.79        0700 AM  42.83N 90.79W
BOSCOBEL ASOS              0.65        0700 AM  43.16N 90.68W
SINSINAWA                  0.47        0700 AM  42.52N 90.54W
PLATTEVILLE AWOS           0.19        0700 AM  42.69N 90.44W

...JACKSON COUNTY...
MATHER 3NW                 0.57        0700 AM  44.17N 90.35W
TAYLOR                     0.53        0700 AM  44.32N 91.12W

...JUNEAU COUNTY...
CAMP DOUGLAS               0.67        0700 AM  43.94N 90.26W
NECEDAH 5WNW               0.56        0700 AM  44.06N 90.17W
NECEDAH 1W                 0.54        0700 AM  44.02N 90.08W
NECEDAH 2SE                0.52        0700 AM  44.00N 90.04W

...LA CROSSE COUNTY...
HOLLAND                    1.82        0700 AM  43.97N 91.29W
HOLMEN 2S                  1.61        0700 AM  43.93N 91.25W
HOLMEN                     1.60        0700 AM  43.97N 91.27W
LA CROSSE-MISSISSIPPI RVR  1.54        0700 AM  43.80N 91.37W
LA CROSSE WEATHER OFFICE   1.48        0700 AM  43.82N 91.19W
ONALASKA 1N                1.39        0700 AM  43.88N 91.24W
LA CROSSE ASOS             1.32        0700 AM  43.88N 91.26W
WEST SALEM 1W              1.27        0700 AM  43.90N 91.09W
LA CROSSE 5SE              1.20        0700 AM  43.77N 91.15W

...MONROE COUNTY...
CATARACT                   1.24        0700 AM  44.08N 90.85W
SPARTA AWOS                1.04        0700 AM  43.96N 90.74W
WARRENS                    0.96        0700 AM  44.10N 90.59W
FOUR CORNERS               0.60        0700 AM  44.07N 90.92W

...RICHLAND COUNTY...
RICHLAND CENTER 1NW        0.46        0700 AM  43.36N 90.42W

...TREMPEALEAU COUNTY...
GALESVILLE 2ESE            1.46        0700 AM  44.08N 91.34W
TREMPEALEAU DAM 6          1.45        0700 AM  44.00N 91.44W
OSSEO                      1.09        0700 AM  44.58N 91.22W
BLAIR 2NW                  0.56        0700 AM  44.31N 91.27W

...VERNON COUNTY...
WESTBY 2NNE                0.98        0700 AM  43.70N 90.85W
ONTARIO 3E                 0.89        0700 AM  43.72N 90.60W
WESTBY 3ENE                0.82        0700 AM  43.68N 90.81W
ONTARIO                    0.76        0700 AM  43.72N 90.59W
GENOA                      0.65        0700 AM  43.57N 91.23W
WESTBY 3SE                 0.59        0700 AM  43.62N 90.82W
READSTOWN                  0.59        0700 AM  43.45N 90.76W
HILLSBORO                  0.58        0700 AM  43.65N 90.33W
VIROQUA                    0.58        0700 AM  43.55N 90.90W
VIROQUA 3ESE               0.56        0700 AM  43.55N 90.82W
DESOTO 1SE                 0.55        0700 AM  43.41N 91.19W
VIROQUA 4NE                0.51        0700 AM  43.61N 90.82W
LA FARGE                   0.47        0700 AM  43.57N 90.64W