Severe thunderstorms developed out ahead of a weak area of low pressure over northeast North Dakota. The thunderstorms became severe by afternoon as they moved south and slightly east.
The storms produced a narrow stripe of severe weather from Roseau County southeastward to Crow Wing County. Most of the reports were of hail, with quite a few reports of golf ball-sized hail. The largest hail report was softball-sized six miles west of Roseau in Roseau County. The hailstone was measured 30 minutes after it fell and was 12 inches in circumference. This is the largest hailstone reported in 2015 in Minnesota. How rare is giant hail? Reports of hail of 4.5 inches or greater are relatively uncommon, but there have been reports of hailstones up to 6 inches in diameter.
There were strong winds out of the northwest at high altitudes and pushed the cirrus clouds from the tops of the storms southeast across Minnesota giving the Twin Cities a yellow-tinged sunset.
The Grand Forks National Weather Service captured a radar loop of the event.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN ND/GRAND FORKS ND 203 AM CDT THU AUG 13 2015 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0258 PM HAIL 6 NW KARLSTAD 48.64N 96.61W 08/12/2015 E0.88 INCH KITTSON MN PUBLIC REPORTED NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF COUNTY ROAD 7 AND STATE HIGHWAY 11 0321 PM HAIL 3 NNW STRATHCONA 48.59N 96.19W 08/12/2015 E0.75 INCH ROSEAU MN TRAINED SPOTTER 0333 PM HAIL 4 NNW STRATHCONA 48.61N 96.20W 08/12/2015 E0.88 INCH ROSEAU MN TRAINED SPOTTER 0349 PM HAIL 10 NE MIDDLE RIVER 48.54N 96.01W 08/12/2015 E1.00 INCH MARSHALL MN PUBLIC TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR 0500 PM HAIL 5 WSW PINECREEK 48.95N 96.04W 08/12/2015 E1.75 INCH ROSEAU MN TRAINED SPOTTER 0505 PM TSTM WND DMG 6 SSE HIGH LANDING 47.97N 95.76W 08/12/2015 PENNINGTON MN EMERGENCY MNGR SEVERAL GRAIN BINS SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. LARGE ROUND HAY BALLS BLOWN ACROSS A FIELD. WIND SPEEDS ESTIMATED IN EXCESS OF 80 MPH. 0515 PM HAIL 6 N BADGER 48.86N 96.02W 08/12/2015 M2.75 INCH ROSEAU MN PUBLIC 0524 PM HAIL FOX 48.84N 95.90W 08/12/2015 E1.75 INCH ROSEAU MN TRAINED SPOTTER 0526 PM HAIL FOX 48.84N 95.90W 08/12/2015 E2.75 INCH ROSEAU MN TRAINED SPOTTER 0530 PM HAIL 6 W ROSEAU 48.85N 95.89W 08/12/2015 M3.00 INCH ROSEAU MN PUBLIC RULER MEASURED 3.5 INCH HAIL 0532 PM HAIL 1 N CLEARBROOK 47.71N 95.43W 08/12/2015 E1.00 INCH CLEARWATER MN TRAINED SPOTTER 0545 PM HAIL ROSEAU 48.85N 95.76W 08/12/2015 E1.75 INCH ROSEAU MN TRAINED SPOTTER A MIX OF QUARTER TO GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL, 0550 PM TSTM WND DMG SHEVLIN 47.53N 95.26W 08/12/2015 CLEARWATER MN EMERGENCY MNGR NUMEROUS PINE TREES BROKEN DOWN AROUND THE AREA. TIME ESTIMATED BASED ON RADAR. 0552 PM TSTM WND GST 5 S SHEVLIN 47.46N 95.26W 08/12/2015 E70.00 MPH CLEARWATER MN PUBLIC TREE DOWNED BY STRONG WINDS 0555 PM HAIL 4 SE ROSEAU 48.80N 95.70W 08/12/2015 E1.00 INCH ROSEAU MN TRAINED SPOTTER 0620 PM TSTM WND DMG 6 NW LAKE GEORGE 47.26N 95.08W 08/12/2015 HUBBARD MN PUBLIC A SIXTEEN INCH DIAMETER PINE TREE WAS SNAPPED... AND SOME HALF INCH DIAMETER FELL. 0636 PM HAIL 2 E EMMAVILLE 47.07N 94.94W 08/12/2015 E1.00 INCH HUBBARD MN PUBLIC 0640 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 E EMMAVILLE 47.07N 94.96W 08/12/2015 HUBBARD MN TRAINED SPOTTER SPOTTER NOTICED AN OCCASIONAL POPLAR TREE BLOWN OVER ...ALONG WITH DENTS IN VEHICLES CAUSED BY HAIL...ALONG A ROUTE FROM EMMAVILE INTO NEVIS. 0650 PM HAIL NEVIS 46.97N 94.84W 08/12/2015 E1.25 INCH HUBBARD MN TRAINED SPOTTER 0654 PM HAIL 1 N NEVIS 46.98N 94.84W 08/12/2015 E1.00 INCH HUBBARD MN TRAINED SPOTTER 0701 PM TSTM WND DMG AKELEY 47.00N 94.73W 08/12/2015 HUBBARD MN TRAINED SPOTTER NUMEROUS TREES SNAPPED AROUND TOWN... PINE... MAPLE AND POPLAR. 0735 PM HAIL 10 ESE LANCASTER 48.80N 96.60W 08/12/2015 E0.88 INCH KITTSON MN TRAINED SPOTTER HAIL AND A HALF INCH OF RAIN FELL VERY QUICKLY. 0745 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 4 ENE HALMA 48.68N 96.52W 08/12/2015 KITTSON MN TRAINED SPOTTER A PERSISTENT WALL CLOUD WITH ONE OR TWO BRIEF FUNNELS WAS REPORTED. SPOTTER WAS LOCATED WEST OF GREENBUSH. 0800 PM HAIL 2 SW GREENBUSH 48.68N 96.21W 08/12/2015 E1.00 INCH ROSEAU MN TRAINED SPOTTER 0810 PM HAIL 8 WNW WARROAD 48.95N 95.48W 08/12/2015 E1.50 INCH ROSEAU MN BROADCAST MEDIA REPORTS AND PICTURES POSTED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. TIME ESTIMATED BASED ON RADAR. 0828 PM HAIL MIDDLE RIVER 48.44N 96.16W 08/12/2015 E1.00 INCH MARSHALL MN BROADCAST MEDIA REPORT AND PICTURE POSTED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 0900 PM TSTM WND DMG NEWFOLDEN 48.36N 96.33W 08/12/2015 MARSHALL MN PUBLIC LARGE BRANCHES REPORTED BROKEN DOWN AROUND TOWN. REPORT POSTED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 0903 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 3 S HOLT 48.25N 96.19W 08/12/2015 MARSHALL MN FIRE DEPT/RESCUE FUNNEL WAS SHORT-LIVED 0910 PM HAIL 3 S HOLT 48.25N 96.19W 08/12/2015 E1.00 INCH MARSHALL MN PUBLIC LARGE HAIL AND VERY STRONG WINDS... BUT NO WIND DAMAGE IS READILY APPARENT IN THE YARD. 0920 PM TSTM WND DMG 8 S HOLT 48.18N 96.19W 08/12/2015 MARSHALL MN EMERGENCY MNGR TREES REPORTED BROKEN DOWN NEAR THE PENNINGTON COUNTY LINE. TIME ESTIMATED BASED ON RADAR. 0930 PM HAIL THIEF RIVER FALLS 48.11N 96.18W 08/12/2015 E1.00 INCH PENNINGTON MN BROADCAST MEDIA REPORT AND PICTURE POSTED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 0933 PM TSTM WND GST 1 N THIEF RIVER FALLS 48.13N 96.18W 08/12/2015 E80.00 MPH PENNINGTON MN EMERGENCY MNGR LARGE BRANCHES BROKEN DOWN. 1000 PM HAIL 2 S PLUMMER 47.89N 96.04W 08/12/2015 E1.25 INCH RED LAKE MN BROADCAST MEDIA REPORT AND PHOTO POSTED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 1008 PM HAIL OKLEE 47.84N 95.85W 08/12/2015 E1.00 INCH RED LAKE MN BROADCAST MEDIA REPORT AND PHOTO POSTED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 1009 PM HAIL 8 NNW BAGLEY 47.63N 95.47W 08/12/2015 E0.88 INCH CLEARWATER MN BROADCAST MEDIA REPORT AND PHOTO POSTED VUIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 1030 PM HAIL 6 N BAGLEY 47.61N 95.40W 08/12/2015 E1.00 INCH CLEARWATER MN BROADCAST MEDIA REPORT POSTED TO SOCIAL MEDIA. TIME ESTIMATED BASED ON RADAR. 1039 PM HAIL MCINTOSH 47.64N 95.89W 08/12/2015 E2.00 INCH POLK MN PUBLIC REPORT AND PHOTO POSTED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 1055 PM HAIL 7 ESE WINGER 47.50N 95.85W 08/12/2015 E1.00 INCH MAHNOMEN MN PUBLIC HAIL FROM DIME TO QUARTER SIZED COVERED THE GROUND. 1100 PM HAIL 6 E BEJOU 47.44N 95.84W 08/12/2015 E1.75 INCH MAHNOMEN MN BROADCAST MEDIA REPORT AND PHOTO POSTED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. TIME ESTIMATED BASED ON RADAR. 1110 PM HAIL 1 N LAKE ITASCA 47.27N 95.21W 08/12/2015 E1.00 INCH CLEARWATER MN TRAINED SPOTTER LARGE HAIL CONTINUED FOR NEARLY 10 MINUTES. 1133 PM HAIL 10 ESE BEAULIEU 47.28N 95.61W 08/12/2015 E1.75 INCH MAHNOMEN MN TRAINED SPOTTER HAIL FROM QUARTER TO GOLF BALL SIZED FELL FOR A FEW MINUTES. 1201 AM HAIL 3 ENE SNELLMAN 46.91N 95.35W 08/13/2015 E1.25 INCH BECKER MN TRAINED SPOTTER SEVERAL MINUTES OF HAIL OCCURRED... WITH A FEW MINUTES OF HAIL THAT WAS LARGER THAN A QUARTER. 1220 AM HAIL 4 E EVERGREEN 46.76N 95.37W 08/13/2015 E1.00 INCH BECKER MN TRAINED SPOTTER LARGE HAIL. HARD TO SEE BECAUSE POWER IS OUT. 0100 AM HAIL 3 SW WADENA 46.41N 95.18W 08/13/2015 M1.00 INCH OTTER TAIL MN PUBLIC PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN 1048 AM CDT THU AUG 13 2015 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0720 PM HAIL 3 W OSHAWA 46.80N 94.70W 08/12/2015 M1.75 INCH CASS MN LAW ENFORCEMENT 0750 PM HAIL 6 ENE POPLAR 46.63N 94.58W 08/12/2015 M2.00 INCH CASS MN TRAINED SPOTTER SPOTTER FOUND HAIL APPROX 1 HOUR AFTER STORM PASSED. 0750 PM TSTM WND DMG 6 ENE POPLAR 46.63N 94.58W 08/12/2015 CASS MN TRAINED SPOTTER NUMEROUS TREES DOWN. ONE TREE 10 INCHES IN DIAMETER BLOCKING CO RD 25. 0808 PM TSTM WND DMG 7 ENE LEADER 46.57N 94.52W 08/12/2015 CASS MN TRAINED SPOTTER SEVERAL 5 INCH DIAMETER PINE TREES DOWN. ONE 10 INCH DIAMETER OAK TREE SPLIT. 0808 PM HAIL 7 ENE LEADER 46.57N 94.52W 08/12/2015 M1.00 INCH CASS MN TRAINED SPOTTER 0832 PM TSTM WND GST 5 W LAKE SHORE 46.49N 94.46W 08/12/2015 M63.00 MPH CASS MN TRAINED SPOTTER MEASURED ON CARTOP ANEMOMETER. 0832 PM HAIL 5 W LAKE SHORE 46.49N 94.46W 08/12/2015 M1.00 INCH CASS MN TRAINED SPOTTER 0906 PM HAIL NNW CROW WING STATE PAR 46.28N 94.33W 08/12/2015 E1.00 INCH CASS MN PUBLIC 0908 PM HAIL 2 SSW CROW WING STATE P 46.25N 94.34W 08/12/2015 E2.00 INCH CROW WING MN TRAINED SPOTTER 0917 PM HAIL 1 N FORT RIPLEY 46.18N 94.36W 08/12/2015 M1.25 INCH CROW WING MN TRAINED SPOTTER STILL HAILING. 0917 PM HAIL 5 S CROW WING STATE PAR 46.20N 94.33W 08/12/2015 E0.25 INCH CROW WING MN TRAINED SPOTTER 1145 PM HAIL 1 N GHEEN 47.98N 92.81W 08/12/2015 M0.25 INCH ST. LOUIS MN TRAINED SPOTTER