Radar image from May 18, 2022 at 3 PM CDT, showing severe thunderstorms moving through northeastern Minnesota, with storm report icons from entire event overlaid.
Source: NOAA/National Weather Service
Source: NOAA/National Weather Service
The active severe weather pattern of May set its sights on the northeastern quarter of Minnesota, damaging some trees and powerlines on Wednesday May 18, 2022.
The storms formed as a weak front and disturbance moved through the state during the afternoon and evening. Strong winds aloft and rapid temperature changes with height allowed scattered thunderstorms to develop over central and north-central Minnesota, intensifying as they pushed eastward. Small hail, generally 3/4-inch in diameter or less, was common, but the biggest impacts were from strong downburst winds and also from one confirmed tornado in St. Louis County.
The thunderstorm downburst wind damage, generally in the form of power outages from downed lines, broken limbs, and uprooted trees, was scattered from near Grand Rapids, towards Aitkin, and into the communities of Saginaw and Twig, to the west of Duluth. More substantial damage occurred to the north and northeast of Rice Lake, in the inland portions of southeastern St. Louis County. Here swaths of trees were bent or broken, and the National Weather Service in Duluth attributed this damage to an EF-0 tornado that tracked approximately three miles through mostly wooded areas.
Following is a preliminary damage report from the National Weather Service office in Duluth.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN 856 AM CDT THU MAY 19 2022 .TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON .DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE. ..REMARKS.. 0331 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 1 ESE MCGREGOR 46.61N 93.29W 05/18/2022 AITKIN MN PUBLIC REPORTER DESCRIBED LOWERING AND SPINNING OF CLOUDS UNDER CELL NEAR MCGREGOR. 0430 PM HAIL 6 SW FINLAYSON 46.15N 93.03W 05/18/2022 U0.75 INCH PINE MN PUBLIC REPORT FROM MPING: DIME (0.75 IN.). 0152 PM HAIL MARCELL 47.60N 93.69W 05/18/2022 U0.75 INCH ITASCA MN PUBLIC REPORT FROM MPING: DIME (0.75 IN.). 0156 PM HAIL 5 NE DEER RIVER 47.40N 93.72W 05/18/2022 U0.75 INCH ITASCA MN PUBLIC REPORT FROM MPING: DIME (0.75 IN.). 0233 PM HAIL 4 SW COHASSET 47.22N 93.67W 05/18/2022 U0.75 INCH ITASCA MN PUBLIC REPORT FROM MPING: DIME (0.75 IN.). 0234 PM HAIL 3 E BREVIK 47.09N 94.22W 05/18/2022 E1.00 INCH CASS MN TRAINED SPOTTER 0305 PM HAIL 1 NNE LAKE SHORE 46.51N 94.35W 05/18/2022 E0.50 INCH CASS MN TRAINED SPOTTER 0305 PM HAIL 1 W NISSWA 46.51N 94.32W 05/18/2022 E0.50 INCH CROW WING MN PUBLIC 0323 PM HAIL EAST GULL LAKE 46.41N 94.35W 05/18/2022 E0.88 INCH CASS MN PUBLIC 0335 PM HAIL 1 W EAST GULL LAKE 46.41N 94.37W 05/18/2022 E0.25 INCH CASS MN PUBLIC 0335 PM HAIL 1 W TAMARACK 46.65N 93.14W 05/18/2022 E0.88 INCH AITKIN MN TRAINED SPOTTER 0338 PM HAIL TAMARACK 46.65N 93.12W 05/18/2022 E0.88 INCH AITKIN MN PUBLIC COATING THE GROUND. 0354 PM HAIL 2 SW SCANLON 46.69N 92.46W 05/18/2022 E0.50 INCH CARLTON MN PUBLIC 0359 PM HAIL 7 SW FLOODWOOD 46.86N 93.02W 05/18/2022 E0.50 INCH ST. LOUIS MN PUBLIC 0412 PM HAIL 1 S WRIGHT 46.66N 93.01W 05/18/2022 U0.75 INCH CARLTON MN PUBLIC REPORT FROM MPING: DIME (0.75 IN.). 0414 PM HAIL 1 NNE HERMANTOWN 46.82N 92.24W 05/18/2022 M0.50 INCH ST. LOUIS MN PUBLIC 0415 PM HAIL 3 ESE HERMANTOWN 46.79N 92.18W 05/18/2022 M0.25 INCH ST. LOUIS MN TRAINED SPOTTER 0418 PM HAIL 3 W FOND DU LAC 46.67N 92.33W 05/18/2022 E0.25 INCH CARLTON MN TRAINED SPOTTER 0424 PM HAIL 3 ENE HERMANTOWN 46.82N 92.19W 05/18/2022 E0.75 INCH ST. LOUIS MN NWS EMPLOYEE 0439 PM HAIL KNIFE RIVER 46.95N 91.78W 05/18/2022 E0.50 INCH LAKE MN TRAINED SPOTTER 0500 PM HAIL SANDSTONE 46.13N 92.86W 05/18/2022 E1.00 INCH PINE MN PUBLIC 0517 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 WSW GRAND RAPIDS 47.22N 93.56W 05/18/2022 ITASCA MN PUBLIC REPORT FROM MPING: 3-INCH TREE LIMBS BROKEN; POWER POLES BROKEN. 0235 PM TSTM WND DMG 12 N GRAND RAPIDS 47.41N 93.49W 05/18/2022 ITASCA MN CO-OP OBSERVER REPORTS OF SEVERAL TREES DOWN AROUND 4 TO 5 INCHES IN DIAMETER. POWERLINES WERE ALSO DOWN DUE TO TREES FALLING ON THEM, THOUGH THE NUMBER OF POWERLINES DOWN IS NOT KNOWN. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. 0245 PM TSTM WND DMG 8 SSW BLACKBERRY 47.07N 93.45W 05/18/2022 ITASCA MN PUBLIC CORRECTS PREVIOUS TSTM WND DMG REPORT FROM 8 SSW BLACKBERRY. BROKEN LARGE TREE BRANCH, A TABLE UMBRELLA LOOKS LIKE IT EITHER FELL ON OR THROUGH THE TABLE. 0305 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 E CROSSLAKE 46.69N 94.03W 05/18/2022 CROW WING MN PUBLIC THREE SECTIONS OF DOCK WERE BLOWN INTO GOODRICH LAKE BY THE WIND. RELAYED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. 0310 PM TSTM WND DMG AITKIN 46.53N 93.71W 05/18/2022 AITKIN MN PUBLIC TREES DOWN - AROUND A FOOT IN DIAMETER, HEALTHY TREE, SNAPPED A COUPLE FEET FROM THE GROUND. 0315 PM TSTM WND DMG 5 W WEALTHWOOD 46.37N 93.75W 05/18/2022 AITKIN MN PUBLIC TREES DOWN ACROSS A ROAD. SNAPPED WITH A ABOUT 20 INCH DIAMETER. 0347 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 WNW SAGINAW 46.87N 92.47W 05/18/2022 ST. LOUIS MN FIRE DEPT/RESCUE REPORT FROM GRAND LAKE FIRE DEPARTMENT SOCIAL MEDIA. NUMEROUS TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN ACROSS ROADS. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR. 0350 PM TSTM WND DMG 6 SW LAWLER 46.48N 93.27W 05/18/2022 AITKIN MN PUBLIC A FEW ROOF SINGLES BLOWN OFF A HOME. 0354 PM TSTM WND DMG 2 SE TWIG 46.87N 92.33W 05/18/2022 ST. LOUIS MN PUBLIC LARGE TREE ON POWERLINE NEAR A1 GARDEN CENTER. 0355 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 SSW SAGINAW 46.84N 92.45W 05/18/2022 ST. LOUIS MN PUBLIC LARGE PINE TREE UPROOTED. TIME APPROXIMATED BY RADAR. RELAYED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 0355 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 S PAYNE 47.08N 92.59W 05/18/2022 ST. LOUIS MN TRAINED SPOTTER TREE DAMAGE AND POWER OUTAGES WERE REPORTED IN THE EASTERN PART OF MEADOWLAND TOWNSHIP. 0357 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 WSW SAGINAW 46.85N 92.51W 05/18/2022 ST. LOUIS MN PUBLIC MULTIPLE PICTURES VIA SOCIAL MEDIA OF NUMEROUS LARGE TREES WITH AN ESTIMATED DIAMETER OF OVER 1 FOOT DOWN OR BENT OVER. SOME TREES WERE UPROOTED AND OTHERS WERE SNAPPED NEAR THE BASE. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR. 0400 PM TSTM WND DMG TWIG 46.89N 92.37W 05/18/2022 ST. LOUIS MN PUBLIC MULTIPLE SMALL BRANCHES DOWN, A FEW LARGE BRANCHES. WIND LASTED LESS THAN 5 MINUTES. A SMALL AMOUNT OF PEA SIZED HAIL. 0406 PM TSTM WND DMG 1 S KETTLE RIVER 46.47N 92.88W 05/18/2022 CARLTON MN PUBLIC UPDATES PREVIOUS TSTM WND DMG REPORT FROM 1 S KETTLE RIVER. OBSERVER REPORTS TREES OF FOUR, FIVE, AND EIGHT INCHES IN DIAMETER BLOWN DOWN OVER HIGHWAY 73 SOUTH OF KETTLE RIVER. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR. 0406 PM TSTM WND DMG TWIG 46.90N 92.36W 05/18/2022 ST. LOUIS MN PUBLIC REPORT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA WITH PICTURE OF HEALTHY SPRUCE TREE DOWN WITH ADDITIONAL DECIDUOUS TREE BRANCHES ON THE GROUND AROUND IT. TIME ESTIMATED VIA RADAR. 0406 PM TSTM WND DMG TWIG 46.89N 92.36W 05/18/2022 ST. LOUIS MN PUBLIC TREES UPROOTED. POWER OUTAGES. 0410 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 SE TWIG 46.87N 92.33W 05/18/2022 ST. LOUIS MN PUBLIC REPORT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA WITH PHOTO. LARGE PINE TREE DOWN ACROSS POWER LINES AND ROAD NEAR A PLUS GARDEN CENTER. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR AND NEARBY OBSERVATIONS. 0412 PM TSTM WND DMG 4 ESE TWIG 46.87N 92.28W 05/18/2022 ST. LOUIS MN PUBLIC REPORT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA WITH PHOTO. LARGE TREE HALF SNAPPED OFF NEAR THE BASE AND HALF UPROOTED. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR AND NEARBY OBSERVATIONS. 0412 PM TSTM WND DMG 4 ESE TWIG 46.87N 92.28W 05/18/2022 ST. LOUIS MN BROADCAST MEDIA LARGE TREE DOWN AND FALLEN ACROSS UPPER BALCONY PORCH OF A HOUSE ALONG PIKE LAKE. PHOTO VIA KBJR REPORT. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR AND NEARBY OBSERVATIONS. 0416 PM TSTM WND DMG 3 NNE RICE LAKE 46.94N 92.08W 05/18/2022 ST. LOUIS MN PUBLIC REPORT VIA SOCIAL MEDIA WITH PHOTO OF NUMEROUS LARGE PINE TREES DOWN. OBSERVER REPORTS THEY LOST SWATHS OF TREES THROUGH THE WOODS. TIME ESTIMATED FROM RADAR. 0543 PM TSTM WND DMG STURGEON LAKE 46.38N 92.83W 05/18/2022 PINE MN PUBLIC PATIO FURNITURE TIPPED OVER - METAL CHAIRS AND A METAL TABLE.
May 20, 2022