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Wednesday’s devastating tornado in Grant and Otter Tail counties is the strongest to hit Minnesota in almost 10 years.

On Friday, the Grand Forks National Weather Service office storm survey 

The tornado touched down in northern Grant County then quickly crossed into Otter Tail County where it did the majority of the damage. The tornado was on the ground for 31 minutes and cut a 9-mile path that was 650 yards wide at the widest point. That’s more than six-football-field wide. 

Here are some key details from the storm survey.

Here is more granular detail from the Grand Forks NWS office.

The tragic scene the storm survey team describes from the machine shed where one man died is chilling. It is hard to believe anyone could have survived a direct hit from a tornado this intense.

This is the first EF-4 tornado in Minnesota in nearly 10 years.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

The tornado that hit Minnesota’s Grand and Otter Tail counties was on the ground for 31 minutes with peak winds of 170 mph.

People look for scattered items on a property 

Paul Middlestaedt for MPR News

Grand Forks NWS

Machinery and debris from a heavy equipment shop was scattered 

170 mph winds: Deadly Otter Tail County tornado rated a rare EF-4

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