EF2 tornado in Taopi? Storm reports still coming in
Weather maps across Minnesota look more like March than April
Storm reports are still coming into the Weather Lab Wednesday. National Weather Service storm survey teams from the La Crosse, Wis., and Des Moines, Iowa, offices are in the field conducting tornado and damage surveys.
Preliminary reports from the La Crosse survey team indicate a likely EF2 tornado tore up Taopi, Minn., near the Iowa border, and caused injuries around 11:40 pm Tuesday evening.
Taopi [Mower Co, MN] LAW ENFORCEMENT reports TSTM WND DMG at 12 Apr, 10:48 PM CDT -- *** 2 INJ *** CORRECTS PREVIOUS TSTM WND DMG REPORT FROM TAOPI. HOUSE SLID OFF FOUNDATION, ROOFS OFF HOUSES IN AND AROUND TOWN. GRAIN BINS DESTROYED. HIGH TRANSMISSION POWER LINES SNAPPED. DAMAGE TRACK SEVERAL MILES LONG GOES THROUGH THE WESTERN SIDE OF TOWN. HIGH LIKELIHOOD OF A TORNADO.
You can see the extensive damage in Taopi.
Wind damage reports also came in from Winona County.
3 WSW Fremont [Winona Co, MN] EMERGENCY MNGR reports TSTM WND DMG at 12 Apr, 11:36 PM CDT -- DAMAGE TO TREES, POWER LINES AND OUTBUILDINGS DOWN FROM NEAR FREMONT TO LEWISTON, MN.
2 NNW Wilson [Winona Co, MN] TRAINED SPOTTER reports TSTM WND DMG at 12 Apr, 11:40 PM CDT -- MEASURED 52 MPH GUST. TREE DAMAGE CAUSED POWER OUTAGE.
Additional storm reports and details will be confirmed by NWS offices Wednesday afternoon.
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Heavy snow in northwestern Minnesota
In North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota, it’s an entirely different kind of severe weather. Heavy April snow has produced 1 to nearly 2 feet of snow across parts of North Dakota.
Blizzard and winter storm warnings continue to bracket the red River Valley.
Here are some select preliminary snowfall totals from North Dakota and northwest Minnesota.
2 NE Grassy Butte [Mckenzie Co, ND] CO-OP OBSERVER reports SNOW of 22.00 INCH at 11:30 AM CDT -- TOTAL SO FAR.
4 WSW Surrey [Ward Co, ND] PUBLIC reports SNOW of 22.00 INCH at 11:55 AM CDT -- FACEBOOK POST.
Stanton [Mercer Co, ND] PUBLIC reports SNOW of 21.00 INCH at 12:46 PM CDT -- FACEBOOK POST.
1 W Logan [Ward Co, ND] PUBLIC reports SNOW of 20.00 INCH at 12:30 PM CDT -- FACEBOOK POST.
Larimore [Grand Forks Co, ND] COCORAHS reports HEAVY SNOW of 18.90 INCH at 7:00 AM CDT -- COCORAHS STATION ND-GF-23 LARIMORE ND 0.4 SE.
2 N Manvel [Grand Forks Co, ND] PUBLIC reports HEAVY SNOW of 13.00 INCH at 11:13 AM CDT --
1 W KEY West [Polk Co, MN] PUBLIC reports HEAVY SNOW of 14.00 INCH at 12 Apr, 11:38 PM CDT --
5 W Newfolden [Marshall Co, MN] PUBLIC reports HEAVY SNOW of 7.50 INCH at 10:51 AM CDT -- REPORT RELAYED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA.
Hayes Lake State Park [Roseau Co, MN] PUBLIC reports SNOW of 4.00 INCH at 6:48 AM CDT -- 3-4 INCHES OF SNOW. SNOWFALL STILL ONGOING.
April chill continues
Our weather maps continue to look more like March than April. Blizzard warnings and winter weather advisories continue for much of North Dakota and northwest Minnesota.
The center of deep low pressure over eastern North Dakota will drift east across northern Minnesota through Thursday. The heaviest accumulating snow is over for Minnesota but the system will drag additional wind-driven snow showers through Minnesota through Thursday.
Here’s the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Global Forecast System model through 7 p.m. Thursday.
High temperatures Thursday are still running about 20 degrees colder than average across Minnesota.
The average high for the Twin Cities Thursday is 56 degrees.
It looks chilly through the upcoming weekend. I can’t recall a recent spring so reluctant to warm up.
Hang in there Minnesota.