Apr. 28—Update (6:26 p.m.):
The National Weather Service has issued a tornado warning for Freeborn County.
A tornado has been reported on the ground near Bricelyn and moving east.
Update (6:20 p.m.):
The National Weather Service has continued a severe thunderstorm warning through 7 p.m. for eastern Faribault County, Freeborn County, southern Steele County and southeastern Waseca County.
At 615 PM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line from 7 miles southwest of Owatonna to over Bricelyn, or along a line from 7 miles southwest of Owatonna to 22 miles west of Albert Lea, moving east at 50 mph. HAZARD…60 mph wind gusts and half dollar size hail. SOURCE…Radar indicated. IMPACT…Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to roofs, siding, and trees.
Update (5:22 p.m.):
The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Freeborn, Faribault and Waseca counties until 6:15 p.m.
According to the weather agency:
“At 452 PM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line from 6 miles north of Good Thunder to over Winnebago, or along a line from 7 miles southwest of Mankato to 14 miles northeast of Fairmont, moving northeast at 60 mph. HAZARD…60 mph wind gusts and half dollar size hail.
Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to roofs, siding, and trees.
Locations impacted include Mankato, Fairmont, Waseca, Blue Earth, Wells, Janesville, Mapleton, Winnebago, St. Clair, Minnesota Lake, Alden, Good Thunder, Amboy, Vernon Center, Freeborn, Pemberton, Waldorf, Easton, Delavan and Garden City.
Seek shelter inside a well-built structure and stay away from windows. These storms are capable of producing damaging winds and large hail. Tornadoes can develop quickly from severe thunderstorms. Seek shelter immediately in an interior room on the lowest floor of a well-built structure. A tornado watch remains in effect until 800 PM CDT for a portion of south central Minnesota.”
Original post:
The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for almost all of the southern half of Minnesota and most of northern Iowa, as severe weather is expected to move into the area.
The watch, which is in effect until 11 p.m., includes Freeborn, Faribault, Mower, Waseca and Steele counties in Minnesota and Worth and Winnebago counties in Iowa.
All hazards are likely with the incoming storms, including large hail, damaging winds, frequent lightning and strong tornadoes.
People are advised to know their safe places to shelter and to have multiple ways to receive warnings.