6/17/2010 DISC:ND/MN/IA

[STurner]

EF3 tornado confirmed in Mentor and an EF3 or greater tornado confirmed near Grand Forks.

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/product.php?site=fgf&product=pns&issuedby=FGF&format=CI&version=1&glossary=0.

 

[STurner]

Looks like another two tornadoes could be potentially greater than EF3. They both were in Ottertail and Wadena Counties in Minnesota. They both were at least a mile-wide and swept homes clean off their foundations.

 

[STurner]

Another powerful tornado in Faribault and Freeborn county MN. Part of NWS Twin Cities. No EF-rating but probably at least an EF3. Trees and trunks were completely debarked, vegetation was recognizable from a field and a car was thrown 3200 feet. Also congratulations to those who bagged these tornadoes for those are some nice pictures of wedge tornadoes under the 6/17 reports page.

 

[Winston Wells]

The MPX WFO has posted an initial overview of their damage survey from the Fairbault/Freeborn county tornadoes:

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cmsstory.php?wfo=mpx&storyid=30574&source=0#EasternFaribault

The report notes that intensity ratings have yet to be assigned, but assessments are still continuing. The statement also recognizes Spotternetwork for its contributions (hooray, Tyler!):

A SPECIAL THANKS TO THE LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCIES WHO
PROVIDED THE SURVEY TEAM WITH VALUABLE INFORMATION FOR THIS
SURVEY...ALONG WITH SPOTTERNETWORK.ORG FOR PROVIDING PRECISE
LOCATIONS OF SEVERE WEATHER REPORTS.

 

[STurner]

Three of the tornadoes were upgraded to EF4 today. Two in Minnesota and one in North Dakota.

 

[Jeff Duda]

I would like some help in determining what the feature in the following two images is:

The pictures were taken at 5:37 PM CDT from a location a few miles south of Blue Earth, MN on Highway 169, looking southeast. This was after the first several tornado reports on the storm, but before the big long track one. According to this PNS, there was a tornado confirmed 3 NE of Elmore, which touched down at 5:20 PM and lasted for 5 minutes. There is a bit of delay between the "lifting" of that tornado and the pictures I took, so I'm wondering if what I saw was a funnel cloud or not.

By the way, the long track beast in Freeborn County was rated EF-4.

 

[Skip Talbot]

Danny, Adam, and I were west of that feature by a few miles. Here's a video grab Danny posted on his website:

We've been debating the feature as well. Originally it looked like a nice, vertically orientated cone, but then it started to push out away from the rain core like it was more an outflow feature. Due to its orientation and its ragged appearance, my impression is that its the trailing edge of the meso or wall cloud being influenced by RFD. I'd like to go over my video some more and see what kind of motions were in it though, but I'm currently on the road.

 

[STurner]

I would like some help in determining what the feature in the following two images is:

The pictures were taken at 5:37 PM CDT from a location a few miles south of Blue Earth, MN on Highway 169, looking southeast. This was after the first several tornado reports on the storm, but before the big long track one. According to this PNS, there was a tornado confirmed 3 NE of Elmore, which touched down at 5:20 PM and lasted for 5 minutes. There is a bit of delay between the "lifting" of that tornado and the pictures I took, so I'm wondering if what I saw was a funnel cloud or not.

By the way, the long track beast in Freeborn County was rated EF-4.

Yeah that was a large very intense tornado. Called NWS in Grand Forks and he told me the Owen tornado in Holmes county ND was the strongest of the outbreak. Although a pretty narrow tornado they estimated 185mph winds but could have been nearly 200mph. The damage was approaching nearly EF5 status.

 

[Jeff Duda]

Yeah that was a large very intense tornado. Called NWS in Grand Forks and he told me the Owen tornado in Holmes county ND was the strongest of the outbreak. Although a pretty narrow tornado they estimated 185mph winds but could have been nearly 200mph. The damage was approaching nearly EF5 status.

I don't think we're talking about the same thing, Shane. I was referring to the tornadic events in far southern Minnesota, stuff that the Chanhassen office would be covering.

 

[STurner]

I don't think we're talking about the same thing, Shane. I was referring to the tornadic events in far southern Minnesota, stuff that the Chanhassen office would be covering.

Yeah the Albert Lea tornado. It was a monster and at times at least a mile-wide. It rated EF4 with winds of 175mph. I was just talking about the small narrow EF4 tornado in ND and should have said more about the tornado in Albert Lea. Thank You for mentioning it for I was not very specific about it.

 

[Melanie Kern-Favilla]

I would love to get peoples' opinions as to whether you think this is a lightning strike or power flash that caused this 'blow out' in the photo. Looks too bright for lightning but I can't be sure. Tried to lower the exposure on the photo but no luck. thx...

 

[Jeff Duda]

Melanie,
That flash is occurring awfully far away from the tornado to be a power flash. It also seems too bright. I'm pretty sure that was lightning, especially since it has the color and appearance as such. I won't forget the lightning during this chase. It was just insane and violent.

 

[JeffGonzales]

That to me looks like a big lighting flash at its most intense stage which would make it hard to see the actual bolt. At least that is what I think, because i got this on video of lighting which really lit up the picture, but as it dulled, the bolt was more visible. Here is my pics from a video. And I agree, with Jeff that this seems too far away from the tornado to be a power flash.

 

[Melanie Kern-Favilla]

Thanks, guys. I suppose you're right. I guess it would have more of a blue-ish color if it were electrical. EDIT: Duh, lightning is electrical, too.

 

[Todd Krause]

Record Number of MN Tornadoes in One Day

Some of you have seen this, but a couple of days ago we issued a statement detailing the various tornadoes in the Chanhassen county warning area on June 17. When you add what La Crosse, Duluth and Grand Forks also had in MN (although Grand Forks has not yet finalized its total for the day), it looks like MN had about 45 tornadoes on June 17, easily eclipsing the previous record of 27 set on June 16, 1992. The listing of the tornadoes in the Chanhassen area is here:
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/images/mpx/StormReports/17June2010.pdf

There were many challenges to figuring out the tornadoes in Faribault, Freeborn, and Steele Counties (i.e. Kiester, Albert Lea, Hollandale, etc), and if anybody sees something that is not right, please let me know.

Many tornadoes were able to be documented thanks to chase video, including that of a number of some chasers on ST. Many of you were kind enough to provide info via e-mail, PMs, phone calls, links to chaselogs and video, and that was all extremely helpful. So thank you very much. All of this info will help with studies of this event.

One of the things that was noteworthy was virtually everyone I talked with seemed to know about the tornadoes and most took shelter. Very few people were unaware, as far as I could determine. A lot of chasers reported via SpotterNetwork, and others called us during the event. Those reports added weight to our warnings and statements. IMO, there is no doubt that chaser reports helped save lives that day.

Not only that, but our office has worked with chasers over many years who have provided video for training. Most of the training video we've used since the early 90s is chase video. I'm a firm believer that over the years, this has led to better spotters (despite the occasional unusual report) and saved lives.

So a huge thanks to so many chasers, both in the short term with providing reports, and in the long term with better spotter training and studies.

Todd
WCM MPX (Minneapolis-Chanhassen MN)