NWS Confirms Tornado Near Fairmount as Minnesota Faces Level 3 of 5 Severe Storm Risk
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · May 18
NWS Confirms Tornado Near Fairmount as Minnesota Faces Level 3 of 5 Severe Storm Risk
7 articles · Updated · CBS New York · May 18
A short rope tornado touched down northwest of Fairmount along Interstate 90 around 7 p.m., the National Weather Service said, as severe storms moved across southern Minnesota.
Southwest Minnesota faces the highest threat Sunday night — 3 out of 5 — with wind, hail and more tornadoes possible, while a tornado watch remains in effect there until 10 p.m.
The storm line is expected to reach the Twin Cities between 9 and 11 p.m., where straight-line winds are the main concern, though embedded tornadoes remain possible.
Rain totals of 1 to 2 inches are forecast, with isolated 3-inch amounts, before the system weakens into western Wisconsin and conditions begin drying by Tuesday afternoon.
Another round could arrive Monday night, with a 2 out of 5 severe risk in southeastern Minnesota and 1 out of 5 in the metro, before temperatures recover into the 70s later in the week.
After a record dry May, could this storm's intense rain become a more destructive threat than its tornadoes?
Beyond today's tornadoes, is Minnesota prepared for a summer of air quality alerts fueled by unprecedented Western droughts?
With forecasting technology at its peak, are communities truly prepared for the escalating violence of our weather?