Nine Tornadoes in Minnesota June 16, With Limited Damage

Severe Weather Reports June 16-17, 2025

This report details severe weather events, including tornadoes, hail, and damaging winds, that occurred in Minnesota based on the provided storm reports from 1200 UTC on June 16, 2025, to 1159 UTC on June 17, 2025. The data is sourced from tornado, hail, and wind reports, focusing on events within Minnesota, as compiled by the National Weather Service (NWS) and other reliable sources. The report is structured to provide a comprehensive overview of the severe weather impacts, including tornado activity, hail occurrences, and wind damage, with a focus on location, timing, and reported effects.

1. Overview of Severe Weather in Minnesota

On June 16–17, 2025, Minnesota experienced a significant severe weather outbreak characterized by multiple tornadoes, large hail, and damaging thunderstorm winds. The primary areas affected were Otter Tail, Cass, Aitkin, Nicollet, St. Louis, Todd, Wadena, Stearns, Meeker, Wright, Carver, Blue Earth, and Scott counties. The storms produced a series of tornadoes, primarily in Otter Tail and Cass counties, with additional tornado activity in Nicollet and Aitkin counties. Hail reports indicated stones ranging from quarter-sized (1.00 inch) to tennis ball-sized (2.50 inches), with significant impacts in Carver and Blue Earth counties. Damaging winds caused tree and structural damage, particularly in Stearns, Crow Wing, and St. Louis counties.

The severe weather was part of a broader regional event, with additional reports from neighboring states like South Dakota, Nebraska, and Wyoming, indicating a large-scale severe weather system moving through the Upper Midwest and Great Plains. The storm reports reflect a combination of social media confirmations, radar estimates, law enforcement reports, and trained spotter observations, providing a robust dataset for analysis.

2. Tornado Activity

A total of nine tornado reports were recorded in Minnesota, primarily concentrated in Otter Tail, Cass, Aitkin, Nicollet, and Todd counties. These reports include confirmed touchdowns, funnel clouds, and rotating wall clouds, with varying degrees of confirmation via social media, video, photos, and radar estimation. Below is a detailed summary of the tornado events:

• Otter Tail County:

  • 1 N Clitherall (19:11 UTC, 46.28°N, 95.63°W): A rotating storm with a weak funnel cloud was reported east of Battle Lake via social media, with the location estimated using radar. No damage was reported.

  • 2 NE Clitherall (19:13 UTC, 46.29°N, 95.60°W): A photo on social media showed a funnel cloud with rotation east of Battle Lake. Location was radar-estimated, and no specific damage was noted.

  • 4 W Henning (19:26 UTC, 46.33°N, 95.53°W): An observed tornado was reported via social media, with the location estimated by radar. No specific damage details were provided.

  • 2 NW Henning (19:36 UTC, 46.34°N, 95.47°W): A video of a rotating wall cloud was reported northwest of Henning. No confirmed touchdown or damage was noted.

  • 1 W Ottertail (19:40 UTC, 46.43°N, 95.58°W): Photos on social media confirmed a tornado near Perham, off County Highway 108 and County Highway 78 toward Ottertail Lake. No specific damage was reported.

  • 3 E Dent (19:45 UTC, 46.56°N, 95.65°W): A confirmed tornado touchdown was reported near State Highway 108 and Marion Lake. No detailed damage reports were provided.

  • 1 W Deer Creek (19:49 UTC, 46.39°N, 95.34°W): A video of a funnel cloud was reported west of Deer Creek via social media. No touchdown or damage was confirmed.

  • 1 N Deer Creek (20:00 UTC, 46.41°N, 95.32°W): A photo of a tornadic storm was reported near Deer Creek via social media. No specific damage was noted.

• Cass County:

  • Casino (21:22 UTC, 46.43°N, 94.54°W): A multi-vortex tornado was reported on the ground in Casino, with video confirmation. No specific damage details were provided, but the multi-vortex nature suggests potential for localized impacts.

  • Lake Shore (21:34 UTC, 46.50°N, 94.36°W): A tornado was reported, but no additional details on confirmation or damage were provided.

• Aitkin County:

  • 6 NW Wealthwood (22:30 UTC, 46.42°N, 93.75°W): Debris was reported in the air and on the ground, indicating a likely tornado touchdown. No further damage details were provided.

• Nicollet County:

  • 3 N Courtland (23:36 UTC, 44.31°N, 94.34°W): Storm chasers confirmed a brief tornado touchdown just north of Courtland. No damage was reported.

  • 5 N North Mankato (00:05 UTC, 44.24°N, 94.04°W): A brief tornado touched down north of Mankato, observed by several trained spotters. No specific damage was noted.

• Todd County:

  • 2 SSW Bertha (20:41 UTC, 46.24°N, 95.08°W): Law enforcement reported a roof blown off a barn near Bertha, likely associated with tornadic activity or severe thunderstorm winds.

• Wadena County:

  • Blue Grass (20:38 UTC, 46.54°N, 95.01°W): A photo of a wall cloud/lowering was reported on social media, with the location estimated via radar. No confirmed touchdown or damage was noted.

• St. Louis County:

  • 2 S Hibbing (00:01 UTC, 47.40°N, 92.94°W): A large tree fell due to strong thunderstorm winds, with a report of a potential funnel cloud. It was unclear if the tree was uprooted or split, and no confirmed tornado touchdown was reported.

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Summary of Tornado Impacts: The tornadoes in Otter Tail County were the most numerous, with eight reports, though most were brief or unconfirmed touchdowns with limited damage details. The multi-vortex tornado in Casino (Cass County) and the debris report in Aitkin County suggest potentially more significant impacts, though specific damage assessments are lacking. The tornadoes in Nicollet County were brief and observed by trained spotters, indicating reliable confirmation but minimal reported damage. The event in Todd County (barn roof damage) may indicate a stronger tornado or severe wind gusts. Overall, the tornadoes appear to have caused localized impacts, with no widespread structural damage or injuries reported in the provided data.

3. Hail Reports

Hail was reported across several Minnesota counties, with sizes ranging from quarter-sized (1.00 inch) to tennis ball-sized (2.50 inches). The most significant hail was reported in Carver County, with stones up to 3.25 inches in diameter. Below is a summary of the hail events:

• Otter Tail County:

  • 4 ENE Pelican Rapids (12:10 UTC, 46.59°N, 96.01°W): Quarter-sized (1.00 inch) hail was reported at Crystal Lake. No specific damage was noted.

• Meeker County:

  • 3 SSE Dassel (22:25 UTC, 45.04°N, 94.29°W): Multiple reports of quarter-sized (1.00 inch) hail south of Dassel. No damage details were provided.

• Wright County:

  • Cokato (22:44 UTC, 45.08°N, 94.19°W): Quarter-sized (1.00 inch) hail was reported.

  • 2 ESE Cokato (22:46 UTC, 45.07°N, 94.14°W): Golf ball-sized (1.75 inch) hail was reported, indicating a larger hail event in the area. No specific damage was noted.

• Cass County:

  • 1 NNE Lake Shore (21:40 UTC, 46.51°N, 94.35°W): Half dollar-sized (1.25 inch) hail was reported, with a photo confirming larger-than-quarter-sized stones.

  • 1 NNW Lake Shore (21:42 UTC, 46.51°N, 94.37°W): Quarter-sized (1.00 inch) hail was reported. No damage details were provided.

• Carver County:

  • Waconia (23:44 UTC, 44.85°N, 93.79°W): Half dollar-sized (1.25 inch) hail was reported by an NWS employee.

  • 1 SSW Waconia (00:01 UTC, 44.83°N, 93.81°W): Baseball-sized (3.25 inch) hail was reported, with photo measurement provided via Slack. This is the largest hail reported in Minnesota during this event.

  • 1 SW Waconia (00:10 UTC, 44.84°N, 93.81°W): Hen egg-sized (2.00 inch) hail was reported.

  • 1 SSE Victoria (00:08 UTC, 44.85°N, 93.65°W): Ping pong ball-sized (1.50 inch) hail was reported, with significant accumulation noted.

  • 1 NNW Carver (00:29 UTC, 44.77°N, 93.64°W): Quarter-sized (1.00 inch) hail was reported.

• Blue Earth County:

  • 2 ENE Mankato (00:40 UTC, 44.18°N, 93.96°W): Hen egg-sized (2.00 inch) hail was reported, with a tweeted photo measurement.

  • 2 ESE Mankato (00:50 UTC, 44.16°N, 93.95°W): Ping pong ball-sized (1.50 inch) hail was reported.

  • 2 WNW Eagle Lake (00:44 UTC, 44.17°N, 93.92°W): Quarter-sized (1.00 inch) hail was reported.

  • St. Clair (01:15 UTC, 44.08°N, 93.86°W): Golf ball-sized (1.75 inch) hail was reported.

• Scott County:

  • 1 NE Prior Lake (00:45 UTC, 44.71°N, 93.42°W): Quarter-sized (1.00 inch) hail was reported, with a picture shared via X.

    
    

Summary of Hail Impacts: The largest hail (3.25 inches) was reported in Waconia (Carver County), with additional large hail (2.00 inches) in Mankato and Victoria. These larger hailstones likely caused damage to vehicles, windows, and roofs, though specific damage reports were not provided. Quarter-sized hail was more widespread, reported in multiple counties, and is typically less destructive but can still damage crops and property. The concentration of large hail in Carver and Blue Earth counties suggests these areas experienced the most intense hailstorms.

4. Wind Reports

Damaging thunderstorm winds were reported in Stearns, Hennepin, Crow Wing, and St. Louis counties, causing tree damage, structural impacts, and power outages. Below is a summary of the wind events:

• Stearns County:

  • 2 NNE Waite Park (17:02 UTC, 45.58°N, 94.21°W): Photos showed a tree down causing structural damage to a MnDOT facility, with a garage bay door blown inward. Time was estimated via radar.

  • Sartell (17:54 UTC, 45.62°N, 94.21°W): A photo showed a large tree down in a residential area.

  • 1 SSW Waite Park (17:57 UTC, 45.54°N, 94.23°W): A photo showed a large pine tree down in southern Waite Park.

  • 1 W Waite Park (17:57 UTC, 45.55°N, 94.24°W): A photo showed large tree limbs down blocking a trailway.

  • 2 NNW Waite Park (17:57 UTC, 45.58°N, 94.24°W): A photo showed large trees down.

  • 1 WNW St. Cloud (18:02 UTC, 45.56°N, 94.19°W): A photo showed a tree limb down in a residential area.

• Hennepin County:

  • 2 SSW Maple Grove (19:32 UTC, 45.08°N, 93.48°W): Delayed report of tree damage near the intersection of Bass Lake Rd and Vicksburg Ln, with time estimated via radar.

• Crow Wing County:

  • Merrifield (21:50 UTC, 46.47°N, 94.17°W): Pictures showed downed trees (snapped and uprooted), a damaged business sign, and fence damage due to strong thunderstorm winds.

  • 1 N Merrifield (21:58 UTC, 46.48°N, 94.17°W): Trees fell in multiple directions, with time estimated from radar.

• St. Louis County:

  • Hibbing (23:17 UTC, 47.42°N, 92.95°W): An 8-inch diameter pine tree was down, along with multiple branches. Time was estimated by radar.

  • 2 S Hibbing (00:01 UTC, 47.40°N, 92.94°W): A large tree fell due to strong thunderstorm winds, with a potential funnel cloud reported (noted in the tornado section).

    
    

Summary of Wind Impacts: The wind reports indicate significant tree damage across Stearns, Hennepin, Crow Wing, and St. Louis counties, with large trees and limbs down, blocking roads and trails, and causing structural damage (e.g., MnDOT facility in Waite Park, business sign and fence in Merrifield). The lack of specific wind speed measurements in Minnesota suggests gusts were likely in the 50–70 mph range, typical for causing tree and minor structural damage. The concentration of reports in Stearns County indicates this area was particularly hard-hit by damaging winds.

5. Regional Context and Weather Patterns

The severe weather in Minnesota was part of a larger outbreak affecting the Upper Midwest and Great Plains, with additional reports of tornadoes, large hail, and damaging winds in South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Colorado. The presence of multiple tornadoes, large hail (up to 3.25 inches), and wind gusts up to 91 mph (in Kansas) suggests a highly unstable atmosphere, likely driven by a strong low-pressure system, warm moist air, and significant wind shear. The Minnesota tornadoes were primarily brief, with many reports based on social media and radar estimation, indicating a mix of weak (EF0–EF1) tornadoes and funnel clouds. The large hail in Carver and Blue Earth counties points to strong updrafts within the storms, while the wind damage in Stearns and Crow Wing counties suggests powerful downdrafts or gust fronts.

6. Impacts and Response

• Tornado Impacts: The tornadoes caused minimal reported damage, with the most significant being the roof blown off a barn near Bertha (Todd County). The multi-vortex tornado in Casino and debris in Aitkin County suggest potential for localized damage, but no injuries or widespread destruction were noted.

• Hail Impacts: The baseball-sized hail in Waconia likely caused property damage (e.g., vehicles, roofs), though specific impacts were not detailed. Smaller hail (quarter-sized) was more widespread but less destructive.

• Wind Impacts: Tree damage was the primary impact, with downed trees and limbs causing road blockages, structural damage (MnDOT facility, business sign), and potential power outages (implied in Hibbing and other reports). No injuries were reported.

• Response: The NWS offices in Grand Forks (FGF), Duluth (DLH), and Minneapolis (MPX) likely issued severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings for the affected areas, given the presence of trained spotters and storm chaser confirmations. Local law enforcement and emergency management were involved in reporting damage (e.g., Todd County barn roof).

  
  

7. Conclusion

The severe weather event on June 16–17, 2025, in Minnesota was marked by a series of brief tornadoes, large hail, and damaging winds, primarily affecting Otter Tail, Cass, Aitkin, Nicollet, Todd, Wadena, Stearns, Meeker, Wright, Carver, Blue Earth, and Scott counties. The tornadoes were mostly weak, with limited damage, though the multi-vortex tornado in Casino and barn damage in Bertha suggest localized impacts. Hail up to 3.25 inches in Waconia posed a significant risk to property, while wind damage in Stearns and Crow Wing counties caused tree and structural impacts. The event was part of a broader regional severe weather outbreak.