4 tornadoes confirmed near Minneapolis after storms move through region
Tornado sirens woke up Minnesota residents on June 29 after several small tornadoes were spotted south of Minneapolis.
Early Sunday morning, from 12:15-12:45 a.m. local time, four tornadoes were spotted in Carver County, Minnesota, located southwest of Minneapolis, Mike Griesinger, a lead forecaster with the National Weather Service Twin Cities office, told Paste BN.
The tornadoes were short-lived, with winds of 80 to 90 mph.
One structure was damaged, but the storms were weak and mainly caused damage to trees, Griesinger said.
While small tornadoes are not expected to occur again, the area may experience thunderstorms on Sunday, according to Griesinger. But the storms could be pushed to Wisconsin by a weak front.
Minnesota tornadoes come after record-setting heat wave
The confirmed tornadoes in Minnesota on Sunday come on the heels of a heat wave that broke daily record high temperatures across the Midwest and eastern part of the U.S.
On Saturday, June 28, "all severe hazards" were possible across southern Minnesota and eastern South Dakota as scattered thunderstorms moved over the region, according to the Storm Prediction Center.
Multiple methods for tornado warnings recommended
The Minnesota tornadoes did not cause extensive property damage, but Griesinger said this is a great reminder of why people should have multiple forms of warning about incoming tornadoes, even at night.
While tornado alarms did sound throughout the county, there are other ways to be informed about severe weather.
Minneapolis residents can sign up for Smart911 alerts to receive notifications about severe weather via the following methods, according to the City of Minneapolis' website.
To sign up for emergency alerts, text MPLSAlerts to 77295 or create a Smart911 profile on its website.
Contributing: Jeanine Santucci, Paste BN
Julia is a trending reporter for Paste BN. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com