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Storm Events Database
Event Details:
| Event | Tornado |
| -- Scale | EF1 |
| -- Length | 8.78 Miles |
| -- Width | 300 Yards |
| State | MINNESOTA |
| County/Area | SHERBURNE |
| WFO | MPX |
| Report Source | NWS Storm Survey |
| NCEI Data Source | CSV |
| Begin Date | 2017-03-06 17:39 CST-6 |
| Begin Location | 3ESE ORROCK |
| Begin Lat/Lon | 45.4287/-93.6925 |
| End Date | 2017-03-06 17:55 CST-6 |
| End Location | 2S PRINCETON |
| End Lat/Lon | 45.5352/-93.5936 |
| Deaths Direct/Indirect | 0/0 (fatality details below, when available...) |
| Injuries Direct/Indirect | 0/0 |
| Property Damage | 0.00K |
| Crop Damage | 0.00K |
| Episode Narrative | A powerful storm system that developed across the northern plains Monday, March 6th, produced a swath of large hail and some damaging wind gusts from central Minnesota, southward into the central plains. Three tornadoes were confirmed in east central and southern Minnesota. One near Bricelyn, another near Clarks Grove, and one more near Zimmerman. The air mass was unusually mild for early March and it moved northward ahead of a strong cold front that went from western, to eastern Minnesota during the afternoon and early evening hours. Dew points rose into the 50s which is very rare for early March ahead of this cold front. In addition, wind shear was very strong which provided the ample source of severe thunderstorm development and organization. Once thunderstorms developed, strong to severe storms developed quickly and produced large hail near Redwood Falls. Other severe thunderstorm developed northeast of Redwood Falls, to near Hutchinson, and produced a cluster of severe hail reports from Hutchinson, to Dassel, Cokato, and west of the Twin Cities area. Several other storms developed north of St. Cloud and produced quarter size hail near Rice. The cluster of strong to severe storms that were west of the Twin Cities, produced one tornadic storm near Zimmerman, and moved northward toward Princeton. A storm team confirmed an EF1 tornado produced the damage west of Zimmerman. Numerous trees and power lines were blown down in the path of this tornado, including roof damage to several homes. Another area of severe thunderstorms developed in northern Iowa and moved into south central Minnesota. It produced an EF1 tornado in eastern Faribault County, with a swath of large hail from southeast of Blue Earth, northeast toward Albert Lea, and then to Cannon Falls. Another storm became tornadic near Clarks Grove which also produced an EF1 tornado. These storms moved into parts of west central Wisconsin and produced strong winds and hail but no notable damage. |
| Event Narrative | A NWS storm survey concluded that an EF-1 tornado touched down about 5 miles west of Zimmerman and traveled northeast 8.8 miles, dissipating before reaching Highway 169. The storm also produced non-tornadic scattered tree damage due to strong inflow into the storm in a few locations, including on the east side of Highway 169, just south of Princeton. The tornado had a width of 300 yards, and maximum winds of 110 mph. |
Event Map:
Note: The tornado track is approximate based on the beginning (B) and ending (E) locations. The actual tornado path may differ from a straight line.
All events for this episode:
| Location | County/Zone | St. | Date | Time | T.Z. | Type | Mag | Dth | Inj | PrD | CrD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Totals: | 0 | 0 | 35.00K | 0.00K | |||||||
| WABASSO | REDWOOD CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 15:35 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.75 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| REDWOOD FALLS | REDWOOD CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 15:40 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| REDWOOD FALLS | REDWOOD CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 15:45 | CST-6 | Hail | 2.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 25.00K | 0.00K |
| MORTON | RENVILLE CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 15:51 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| ROYALTON | MORRISON CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 16:05 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.75 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| OPOLE | STEARNS CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 16:25 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.88 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| RICE | BENTON CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 16:28 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| ROYALTON | MORRISON CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 16:34 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| HUTCHINSON | MCLEOD CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 16:38 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| DASSEL | MEEKER CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 16:42 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| ST STEPHEN | STEARNS CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 16:45 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.75 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| STOCKHOLM | WRIGHT CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 16:45 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.75 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| BUCKMAN | MORRISON CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 16:48 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| FROST | FARIBAULT CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 16:57 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.50 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| BRICELYN | FARIBAULT CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 17:04 | CST-6 | Tornado | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| PIERZ | MORRISON CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 17:06 | CST-6 | Thunderstorm Wind | 54 kts. MG | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| SILVER CREEK | WRIGHT CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 17:18 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.75 in. | 0 | 0 | 10.00K | 0.00K |
| CONGER | FREEBORN CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 17:20 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| ALBION CENTER | WRIGHT CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 17:22 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.88 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| BECKER | SHERBURNE CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 17:32 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.00 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| BANCROFT | FREEBORN CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 17:38 | CST-6 | Tornado | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| ORROCK | SHERBURNE CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 17:39 | CST-6 | Tornado | EF1 | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| MONTICELLO | WRIGHT CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 17:44 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.75 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| ELLENDALE | STEELE CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 17:49 | CST-6 | Tornado | EF0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| PRINCETON | SHERBURNE CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 17:50 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.75 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| PRINCETON | SHERBURNE CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 17:56 | CST-6 | Thunderstorm Wind | 56 kts. EG | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| FARIBAULT | RICE CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 17:59 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.88 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| DALBO | ISANTI CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 18:05 | CST-6 | Hail | 1.50 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| CANNON FALLS | GOODHUE CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 18:25 | CST-6 | Thunderstorm Wind | 52 kts. EG | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| ST PAUL PARK | WASHINGTON CO. | MN | 03/06/2017 | 22:09 | CST-6 | Hail | 0.75 in. | 0 | 0 | 0.00K | 0.00K |
| Totals: | 0 | 0 | 35.00K | 0.00K |
