MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Warm, sunnier weather finally reached Minnesota on Sunday after a cool, cloudy start to Memorial Day weekend, but the improving conditions also came with a renewed risk of severe storms. Parts of the state, especially in the southwest, faced thunderstorm warnings and a broader watch through Sunday night.
The National Weather Service warned that storms could bring damaging wind and hail, with some areas seeing severe weather alerts into the evening. The Twin Cities metro was not included in the watch area.
Warnings in Effect
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for Nicollet County until 7:15 p.m., including communities such as St. George, Lafayette and Klossner. The main hazards with that storm were wind gusts up to 60 mph and quarter-size hail.
Another Severe Thunderstorm Warning covered Kandiyohi, Meeker and Renville counties until 5:30 p.m. Those alerts reflected the risk of stronger storms already moving through west-central Minnesota.
Watch Covers Southwest
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remained in effect until 11 p.m. for portions of far southwestern Minnesota. The watch stretched across a broad area that included Willmar, Redwood Falls, Marshall, Worthington and St. James, and reached as far east as Mankato.
The watch area came closest to the Twin Cities near Glencoe, but it did not include the metro itself. Forecasters said the biggest concern Sunday night was large hail.
Warm Sunday Forecast
After a sunny start, temperatures were expected to climb into the upper 80s across most of Minnesota. Forecasters said the warm weather would continue under mostly sunny skies, even as they kept an eye on the potential for more storms.
The weather pattern marked a sharp change from the cool, cloudy conditions that opened the holiday weekend. Anyone in the affected counties was being urged to stay alert for rapid changes in storm conditions through the evening.
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