At least one tornado confirmed in Brainerd lakes area

MERRIFIELD — At least one tornado struck southern Cass and central Crow Wing counties Monday, June 16.

The National Weather Service received video and multiple photos of a tornado north of Pillager near Casino, as well as images from Lake Shore, Nisswa and Merrifield. The storm moved through the area around 5 p.m.

"There definitely was something that was out there," said Bryan Howell, meteorologist with the weather service in Duluth.

"And we are planning on heading out tomorrow to go take a look and find out if it was one or multiple, or see what all happened out there."

Crow Wing County set up emergency operations in Merrifield. Sheriff Eric Klang. Downed trees were initially preventing damage assessment, but roads were mostly clear by 7:30 p.m.

About 2,000 people lost power, and Klang said crews were working to untangle trees from power lines.

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A tornado west of Gull Lake on June 16, 2025.

Contributed / Eric Klang

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Damage from a storm and possible tornado northeast of Merrifield on June 16, 2026.

Contributed / Eric Klang

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Damage from a storm and possible tornado northeast of Merrifield on June 16, 2026.

Contributed / Eric Klang

Klang said there have been no reports of significant structure damage or injuries.

"I think we got lucky on this one," he said. "But it's early."

Klang watched the tornado cross Gull Lake from just north of the Brainerd International Raceway.

"It formed, and then it went back up, and then it formed, and then it looked like it was going across [Highway] 371, which is about the path that it took this way," he said. "Went across Gladstone Lake, crossed [County Road] 137, down to [County Road] 127, went just east from there."

The weather service reported the tornado over the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area around 5:09 p.m. Sgt. Robert DePaoli with the Crosby Police Department could not speak to areas outside the city but said Crosby had no damage.

Meteoroligst Howell said weather service crews will first examine areas with recorded damage, including Merrifield, before trying to identify the tornado's path.

"Probably look back in the Casino area where we had the video, see if we can find where it touched down and see if we can find a continuous track as it headed off to the east, northeast," he said.

Howell added that there were multiple areas under tornado warnings, and there may be more than just the well-documented twister. There were reports of another possible tornado on the east side of Brainerd.