MERRIFIELD — The storm that passed through the Brainerd lakes area Monday, June 16, dropped two tornadoes in southern Cass and central Crow Wing counties, the National Weather Service said.
Both tornadoes were rated as EF1s based on preliminary survey results, with peak winds estimated at 100 miles per hour.
The first twister began at 4:21 p.m. northwest of Pillager near the community of Casino. It moved northeast, then shifted southeast, crossing Home Brook and Gull Lake before lifting at 4:43 p.m.
It traveled 11.5 miles in the 22 minutes it was on the ground and had a maximum width of 400 yards or around a quarter-mile, about the height of the Empire State Building.
The second tornado touched down at 4:46 p.m. south of Gladstone Lake. It briefly moved northeast before traveling nearly straight east until it lifted west of Ironton at 5:12 p.m.
At its widest, the twister was 900 yards or about half a mile. Its path was 10.9 miles long.
While technically two separate tornadoes, weather service meteorologist Woody Unruh said the second was essentially a re-touchdown of the first.
Survey crews found trees uprooted and snapped, as well as some shingles blown off roofs, which allowed them to estimate the twisters' strength.
The weather service said the findings could change as more data, imagery, reports and observations are collected.
With hot, muggy weather in the Northland this week, the weather service said there's multiple chances for thunderstorms. Severe storms are possible Thursday, Friday evening into early Saturday morning and again late Sunday into Monday, but it's too soon to predict the exact timing and threats of the storms.
"Keep an eye on the forecast and stay updated because there is gonna be the potential again for some more active weather," Unruh said.
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