Minnesota Weather

The storm caused damage to buildings, trees and power lines. Thousands experienced power outages due to the storm.

Crowds of varying sizes showed up in both the sunshine and during a heavy downpour for annual Fourth of July parades in Iron Range communities.

The National Weather Service confirmed the Murphy Lake Tornado on July 2, 2026, based on drone imagery and local resident reports of damage.

The second round of severe thunderstorms on June 29, 2026, knocked out power for even more people than the first round did, with strong winds, large hail and heavy rain.

The National Weather Service in Duluth issued an upgraded alert of a "destructive" thunderstorm June 29, 2026, but the storm passed through much calmer than expected.

Reports of funnel clouds, strong wind, large hail and power outages accompanied the well-defined “bow echo,” a storm system that often produces straight-line wind events.

Bemidji Mayor Jorge Prince accepted the Tommy Longo Disaster Leadership Award from LeadersLink during the Bemidji City Council meeting on June 15, 2026.

The Emergency Forest Order, which prohibited campfires and charcoal-fueled cookstoves, will be lifted on June 12, 2026.

The Level 3 of 5, or enhanced risk of severe weather, has shifted east to Wisconsin, but much of Northern Minnesota is still at a Level 2 for Wednesday, June 10, 2026.

This means the potential for severe wind gusts of 75-80 mph or more, embedded tornadoes, hail up to the size of golf balls and locally heavy rainfall with flash flooding possible.