Minnesota Storms

Jamie Baker of Cleveland, Minn., stands amidst the rubble of his home, Thursday, Aug. 24, 2006, after it was hit by a tornado earlier in the evening. Baker, his wife and their children, rode the storm out huddled in an old cistern in the basement of their farm home. The storm caused wide-spread damage across southern Minnesota.

Volunteers and friends search for belongings for the Jamie Baker family, Thursday, Aug. 24, 2006, after their rural Cleveland, Minn., home was destroyed by a suspected tornado. The family survived uninjured by huddling in a basement cistern.

A demolished house in Nicollet, Minn., is seen Thursday, Aug. 24, 2006, as people on the right stand near another home damaged by a severe storm that passed through the area. Several homes on the east edge of Nicollet were in shambles Thursday after severe thunderstorms with tornadoes leveled buildings and twisted trees off their trunks.

In photo provided by Lake Region Life, a tornado is seen Thursday, Aug. 24, 2006, near Waterville, Minn. Severe thunderstorms moved through southern Minnesota Thursday, spawning tornadoes that damaged buildings, twisted trees off their trunks and downed power lines over a wide area.

Hail sits on a lawn next to a quarter used as a measuring scale at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., Thursday, Aug. 24, 2006, after a line of thunderstorms moved through the areas, mostly missing the State Fair grounds but dropping large hail on several cities.

Jenny Nickerson of Savage, Minn., points out where a hail stone broke through her vehicle's rear window and through a speaker following a severe thunderstorm Thursday, Aug. 24, 2006, in Northfield, Minn. Hundreds of cars were damaged by hail after a line of thunderstorms moved through the state Thursday, largely missing the State Fair grounds but dropping large hail on several cities.

Onlookers and officials look at a house demolished after a tornado touched down in Nicollet, Minn., Thursday afternoon, Aug. 24, 2006. The twister destroyed several homes, damaged others, uprooted trees and knocked down power poles east of town.

Work goes on to shore up a house damaged after a tornado touched down in Nicollet, Minn., Thursday, Aug. 24, 2006. The twister destroyed several homes, damaged others, uprooted trees and knocked down power lines.

Thousands braved rain and puddles on opening day at the Minnesota State Fair Thursday, Aug. 24, 2006, in Falcon Heights, Minn., where rain fell off and on.