Slow Summer So Far For Severe Minnesota Weather
CHANHASSEN, Minn. (WCCO) -- Toppling sheds and ripping down trees and power lines in Atwater and Grove City, an EF-0 tornado was only on the ground for 10 minutes on Friday night, but caused quite a bit of destruction in its 11-mile path.
Looking at the damage, it's tough to believe that it's actually been a slow spring and summer for severe weather in Minnesota.
The National Weather Service said the agency has issued less than 50 percent of the severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings than what is normal for this time of year.
"The severe weather season for most of the country has been pretty slow," said NWS Meteorologist Caleb Grunzke. "We just didn't get the atmospheric patterns that we usually see with severe weather throughout May and June."
So far this year, the state has seen 11 tornadoes, including a Fourth of July twister that uprooted trees in Bemidji.
We are not out of the woods yet, though.
In Minnesota, twisters have touched down in every month from March through November.