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Weather

If you like variety and intensity in the seasons, Minnesota is the place to live. Our winters are legendary for heavy snow, subzero temperatures and the Alberta Clippers sweeping northwest winds across the state. Summers can be hot, humid and unsettled, kicking up fierce windstorms, heavy rain and tornadoes. Transition periods, ranging from the mid-60s to the low-20s overnight, are responsible for ice storms that coat roads, trees and power lines.

Le Sueur County TornadoTornado in Le Sueur County, 2006.

On August 24, 2006, a powerful F-3 tornado touched down in the cities of Nicollet (Nicollet County) and Kasota (Le Sueur County), killing one person, injuring 37, and wiping out homes and businesses in its path. A streak of nine days in a row of 90 degrees or warmer temperatures placed the summer of 2005 in the record books, tied for third place with four other years. A serious ice storm began during the afternoon of March 22, 1991, and later changed to heavy, wet snow. This event coated the city of Duluth with as much as six inches of ice, toppling the 850-foot WDIO-TV tower and damaging four million pine trees. The economic toll from the ice storm alone was $9.4 million.

Many communities in Minnesota have outdoor emergency sirens to warn residents about potential danger. If you hear an emergency siren, take shelter immediately. Listen to the radio or television for local weather information and instructions. Another excellent source of information is a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio. NOAA is a nationwide network of radio stations broadcasting weather information directly from the National Weather Service, and it currently covers about 98 percent of Minnesota.
(Go to http://www.weather.gov/nwr/ for NOAA Weather Radio sites.) Warnings sound automatically by radio signal. NOAA radios can be purchased at stores with electronic equipment. See http://www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr/nwrrcvr.htm) for more information from the National Weather Service about NOAA radios.

  • The emergency sirens warn you of various weather conditions:
  • Severe Thunderstorm Watch: Severe weather may occur, so stay alert, watch the sky and stay turned to the local news or your NOAA Weather Radio.
  • Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Severe weather has been reported and may pose an imminent danger for people in the path of the storm. Seek shelter and stay informed.
  • Tornado Watch: Tornadoes are possible. Remain alert, watch the sky and stay tuned to the local news or your NOAA Weather radio.
  • Tornado Warning: A tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. Take shelter immediately. 

The emergency sirens are tested at noon on the first Wednesday of each month. The sirens are activated by city or county officials when there's a direct observation by trained safety personnel or a warning from the National Weather Service.

Be prepared for severe weather. The type of weather and shelter you are in when severe weather occurs will determine if you should evacuate or stay.

  • Go to Get Prepared and create a family communication plan that includes both a Stay Plan and a Go Plan, and build a 1-week emergency kit to be prepared for a severe weather incident.
  • Print the Severe Weather Checklist (PDF) and discuss this information with your family.

Weather Resources