Duluth, Minnesota – Drivers and residents across northeastern Minnesota need to stay ready for rapidly developing severe thunderstorms Tuesday afternoon, with wind gusts up to 65 mph, ping-pong ball-size hail and a couple of tornadoes possible before 10 p.m. CDT.
According to the National Weather Service, a severe thunderstorm watch covers parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin until 10 p.m. Tuesday. The watch area includes an estimated 603,723 people, 379 schools and 32 hospitals, increasing concerns about travel, outdoor activities and power interruptions as storms move through the region.
Communities within the highlighted threat area include Duluth, Moose Lake, Mora, Cambridge, Forest Lake, Ely and Virginia in Minnesota, along with Hayward, Rice Lake and Ashland in Wisconsin. Interstate 35 north of the Twin Cities could encounter intense rain, hail and sudden wind gusts as storms develop.
Residents should secure outdoor furniture and other loose objects before storms arrive. Anyone outdoors should have immediate access to a sturdy building and keep phones charged for warning updates. Drivers who encounter hail or sharply reduced visibility should avoid stopping beneath highway overpasses.
The watch remains in effect through 10 p.m. Tuesday. Additional severe thunderstorm or tornado warnings could be issued for individual communities as storms strengthen.
