Weather
Minnesota Weather Alert: 70 MPH Winds, 2-Inch Hail and Tornado Risk Through 10 P.M. Friday
Brainerd, Minnesota – Residents across central and northern Minnesota should keep warning alerts&nb…
By Owen Prescott · 2026-09-11T23:46:18.318Z
Brainerd, Minnesota – Residents across central and northern Minnesota should keep warning alerts within reach Friday evening as storms capable of producing tornadoes, 2 inch hail and wind gusts up to 70 mph threaten communities through 10 p.m. CDT.
According to the National Weather Service in Duluth, a Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 10 p.m. Friday for portions of the Northland, including Cass and Crow Wing counties. The watch area extends across a broader section of Minnesota and eastern South Dakota, with an estimated 864,395 people, 465 schools and 57 hospitals potentially exposed.
Brainerd, Little Falls, Park Rapids and Wadena sit within the highlighted threat area. Farther south and west, the watch also includes areas around St. Cloud, Alexandria, Willmar, Marshall and Granite Falls. Interstate 94 crosses the affected zone near St. Cloud, while other major routes could encounter rapidly worsening conditions as storms develop.
The National Weather Service indicates scattered hail could reach 2 inches in diameter, with scattered wind gusts reaching 70 mph. A couple of tornadoes are also possible.
People in the watch area should secure outdoor objects, charge phones and keep multiple ways to receive warnings. Drivers should avoid entering flooded roads and seek sturdy shelter if a warning is issued.
The severe thunderstorm watch continues through 10 p.m. Friday, and additional warnings could be issued as individual storms intensify.