July 17, 2019, Tornado Outbreak in Northeastern Minnesota

Tornadoes

Tornado - Voyageurs National Park Locator Lake to Marion Bay (Rainy Lake) St Louis County, MN Date 7/17/2019 Time (Local) 7:49pm - 8:06pm CDT EF Rating EF-1 Est. Peak Winds 100 mph Path Length 3.5 miles Max Width 600 yards Injuries/Deaths None Summary: A preliminary damage survey of a tornado within Voyageurs National Park has been completed that confirmed a tornado from approximately Locator Lake to Marion Bay within Rainy Lake. The tornado likely extended further northeast across Rainy Lake and possibly into Canada, so the length of this tornado should be considered an estimate. This survey was completed using photos and videos from Voyageurs National Park, the public, and business owners in the region. Very special thanks to Voyageurs National Park for sharing aerial images of the damage path which was critical to assessing the path, width, and severity of this tornado. Track Map Downloadable KMZ File

Damage to trees at the Marion West houseboat site on Rainy River within Voyageurs National Park Aerial photo of damage path looking southwest from Marion Bay over Rainy Lake. (Credit: National Park Service) Aerial photo of the damage path at its widest, estimated to be around 600 yards. (Credit: National Park Service) A wider aerial photo of the damage path, looking east-northeast towards Marion Bay. (Credit: National Park Service)

Tornado(es) - Wirt/Effie Itasca and Koochiching County, MN Date 7/17/2019 Time (Local) 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM CDT EF Rating UNK Est. Peak Winds UNK Path Length UNK Max Width UNK Injuries/Deaths None Summary: Sporadic damage was observed from a likely weak tornado from near Wirt to near Effie along the Itasca County/Koochiching County line. This tornado may have been a single tornado or the storm may have caused more than one tornado during its lifetime. Until a further analysis of satellite imagery can be completed, this tornado will be considered EF-U (Unknown Damage Extent). Track Map

Photo taken in Effie Photo taken near Effie

Tornado - Orr/Gheen to Buyck St. Louis County, MN Date July 17, 2019 Time (Local) 8:05 PM - 8:45 PM CDT EF Rating UKN Est. Peak Winds UKN Path Length UKN Max Width UKN Injuries/Deaths 0 Summary: A tornado was reported on the ground just south of Orr, Minnesota near Gheen on US Highway 53 at 8:07 PM CDT. At 8:10 PM, small debris were reported to be lofted by the tornado with the funnel seen headed toward Elbow Lake. At 8:12 PM CDT, a waterspout was observed from the Pelican Lake Resort. This storm continued to move east into rural areas, likely forming a tornado that caused damage to trees between Orr and Buyck. Because of the limited damage and difficult terrain to survey, this tornado is currently rated an EF-U (Unknown Damage Extent). Warnings Map from this storm

Photo taken near Orr Photo taken just east of Orr at 8:32 PM CDT on Highway 23 near Autio Road facing west.   Damage near Shuster Rd (south of Orr Buyck Rd, east of Orr, MN) Video - Waterspout over Pelican Lake (Orr, MN)

The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:

EF0 Weak 65-85 mph	EF1 Moderate 86-110 mph	EF2 Significant 111-135 mph	EF3 Severe 136-165 mph	EF4 Extreme 166-200 mph	EF5 Catastrophic 200+ mph

Additional Photos:

A set of wooden bleachers were tossed over at the fairgrounds just west of Littlefork, MN. (Straight-line wind damage.)	Damage along Shuster Rd (south of Orr Buyck Rd, east of Orr, MN) (Credit:  Minnesota Climatology Working Group)	Damage along Shuster Rd (south of Orr Buyck Rd, east of Orr, MN) (Credit:  Minnesota Climatology Working Group)	Caption

Radar

Coming Soon

Total Rainfall, MRMS Hail Estimates, and Rotation Tracks	MRMS Rotation Tracks	Caption	Caption

Storm Reports

View storm reports on interactive map

159
NWUS53 KDLH 180352
LSRDLH

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
1052 PM CDT WED JUL 17 2019

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0830 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     4 NE ORR                48.10N 92.75W
07/17/2019                   ST. LOUIS          MN   TRAINED SPOTTER  

            FUNNEL CLOUD SPOTTED LOOKING NORTHEAST FROM
            BETWEEN ORR AND GHEEN. 

0812 PM     WATER SPOUT      2 SW CUSSON             48.08N 92.87W
07/17/2019                   ST. LOUIS          MN   PUBLIC           

            CORRECTS PREVIOUS WATER SPOUT REPORT FROM 2
            SW CUSSON. WATERSPOUT VIDEO FROM PELICAN
            LAKE RESORT. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. 

0810 PM     TORNADO          3 NNW GHEEN             48.01N 92.83W
07/17/2019                   ST. LOUIS          MN   TRAINED SPOTTER  

            SMALL DEBRIS LOFTED BY TORNADO WITH FUNNEL
            SEEN. TORNADO HEADED EAST TOWARDS ELBOW
            LAKE. 

0807 PM     TORNADO          2 NW GHEEN              47.99N 92.83W
07/17/2019                   ST. LOUIS          MN   TRAINED SPOTTER  

            A TRAINED SPOTTER REPORTED A STORM WITH
            HEAVY ROTATION AND A TORNADO ON THE GROUND
            JUST SOUTH OF ORR, NEAR US HIGHWAY 53. 

0806 PM     TORNADO          10 NNE KABETOGAMA       48.56N 92.93W
07/17/2019                   ST. LOUIS          MN   PUBLIC           

            TORNADO REPORTED WITH TREES DOWN NEAR
            HOUSEBOATS ON SAGINAW BAY AND MARION BAY.
            TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. 

0803 PM     HAIL             ISLAND VIEW             48.60N 93.19W
07/17/2019  M0.25 INCH       KOOCHICHING        MN   TRAINED SPOTTER  

            TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. 

0745 PM     TSTM WND DMG     6 W GREANEY             47.96N 93.15W
07/17/2019                   KOOCHICHING        MN   TRAINED SPOTTER  

            5 PINE AND POPPLE TREES THAT WERE ABOUT 2
            FEET IN DIAMETER KNOCKED DOWN DUE TO
            STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. 

0659 PM     HAIL             LITTLEFORK              48.40N 93.56W
07/17/2019  E0.75 INCH       KOOCHICHING        MN   PUBLIC           

            TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. 

0649 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 WNW LITTLEFORK        48.40N 93.57W
07/17/2019                   KOOCHICHING        MN   PUBLIC           

            BLEACHERS DAMAGED AT FAIRGROUNDS IN
            LITTLEFORK. TREE DOWN ON A POWERLINE IN
            LITTLEFORK. TIME ESTIMATED BY RADAR. 

0620 PM     TSTM WND GST     2 E BIRCHDALE           48.63N 94.07W
07/17/2019  M70 MPH          KOOCHICHING        MN   MESONET          

            MNDOT ROAD WEATHER STATION STATION MN026
            BRICHDALE MN-11 MILE POST 157. 

0600 PM     TORNADO          3 N WIRT                47.77N 93.95W
07/17/2019                   ITASCA             MN   LAW ENFORCEMENT  

            LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED A FUNNEL CLOUD THAT
            TOUCHED DOWN BRIEFLY ON COUNTY ROAD 14 NEAR
            COUNTY ROAD 31 HEADING EAST TOWARDS BIGFORK.
            LOCATION ESTIMATED BY RADAR. 

0534 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     3 S NORTHOME            47.83N 94.27W
07/17/2019                   ITASCA             MN   LAW ENFORCEMENT  

            SEVERAL FUNNEL CLOUD REPORTS RELAYED VIA LAW
            ENFORCEMENT. TIME AND LOCATION ESTIMATED BY
            RADAR. 

0948 PM     HAIL             7 WSW HOVLAND           47.82N 90.11W
07/17/2019  M0.25 INCH       COOK               MN   TRAINED SPOTTER 

            

&&

$$


979
NWUS53 KDLH 180429
LSRDLH

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
1129 PM CDT WED JUL 17 2019

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0830 PM     FLOOD            1 N INTERNATIONAL FALLS 48.60N 93.40W
07/17/2019                   KOOCHICHING        MN   PUBLIC           

            PICTURE OF FLOODWATER COVERING US HIGHWAY 53
            IN INTERNATIONAL FALLS RECEIVED VIA SOCIAL
            MEDIA. APPEARS TO BE ABOUT 3 INCHES OF WATER
            COVERING THE ROADWAY. 

&&

$$

JS


876
NWUS53 KDLH 182139
LSRDLH

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
439 PM CDT THU JUL 18 2019

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0805 PM     TSTM WND DMG     7 N KABETOGAMA          48.54N 93.01W
07/17/2019                   ST. LOUIS          MN   PARK/FOREST SRVC 

            VOYAGEURS NP REPORTS MANY TREES DOWN OVER
            THE LOCATOR LAKE TRAIL. TIME ESTIMATED FROM
            RADAR. 

&&

$$

SG


543
NWUS53 KDLH 182144
LSRDLH

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
444 PM CDT THU JUL 18 2019

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0805 PM     TSTM WND DMG     10 NNE KABETOGAMA       48.57N 92.92W
07/17/2019                   ST. LOUIS          MN   PARK/FOREST SRVC 

            VOYAGEURS NP REPORTS MANY TREES DOWN AT
            HOUSEBOAT SITE ON DUCKFOOT ISLAND. 

&&

$$

SG

Environment

Coming Soon.

Figure 1: 12Z (7 AM CDT) 250 hPa SPC analysis	Figure 2: 12Z (7 AM CDT) 500 hPa SPC analysis	Figure 3: 18Z (1 PM CDT) 850 hPa SPC Mesoanalysis

Additional description.

Figure 4: WPC 18Z (1 PM CDT) Surface Analysis	Figure 5: 18Z (1 PM CDT) Surface Based CAPE from SPC Mesoanalysis	Figure 6: 18Z (1 PM CDT) 0-6 km Bulk Shear from SPC Mesoanalysi

Figure 7: 18Z (1 PM CDT) 0-1 km Bulk Shear from SPC Mesoanalysis	Figure 8: 18Z (1 PM CDT) Lifted Condensation Level (LCL) heights from SPC Mesoanalysis	Figure 9: 18Z (1 PM CDT) Significant Tornado Parameter from SPC Mesoanalysis