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Overview

Thunderstorms rapidly fired in southern North Dakota between 10 PM and 11 PM local time on the evening of July 13th.  These thunderstorms developed to the north of a surface low pressure that was located in central South Dakota. While the air mass near the surface over North Dakota was quite stable - drier and cooler than to the southeast - a warm, moist air mass had surged north, elevated a few thousand feet above the ground. This increasingly unstable environment aloft helped support thunderstorm growth well into the overnight hours.

In the early morning hours of July 14th, the storms in North Dakota formed into small lines and clusters, and began propagating faster to the east, as the surface weather features became more well defined. The surface low was pushing into northeastern South Dakota, with a surface warm front pushing north into central Minnesota. The storms eventually became concentrated into a squall line along and to the north of the surface warm front. This sort of pattern, and storm evolution, is relatively common in the summer months in the central United States.  Thunderstorm clusters and lines often become focused in areas where advection of warm, moist air is maximized.

These conditions became focused over central Minnesota and into northwest Wisconsin on the morning of July 14th - as a surface warm front was situated just south of the NWS Duluth county warning area, and a very humid air mass was surging north into southern Minnesota. As such, the squall line continued to take shape and intensify as it crossed into the NWS Duluth area roughly around 7 AM local time. This line of storms probably reached peak intensity over far northwest Wisconsin as it started to bow out near the Spooner area. Widespread wind damage was reported from Burnett County, eastward through Washburn and Sawyer Counties.

More thunderstorms developed quickly in the wake of the initial line of storms across far eastern Minnesota where dewpoints were rising into the mid-70s and the atmosphere was destabilizing. These thunderstorms became focused in the afternoon across northwest and west-central Minnesota where rain-cooled air (thunderstorm outflow) was reinforcing the pre-existing warm front.  Finally, thunderstorms eventually developed southward southern Minnesota, and central and southern Wisconsin, from this 2nd round of storms, and a few more storms also re-developed closer to the surface low over western and central Minnesota. All of these thunderstorms continued to push east through the afternoon and early evening along the periphery of a deep moisture plume and in an extremely unstable air mass.

 

 

Image
8AM 7/14/2010 Upper Midwest Weather Overview

 

Fast Facts

  • 45 storm reports logged by NWS Duluth 15 Severe Thunderstorm Warnings, 1 Flash Flood Warning, and 1 Tornado Warning
  • 3 Special Marine Warnings issued by NWS Duluth
  • Warnings from NWS Duluth were in effect for a total of 10 hours and 43 minutes on July 14th
  • ​5:53 AM CDT - first warning issued
  • ​6:45 PM CDT - last warning expired
  • ​Potential for severe weather this day mentioned as early as the 5 AM Hazardous Weather Outlook on July 9th.
  • 17 warnings issued by  NWS Duluth:

Storm Reports

Click the image above for Storm Reports from around the country.

 

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
650 PM CDT WED JUL 14 2010

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

0902 AM     TSTM WND DMG     2 S CROMWELL            46.65N 92.87W
07/14/2010                   CARLTON            MN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES BLOWN DOWN ACROSS HIGHWAY 73 SOUTH OF CROMWELL.

0912 AM     TSTM WND DMG     7 W CLOQUET             46.73N 92.64W
07/14/2010                   CARLTON            MN   PUBLIC

            LARGE TREES DOWN NEAR BIG LAKE.

0922 AM     TSTM WND DMG     CLOQUET                 46.73N 92.49W
07/14/2010                   CARLTON            MN   AMATEUR RADIO

            TREES REPORTED DOWN IN AND AROUND CLOQUET...INCLUDING A
            40 FT PINE TREE NEAR 14TH AND WASHINGTON.

0925 AM     TSTM WND DMG     CLOQUET                 46.73N 92.49W
07/14/2010                   CARLTON            MN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            MANY TREE LIMBS DOWN...POWER LINES DOWN...AND A FEW TREES
            DOWNED IN AND AROUND THE CITY OF CLOQUET.

0925 AM     TSTM WND DMG     SCANLON                 46.71N 92.43W
07/14/2010                   CARLTON            MN   AMATEUR RADIO

            TREES DOWN IN SCANLON. NEAR 22ND STREET AND DODRIDGE.

0928 AM     TSTM WND GST     2 E PINE CITY           45.83N 92.93W
07/14/2010  M49.00 MPH       PINE               MN   MESONET

            MEASURED AT PINE CITY SCHOOL

0932 AM     TSTM WND DMG     5 SE PINE CITY          45.78N 92.90W
07/14/2010                   PINE               MN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREE BRANCHES DOWN ALONG HIGHWAY 70.
0932 AM     TSTM WND DMG     4 SSW PROCTOR           46.69N 92.26W
07/14/2010                   ST. LOUIS          MN   NWS EMPLOYEE

            DELAYED REPORT. TREE DAMAGE NOTED ALONG THE MUNGER TRAIL.
            TIME IS APPROXIMATE FROM RADAR.

0946 AM     TSTM WND GST     6 WSW POPLAR            46.55N 91.90W
07/14/2010  M56.00 MPH       DOUGLAS            WI   PUBLIC

            MEASURED GUST OF 56.4 MPH ON A PRIVATE WEATHER STATION.

0948 AM     TSTM WND DMG     4 N GRANTSBURG          45.84N 92.68W
07/14/2010                   BURNETT            WI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            TREES BLOWN DOWN...WIND ESTIMATED AT 60 MPH OR POSSIBLY
            MORE. SPOTTER PICKED UP 1.9 INCHES OF RAIN IN ABOUT AN
            HOUR.

0948 AM     MARINE TSTM WIND 2 NE SUPERIOR           46.72N 92.03W
07/14/2010  M49.00 MPH       LSZ145             WI   AWOS

            MEASURED 41 KT GUST AT SKY HARBOR AIRPORT.

1000 AM     TSTM WND DMG     WEBSTER                 45.88N 92.36W
07/14/2010                   BURNETT            WI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            IN OAKLAND TOWNSHIP IN BURNETT COUNTY. LARGE OAK TREE
            BLOWN DOWN. 60 MPH WINDS ESTIMATED. 1.4 INCHES OF RAIN IN
            30 MINUTES.

1000 AM     TSTM WND DMG     1 E GHEEN               47.97N 92.79W
07/14/2010                   ST. LOUIS          MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            COUNTY HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT CLEARING SEVERAL SMALL TRESS
            COVERING ROAD. SIZE OF TREES UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. PEA
            SIZE HAIL AS WELL.

1002 AM     TSTM WND DMG     SIREN                   45.78N 92.38W
07/14/2010                   BURNETT            WI   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            BURNETT COUNTY SHERIFF DISPATCH REPORTS TREES BLOWN DOWN
            ACROSS THE COUNTY.

1005 AM     HEAVY RAIN       GRANTSBURG              45.78N 92.68W
07/14/2010  M1.12 INCH       BURNETT            WI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            1.12 INCHES OF RAIN IN 20-25 MINUTES.

1015 AM     TSTM WND DMG     MINONG                  46.10N 91.82W
07/14/2010                   WASHBURN           WI   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            WIDESPREAD TREE DAMAGE WITH TREES SNAPPED OR BLOWN OVER
            IN MINONG AND CHICOG TOWNSHIPS.

1015 AM     TSTM WND DMG     WEBB LAKE               46.01N 92.13W
07/14/2010                   BURNETT            WI   AMATEUR RADIO

            10 INCH DIAMETER HEALTHY OAK TREE DOWN

1025 AM     TSTM WND DMG     TREGO                   45.90N 91.82W
07/14/2010                   WASHBURN           WI   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES DOWN ACROSS WASHBURN COUNTY...PARTICULARLY IN THE
            TREGO AREA AND JUST NORTH OF SPOONER.

1031 AM     HEAVY RAIN       WEBB LAKE               46.01N 92.13W
07/14/2010  M1.00 INCH       BURNETT            WI   AMATEUR RADIO

            1 INCH OF RAIN IN 20 MINUTES.

1037 AM     TSTM WND DMG     5 N HAYWARD             46.08N 91.48W
07/14/2010                   SAWYER             WI   EMERGENCY MNGR

            DELAYED REPORT. SMALL OUTBUILDING BLOWN/SHIFTED OFF
            FOUNDATION IN HAYWARD. LARGE TREES DOWN IN LENROOT AND
            HAYWARD TOWNSHIPS...AND MOST SIGNIFICANT TREE DAMAGE IN
            WESTERN SAWYER COUNTY WAS IN THESE AREAS.

1037 AM     TSTM WND DMG     HAYWARD                 46.01N 91.48W
07/14/2010                   SAWYER             WI   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            ROOF OFF A HOME IN HAYWARD. GARAGE DESTROYED. TREES DOWN
            IN LENROOT AND HAYWARD TOWNSHIPS.

1038 AM     TSTM WND DMG     3 S HAYWARD             45.97N 91.48W
07/14/2010                   SAWYER             WI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            TREES DOWN.

1039 AM     TSTM WND GST     2 NE HAYWARD            46.03N 91.45W
07/14/2010  M49.00 MPH       SAWYER             WI   ASOS

            43 KNOT PEAK WIND AT HAYWARD.

1039 AM     TSTM WND DMG     2 NE HAYWARD            46.03N 91.45W
07/14/2010                   SAWYER             WI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            DOORS BLOWN OFF HANGARS AT HAYWARD AIRPORT...AND A FEW
            SECTIONS OF ROOFS OF THE HANGARS ALSO BLOWN OFF. POWER IS
            OUT AT THAT AIRPORT. REPORTED BY THE AIRPORT MANAGER.

1050 AM     TSTM WND DMG     10 W DRUMMOND           46.33N 91.47W
07/14/2010                   BAYFIELD           WI   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES DOWN IN THE BARNES AREA.

1150 AM     TSTM WND DMG     17 E FIFIELD            45.88N 90.07W
07/14/2010                   PRICE              WI   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES DOWN NEAR PIKE LAKE IN THE CHEQUAMEGON NATIONAL
            FOREST.

1200 PM     TSTM WND DMG     PHILLIPS                45.70N 90.40W
07/14/2010                   PRICE              WI   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES AND POWER LINES DOWN AROUND THE PHILLIPS AREA.

1210 PM     TSTM WND DMG     11 E PHILLIPS           45.70N 90.17W
07/14/2010                   PRICE              WI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            TREES DOWN ALONG COUNTY HIGHWAY W AND SOME TREES FELL
            INTO POWER LINES...BRINGING THEM DOWN.

0310 PM     TSTM WND DMG     MELLEN                  46.32N 90.66W
07/14/2010                   ASHLAND            WI   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            POWER LINES DOWN ACROSS HIGHWAY 13.

0312 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 W GLIDDEN             46.13N 90.60W
07/14/2010                   ASHLAND            WI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            TREE BRANCHES DOWNED.

0325 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 N BRAINERD            46.40N 94.19W
07/14/2010                   CROW WING          MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            2 BIG OAK TREES SNAPPED 6-10 FEET OFF THE GROUND ON
            SPOTTERS PROPERTY. IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA...LOTS OF LARGE
            OAK TREES DOWNED.

0327 PM     TSTM WND GST     4 NE BRAINERD           46.40N 94.13W
07/14/2010  M59.00 MPH       CROW WING          MN   ASOS

            SUSTAINED WINDS 41 KT GUSTING 51 KT WITH 1/4 MI
            VISIBILITY AT KBRD BRAINERD ASOS.

0330 PM     TSTM WND DMG     2 NE BRAINERD           46.37N 94.16W
07/14/2010                   CROW WING          MN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            MANY AREAS OF TREE BRANCHES DOWN...TREES DOWN...OR POWER
            LINES DOWN PARTICULARLY IN THE AREA JUST NORTHEAST OF
            BRAINERD.

0336 PM     HAIL             3 W EMILY               46.76N 94.02W
07/14/2010  E1.50 INCH       CROW WING          MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            ALSO 40 MPH WINDS REDUCING THE VISIBILITY TO ABOUT 300
            FEET.

0410 PM     TSTM WND DMG     PARK FALLS              45.93N 90.45W
07/14/2010                   PRICE              WI   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES DOWNED.

0411 PM     HEAVY RAIN       COUDERAY                45.80N 91.30W
07/14/2010  M2.70 INCH       SAWYER             WI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            RAIN SO FAR TODAY.

0430 PM     TSTM WND DMG     PHILLIPS                45.70N 90.40W
07/14/2010                   PRICE              WI   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            TREES DOWN COUNTY WIDE IN PRICE COUNTY. PHILLIPS WAS
            MERELY USED AS A REFERENCE CITY. REPORTS OF TREES DOWNED
            HAVE COME IN FROM PARK FALLS TO OGEMA AND SPANNING MOST
            OF THE WIDTH OF THE COUNTY. FROM PRICE COUNTY SHERIFFS
            DEPARTMENT.

0434 PM     HEAVY RAIN       HILL CITY               46.99N 93.60W
07/14/2010  M1.80 INCH       AITKIN             MN   AMATEUR RADIO

            1 INCH OF RAIN THIS AFTERNOON...0.8 FROM THIS MORNING.

0455 PM     FLASH FLOOD      FIFIELD                 45.88N 90.42W
07/14/2010                   PRICE              WI   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            STREET FLOODING WIDESPREAD IN THE COUNTY WITH WATER OVER
            THE ROADS ESPECIALLY IN TOWNS AND CITIES. RADAR ESTIMATES
            OF 4 TO 5 INCHES OF RAIN IN THE NORTHWEST PART OF PRICE
            COUNTY INTO THE PARK FALLS AND FIFIELD AREAS.

0530 PM     HEAVY RAIN       PHILLIPS                45.70N 90.40W
07/14/2010  M2.21 INCH       PRICE              WI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            1.12 INCHES OF RAIN BETWEEN 130PM TO 530PM.

0600 PM     HEAVY RAIN       SANDSTONE               46.13N 92.86W
07/14/2010  M1.70 INCH       PINE               MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            EVENT TOTAL RAINFALL THROUGH 6 PM.

0600 PM     HEAVY RAIN       1 W PARK FALLS          45.93N 90.47W
07/14/2010  M3.10 INCH       PRICE              WI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            EVENT TOTAL RAINFALL THROUGH 6 PM.

0600 PM     HEAVY RAIN       8 NW PHILLIPS           45.78N 90.52W
07/14/2010  M2.40 INCH       PRICE              WI   TRAINED SPOTTER

            EVENT TOTAL RAINFALL THROUGH 6 PM.

0615 PM     HEAVY RAIN       3 N BRAINERD            46.40N 94.19W
07/14/2010  M2.10 INCH       CROW WING          MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            EVENT TOTAL RAINFALL THROUGH 615 PM.

0615 PM     TORNADO          5 ESE CLOVERDALE        45.98N 92.64W
07/14/2010                   PINE               MN   PUBLIC

            UNCONFIRMED PUBLIC REPORT OF A TORNADO TOUCHDOWN NEAR
            PATHFINDER VILLAGE EAST OF HINCKLEY NEAR HIGHWAY 48.
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