Strong Wind — Central St. Louis, Minnesota

2023-07-17 · Central St. Louis, Minnesota

Event narrative

Landspout. Location: 48.054697N / 92.831284W. Video was received from an Orr fire department member via a local TV meteorologist showing a landspout moving through Orr. Some small debris was seen lofted at times along with the rotation followed by trees swaying heavily in the wind as the center of circulation passed over. Another video from a boat on Pelican Lake looking east at Orr showing rotation in the clouds aloft along with a ground circulation. The landspout may have started as a waterspout over Pelican Lake, but this was not evident in the videos received, only by the radar depiction of the parent shower. No damage was reported and the time and location were estimated.

Wider weather episode

Showers developed across northern Minnesota during the afternoon hours of the 17th as an upper trough rotated through the Northland. One of these showers produced a weak landspout in Orr with videos and photos showing it as it moved through. No damage was reported and it may have begun as a waterspout over adjacent Pelican Lake.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1120490. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.