EF4 Tornado — Freeborn, Minnesota

2010-06-17 · near Mansfield, Freeborn, Minnesota

Event narrative

The tornado initially moved northeast to approximately 3.5 miles west of Conger, where at about (43.6156, -93.6015), it began to move more to the east-northeast. West of Armstrong, at about (43.6597, -93.4938), it began tracking nearly due north to just west of Manchester, where at about (43.7357, -93.4801), it began to move to the north-northwest, before dissipating 1.5 miles west of Hartland. Accounting for the changes in direction of this track, the actual path length covered by the tornado was 19.95 miles.

Near 180th Street and County Road 2, a home was likely in the outer circulation of the tornado, as it sustained some roof and siding damage. A barn was also destroyed to its brick foundation and a car was also flipped over lengthwise. Some evidence of tree debarking was noted. The tornado continued to the northeast and caused extensive crop damage approximately 500 yards in width. Near County Roads 17 and 63, the tornado intensified to produce EF-3 damage, impacting a farmstead and causing the complete destruction of three swine barns and the loss of 12 head of swine. Two empty grain bins were completely blown away at this location. The house at this location had some roof damage but appeared to be northwest of the main tornado path. Approximately 100 feet northeast of the house, a 150 foot tripod style wind turbine tower was twisted and toppled. This location also marked the beginning of crops being completely raked, with only stalks of corn left, and soybean fields being almost unrecognizable.

After passing through this farmstead the tornado took a more easterly path across County Road 63, and maintained EF-3 strength. After passing County Road 63, another farmstead was hit, and two empty harvester silos were toppled. The tornado continued to the northeast across County Road 4, where continued raking of the fields was noted with significant deposition of debris along the tornado path. Numerous trees were toppled at County Road 89 where it turns to the north. The tornado continued to the north-northeast, grew to 1000 yards, and around 1750 LST impacted a farmstead along County Road 12 two miles north of Conger, where EF-4 damage was observed. The house at this location was completely destroyed, as was the barn and several other buildings. Extensive tree damage was noted with nearly all branches being removed from the trunks. Debarking of trees was widespread at this location. A car was also tumbled a distance of 3200 feet, coming to rest in a field east of County Road 12.

The tornado continued to the northeast across County Road 69 and County Road 46, where it weakened slightly to EF-3 intensity. As it crossed County Road 46, a house was rotated off the foundation. The tornado was approximately 700 yards wide at this point. To the north-northeast, a swine barn was destroyed with sheet metal being carried off to Interstate 90. At this same time, a satellite tornado developed and caused damage in the town of Armstrong (see separate entry).

The main tornado continued to the north-northeast and was 500 yards in width. The tornado crossed County Road 74 and caused EF-2 damage to three farmsteads. One farmstead with a manufactured home was hit, resulting in one fatality and one severe injury. The tornado crossed Interstate 90 just west of County Road 14 as it grew to one third of a mile in width and re-strengthened to EF-3 intensity. Several farmsteads saw significant damage between Sugar Lake and County Road 14, with a house and two barns completely destroyed. From this point the tornado continued to the north, growing to one mile in width. Around 1800 LST, a house and barn were destroyed approximately one mile west of Manchester on County Road 25, where extensive tree and structural damage was also noted at several properties in the area. Additionally, west of this tornadic damage, a separate area of tree and structural damage was caused by strong thunderstorm winds associated with a rear flank downdraft (see separate entry).

About one mile north, the tornado weakened slightly to EF-2 Intensity, where it damaged three full grain bins near County Road 29. The tornado was approximately 1300 yards at this point. Further north, at County Road 95, the tornado continued to weaken, although a farmstead still received EF-1 damage to trees and structures. Finally, the tornado continued north and began to narrow and weaken. It dissipated west of Hartland. One person was killed and 14 injured from this tornado.

Wider weather episode

Several strong storms developed in west-central Minnesota during the mid afternoon hours of June 17th.

These storms quickly become severe and produced softball size hail northwest of Alexandria and a tornado near Leaf Valley that became the EF-4 that moved through Wadena, Minnesota.

By the late afternoon, numerous thunderstorms developed across southern Minnesota along the leading edge of extreme instability.

Numerous funnel cloud reports and a few brief tornado touchdowns were noted prior to 5 pm, but once the low level shear (0-1 km) increased significantly from 15 knots, to over 35 knots, strong tornadoes developed along the Iowa border.

These storms along the Iowa border produced a series of long-lived tornadoes near Albert Lea, Minnesota. Very large hail also accompanied some tornadoes along with flash flooding.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (43.5755, -93.6404)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 231404. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.