EF1 tornado in Todd County, Minnesota

A tornado touched down on the east side of Big Swan Lake, where a few trees were downed. As the tornado moved northeast, it hit a number of lake homes and cabins, causing roof damage to several. As the tornado reached the community of Pillsbury on the northeast side of Long Lake, a boat and attached dock were blown westward into the lake. Dozens of trees, including some two feet in diameter, were blown down or snapped. A home was shifted off its foundation by several inches. Another home sustained minor damage to the roof and had some windows blown in. The tornado continued beyond Pillsbury, moving across open fields and woods, and dissipated just as it reached the Todd/Morrison County line.

A strong and potent upper level disturbance, combined with a cold front sweeping across the eastern Dakotas, fired a line of severe thunderstorms that moved eastward into western Minnesota toward midnight. This line of storms continued to progress east-northeast across southern and central Minnesota, which produced fast-moving tornadoes, severe measured wind gusts, and hail as large as tennis balls. This line slowly weakened as it moved into far eastern Minnesota, with general, non-severe thunderstorms as the line progressed into west central Wisconsin after 3 am.