EF2 tornado in Rice County, Minnesota

A NWS storm survey, plus aerial pictures and satellite imagery, concluded that an EF2 tornado started southwest of the Faribault airport, near the intersection of 195th Street West and Cedar Lake Blvd, and tracked 3.0 miles northeast. It destroyed parts of the Faribault airport before lifting just north of the airport grounds. Numerous hangers were either damaged or destroyed.

The 125 mph winds were estimated based on a well built hanger destroyed and blown off its foundation. Footings were also ripped from its frame. Local officials estimated that 80 airplanes were damaged or destroyed at the airport. Some of the debris was blown across the highway on the north side of the airport.

There was also damage on the southeast side of the tornado track which was consistent with downburst and inflow winds. These winds were estimated up to 85 mph.

A violent outbreak of significant straight line winds, downburst winds, and multiple tornadoes occurred during the afternoon and early evening across southern Minnesota.

During the afternoon of Thursday, September 20th, a warm front lifted northward across far southern Minnesota. By the late afternoon, the warm front lied from just south of the Minnesota River, northeast to around the city of Wabasha.

Several thunderstorms developed in southwest Minnesota, and northwest Iowa. These storms moved into far southern Minnesota and quickly intensified and raced off to the east-northeast along, and north of this warm front.

Damage reports started to come into the office around 4 PM CST in Martin County, with multiple reports of significant damage from south of Mankato, to Waseca, then northeast through Waterville, Morristown, Owatonna, Faribault, Northfield, Cannon Falls, and Red Wing before moving into west central Wisconsin.

A long, and several day storm survey indicated at least XX confirmed tornadoes occurred in a widespread area of damaging winds from Martin County, northeast into west central Wisconsin.

The most destruction part of the storm occurred around Waterville, Morristown, Owatonna, Faribault and Cannon Falls. These cities all reported homes, buildings and warehouses either damaged or destroyed.

Hundreds of large, mature trees were uprooted or snapped along this path of destruction, including numerous trees up to 4 feet in diameter. In addition to the trees, structural damage was widespread including the Faribault airport where 80 planes were either damaged or destroyed as hangers were blown off their foundation.

The towns of Waterville and Faribault had the most homes damaged which was associated with EF2 tornado damage.

Two miles west of the Faribault airport, a resort area on Roberds Lake had upwords of 75 percent of the trees uprooted or blown down on the east side of the lake. Some of the trees landed on homes and split them in half.