A very unstable air mass was present the afternoon of June 17th, when a surface warm front laid across portions of southeastern Minnesota. Initially, thunderstorms developed just south of this warm front near Albert Lea and moved northeast. The thunderstorms quickly became tornadic north of Albert Lea, near Geneva, where a touchdown was observed near the community. There were several reports of funnel clouds throughout the early evening with one more official touchdown near Waseca. In addition to the tornadoes, there were several reports of golf ball or larger size hail stones. Later in the evening, more severe thunderstorms developed across east central Minnesota where large hail was reported southeast of the Twin Cities metro area.

Hail in DAKOTA, MINNESOTA
From 17-JUN-09 22:10:00 to 17-JUN-09 22:10:00 (CST-6)
Location: NICOLS
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Near Highway 13 and Yankee Doodle Road.

Funnel Cloud in LE SUEUR, MINNESOTA
From 17-JUN-09 18:42:00 to 17-JUN-09 18:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: WATERVILLE
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Trained spotters reported a rotating wall cloud and associated funnel cloud east of Waterville before dissipating.

Funnel Cloud in WASECA, MINNESOTA
From 17-JUN-09 19:15:00 to 17-JUN-09 19:16:00 (CST-6)
Location: WASECA
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A trained spotter followed a persistent wall cloud from the City of Waseca along Highway 14.  It produced one and sometimes two adjacent funnel clouds, a comment echoed by a Steele County spotter who also photographed the funnel.

Tornado in WASECA, MINNESOTA
From 17-JUN-09 19:02:00 to 17-JUN-09 19:05:00 (CST-6)
Location: WASECA
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Storm Chaser

Several storm chasers, local law enforcement officers and trained spotters followed funnel clouds across central Waseca County, before the tornado was observed forming just north of the City of Waseca on Clear Lake. The tornado moved onshore and then eastsouthward to Goose Lake.  No property damage occurred but several large 14 diameter trees were uprooted when the tornado came onshore.  Other broken trees were noted near Goose Lake.

Thunderstorm Wind in FREEBORN, MINNESOTA
From 17-JUN-09 18:33:00 to 17-JUN-09 18:33:00 (CST-6)
Location: HOLLANDALE
Magnitude: 55.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A few trees were uprooted and corn was damaged about two miles south of the point where the Geneva tornado dissipated. This was due to rear flank downdraft winds associated with the tornadic thunderstorm.

Thunderstorm Wind in FREEBORN, MINNESOTA
From 17-JUN-09 18:46:00 to 17-JUN-09 18:46:00 (CST-6)
Location: MAPLE IS
Magnitude: 50.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Two trees were toppled in the rear flank downdraft associated with the rotating wall cloud that had produced the Geneva tornado and which would go on to produce the Austin tornado (see entry by WFO La Crosse).

Tornado in FREEBORN, MINNESOTA
From 17-JUN-09 18:30:00 to 17-JUN-09 18:33:00 (CST-6)
Location: GENEVA
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Property damage: 1.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

Several storm spotters and local law enforcement officials watched a nearly continuous wall cloud and/or funnel cloud move across northern Freeborn County before forming a tornado near Geneva. Several trees and two sheds were damaged on the northeast corner of Interstate 35 and County Road 35, on the west edge of Geneva. Debris was occasionally noted underneath the condensation funnel cloud as it trekked to the east-southeast.  There was minor tree damage associated with the tornado on the east side of Geneva, with the last damage just south of the intersection of County Roads 26 and 35.

Hail in WASECA, MINNESOTA
From 17-JUN-09 19:02:00 to 17-JUN-09 19:02:00 (CST-6)
Location: PALMER
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in STEELE, MINNESOTA
From 17-JUN-09 19:25:00 to 17-JUN-09 19:25:00 (CST-6)
Location: OWATONNA
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Hail in STEELE, MINNESOTA
From 17-JUN-09 19:37:00 to 17-JUN-09 19:37:00 (CST-6)
Location: OWATONNA
Magnitude: 1.50 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Hail in WASECA, MINNESOTA
From 17-JUN-09 18:30:00 to 17-JUN-09 18:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: PALMER
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Funnel Cloud in STEELE, MINNESOTA
From 17-JUN-09 19:32:00 to 17-JUN-09 19:35:00 (CST-6)
Location: OWATONNA
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Trained spotters had reported a rotating wall cloud and several funnel clouds on the southeast side of Owatonna and through the township of Havana.

Hail in DAKOTA, MINNESOTA
From 17-JUN-09 21:50:00 to 17-JUN-09 21:50:00 (CST-6)
Location: ETTER
Magnitude: 2.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in STEELE, MINNESOTA
From 17-JUN-09 18:45:00 to 17-JUN-09 18:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: BLOOMING PRAIRIE
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

The public observed several hail reports including golf ball and nickel size.

Hail in WASECA, MINNESOTA
From 17-JUN-09 19:05:00 to 17-JUN-09 19:05:00 (CST-6)
Location: WASECA
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in STEELE, MINNESOTA
From 17-JUN-09 18:35:00 to 17-JUN-09 18:35:00 (CST-6)
Location: BLOOMING PRAIRIE
Magnitude: 3.25 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Broadcast Media

The local media relayed a large hail report west of Blooming Prairie.

Hail in STEELE, MINNESOTA
From 17-JUN-09 19:05:00 to 17-JUN-09 19:10:00 (CST-6)
Location: MERIDEN
Magnitude: 2.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

A local law enforcement official and a local amateur photographer took pictures of large hailstones northeast of Meriden, Minnesota.

Hail in MARTIN, MINNESOTA
From 17-JUN-09 18:27:00 to 17-JUN-09 18:27:00 (CST-6)
Location: IMOGENE
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter