A very large and intense storm system that moved across the Upper Midwest generated one tornado in southern Minnesota during the late afternoon of Sunday, April 15th.  Initially, a warm front laid across southern Minnesota, bisecting a very cool air mass in central Minnesota and a very mild air mass in southern Minnesota.  Winds veered rapidly from the south, to the east-northeast across the area where the tornado formed. Although wind shear was strong, limited instability allowed most of the storms to remain weak, until the storms moved close to the warm front where the abrupt switch in the wind direction allowed for a tornado to form rapidly, but only last a few minutes as the storms moved into the stable air mass north of the warm front.  In addition to the tornado, low freezing levels created some of the stronger storms to produce penny, up to quarter size hail.  These storms moved into west central Wisconsin where some produced penny size hail.

Funnel Cloud in REDWOOD, MINNESOTA
From 15-APR-12 15:28:00 to 15-APR-12 15:28:00 (CST-6)
Location: DELHI
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in RENVILLE, MINNESOTA
From 15-APR-12 15:45:00 to 15-APR-12 15:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: FAIRFAX
Magnitude: 0.88 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Hail in RENVILLE, MINNESOTA
From 15-APR-12 16:36:00 to 15-APR-12 16:36:00 (CST-6)
Location: SACRED HEART
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in MCLEOD, MINNESOTA
From 15-APR-12 16:49:00 to 15-APR-12 16:49:00 (CST-6)
Location: GLENCOE
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Hail in WRIGHT, MINNESOTA
From 15-APR-12 17:03:00 to 15-APR-12 17:03:00 (CST-6)
Location: MONTROSE
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in HENNEPIN, MINNESOTA
From 15-APR-12 17:54:00 to 15-APR-12 17:54:00 (CST-6)
Location: ROBBINSDALE
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Hail in ANOKA, MINNESOTA
From 15-APR-12 18:09:00 to 15-APR-12 18:09:00 (CST-6)
Location: ANDOVER
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Hail in ANOKA, MINNESOTA
From 15-APR-12 18:12:00 to 15-APR-12 18:12:00 (CST-6)
Location: BLAINE
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Tornado in MCLEOD, MINNESOTA
From 15-APR-12 16:24:00 to 15-APR-12 16:25:00 (CST-6)
Location: BROWNTON
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Storm Chaser

A storm chaser observed a brief tornado touch down southwest of Brownton, Minnesota.  No damage was observed as it tracked less than a few hundred feet in a open field.

Hail in MCLEOD, MINNESOTA
From 15-APR-12 16:46:00 to 15-APR-12 16:46:00 (CST-6)
Location: BISCAY
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Hail in MCLEOD, MINNESOTA
From 15-APR-12 16:54:00 to 15-APR-12 16:54:00 (CST-6)
Location: WINSTED
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in RENVILLE, MINNESOTA
From 15-APR-12 16:04:00 to 15-APR-12 16:04:00 (CST-6)
Location: DANUBE
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Funnel Cloud in RENVILLE, MINNESOTA
From 15-APR-12 16:08:00 to 15-APR-12 16:08:00 (CST-6)
Location: RENVILLE
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager