A thunderstorm complex that developed across northern South Dakota during the early morning of Thursday, August 26th, moved eastward into Minnesota and toward west-central Wisconsin. Initially, there were numerous reports of severe wind gusts of 60 to 75 mph across northeast South Dakota before the storms moved into Minnesota. Early wind reports across Yellow Medicine and Lac Qui Parle Counties, were between 50  and 55 mph. Two reports of 57 mph winds occurred along the Minnesota/South Dakota border at the MnDOT site south of Marietta along Highway 212. This line of storms started to break up as it moved across western Minnesota, but a few stronger cells produced severe wind gusts near Benson and Appleton.
As the storms continued to trek eastward, a secondary bow-echo type structure developed between Redwood Falls, and Hutchinson. There were several reports of wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph. The intensity of the storm remained strong as it moved into the Twin Cities metro area and produced some wind damage and wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph. There were a few reports of large trees blown down with a couple measured severe wind gusts. The majority of the damage was minor with a few tree branches blown down across the western part of the Twin Cities.

Thunderstorm Wind in CARVER, MINNESOTA
From 26-AUG-21 12:51:00 to 26-AUG-21 12:53:00 (CST-6)
Location: WACONIA
Magnitude: 43.00 EG
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A 12 inch diameter tree was snapped at its base north of Waconia.

Thunderstorm Wind in SWIFT, MINNESOTA
From 26-AUG-21 10:10:00 to 26-AUG-21 10:12:00 (CST-6)
Location: APPLETON
Magnitude: 48.00 EG
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

A few large tree branches and a power line were blown down in the city of Appleton.

Thunderstorm Wind in HENNEPIN, MINNESOTA
From 26-AUG-21 13:28:00 to 26-AUG-21 13:29:00 (CST-6)
Location: RICHFIELD
Magnitude: 43.00 EG
Property damage: 1.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Social Media

A large tree was uprooted in Richfield.

Thunderstorm Wind in HENNEPIN, MINNESOTA
From 26-AUG-21 13:20:00 to 26-AUG-21 13:20:00 (CST-6)
Location: FLYING CLOUD ARPT
Magnitude: 55.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Thunderstorm Wind in SWIFT, MINNESOTA
From 26-AUG-21 10:15:00 to 26-AUG-21 10:15:00 (CST-6)
Location: APPLETON ARPT
Magnitude: 52.00 EG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Social Media

A large tree blew down along Highway 12, or 4 miles north of Appleton. The tree damage was posted on social media.

Thunderstorm Wind in MCLEOD, MINNESOTA
From 26-AUG-21 12:04:00 to 26-AUG-21 12:06:00 (CST-6)
Location: GLENCOE
Magnitude: 48.00 EG
Property damage: 3.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Several large tree branches blew down around the city of Glencoe. One of the branches was 10 inches in diameter and landed on a house.

Thunderstorm Wind in SCOTT, MINNESOTA
From 26-AUG-21 13:00:00 to 26-AUG-21 13:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: SHAKOPEE
Magnitude: 55.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A 55 knot wind gust was measured by a local storm spotter in Shakopee by a handheld wind sensor.

Thunderstorm Wind in CARVER, MINNESOTA
From 26-AUG-21 13:01:00 to 26-AUG-21 13:01:00 (CST-6)
Location: CHANHASSEN
Magnitude: 48.00 EG
Property damage: 1.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Social Media

There was a social media picture of a large tree that was snapped near the Chanhassen library.

Thunderstorm Wind in SCOTT, MINNESOTA
From 26-AUG-21 13:05:00 to 26-AUG-21 13:07:00 (CST-6)
Location: SHAKOPEE
Magnitude: 48.00 EG
Property damage: 1.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A few large trees were blown down in Shakopee, most of them rotted. The top wind speed recorded around Shakopee was 41 mph at the Jackson Township Mesonet site, located on Zumbro Ave., just south of Shakopee at about 1 PM CST.  Another spotter recorded a wind gust of 52 mph at her home in Savage.

Thunderstorm Wind in SWIFT, MINNESOTA
From 26-AUG-21 10:36:00 to 26-AUG-21 10:36:00 (CST-6)
Location: BENSON ARPT
Magnitude: 68.00 MG
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

This was a measured wind gust at the Benson airport. No other damage occurred around the area.