MINNEAPOLIS — Strong to severe thunderstorms could develop across parts of the Upper Mississippi Valley on Wednesday evening. The highest threat is near the Minnesota and Wisconsin border. A few tornadoes are possible if supercells develop, along with damaging wind gusts and large hail. The threat is conditional, meaning storms will need enough daytime heating to turn severe.
Level 1 Tornado Risk Covers the Twin Cities
A Level 1 tornado risk, about a 2 percent chance, covers a wide area of east-central and southern Minnesota. That includes Minneapolis, Saint Cloud, Elk River, Cambridge, and Mora. The risk area stretches north toward Sandstone and Moose Lake.
To the south, the zone covers Glencoe, Le Sueur, Mankato, Kenyon, and Rochester. It reaches Wells and Austin near the Iowa border. Western parts of the area include Dassel and Olivia.
Western Wisconsin Also in the Risk Zone
The risk area crosses into western Wisconsin. Communities near Shell Lake, Barron, Baldwin, and Scandia along the St. Croix River are included. Red Wing along the Mississippi River is also near the edge of the zone.
Areas farther east, including Eau Claire, Mondovi, and La Crosse, are just outside the main risk. Places like Hayward, Phillips, and Medford are also outside it. Conditions could still change as storms develop.
Supercells Could Produce Tornadoes
If storms grow into supercells, they could produce a tornado or two. Supercells are rotating thunderstorms that can form when strong winds aloft add spin to the atmosphere. The setup Wednesday could support that kind of rotation…