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The latest round of strong storms with frequent lightning and heavy rain has knocked out power to thousands across the Twin Cities. Officials with Xcel Energy said power was out for about 106,000 customers in the Twin Cities and southeastern Minnesota after high winds and heavy rain moved across the state Saturday.
I just watched video of a large tornado bearing down on a temporary oil-boom shantytown near Watford, N.D. on May 26, 2014. The video was recorded by a guy living in one of the trailers that serves as housing for men working the Bakken oil fields in North Dakota.
Thursday's violent storms in Red Wing, Minn. were over in just a blink of an eye, but the damage was lasting. Scattered yellow insulation covered the trees and corn stubble in the southwestern Minnesota town. "It just happened so fast," Sally Lemmerhirt of Red Wing, Minn. said.
Heavy rain, hail, strong winds and tornado warnings befell southern Minnesota Thursday afternoon as severe storms rolled into the state, moving north and east.
In Minnesota, May and June are typically the worst months when it comes to severe weather and more than half of federally declared disasters are due to severe weather.
While it may feel like we just got rid of the snow, it's already time to start thinking about severe spring and summertime weather. This week is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Minnesota.
Thousands of packages that were expected to arrive on Christmas Eve didn't make it to their destinations. UPS, the world's largest package delivery service, told CNN that they made a miscalculation, underestimating the number of packages they needed to ship. UPS officials say demand for packages was much higher than they expected, and their system was overwhelmed.
As a powerful tornado bore down on their Illinois farmhouse, Curt Zehr's wife and adult son didn't have time to do anything but scramble down the stairs into their basement. Uninjured, the pair looked out moments later to find the house gone and the sun out and "right on top" of them, Zehr said.
Xcel Energy says that about 23,000 people were without power in the Twin Cities metro area after severe thunderstorms rolled through Thursday morning.
Many of you ended up with dents in your cars and roofs from all of the hail that came down last night. Reports ranged from hail the size of a pea to the size of a tennis ball.
There weren't any tornadoes but severe thunderstorms packed a punch across the metro Tuesday night, toppling trees and knocking out power to more than 40,000 people around the metro.
A tornado watch is out until 9 p.m. across Minnesota's midsection as intense thunderstorms pop up across the area. The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning after radar indicated a storm capable of producing a tornado north of Willmar in west-central Minnesota about 5:15 p.m., but there were no immediate reports of a touchdown.
State and federal officials are fanning out this week across 18 Minnesota counties for briefings with local leaders about available aid to recover from severe storms in late June. The contingent from Minnesota's Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management will be joined by representatives of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Some of Saturday morning's worst weather hit as athletes were preparing for the annual Lifetime Tri Minneapolis near Lake Nokomis. The final steps of any triathlon are reason to celebrate, but the finish line at the Lifetime Tri Minneapolis also meant victory over unexpected obstacles.
It's been two weeks since a pair of violent storms brought down thousands of tree limbs and, in many cases, entire trees. At the corner of 42nd Avenue East near Hiawatha Avenue in Minneapolis, residents are trying to be understanding.
It has been four days since a pair of powerful thunderstorms moved through the Twin Cities, and thousands of residents still don't have power. At its peak, Friday's storms knocked out power to 610,000 homes and businesses.
Work continues to restore power to thousands still in the dark after Friday's powerful storms. Xcel Energy said this has been the worst power outage the state has ever seen. After a peak of 610,000 customers without power after Friday night's storms, that number is now down to 28,574, as of 9 p.m. Xcel said that most of the power outages are now contained to Minneapolis and the western suburbs.
Another night of stormy weather is forecast for Minnesota, following high winds and heavy rains that uprooted trees and knocked out power across a large part of the state early Friday. The NWS has issued a tornado watch for roughly the southwest quarter of the state.
The National Weather Service says several communities in west-central Minnesota are experiencing flash flooding following severe thunderstorms. Meteorologist Chris Franks says streets in Morris, Glenwood and Starbuck are among those that flooded after big downpours.
Every time there is the threat of a tornado, hundreds of storm chasers take their cameras and drive towards the danger. On Friday, three of the most respected chasers died during a tornado outbreak in Oklahoma. Meteorologist Tim Samaras, his son Paul and their friend Carl Young were killed when their car got caught up in the twister.
If you're out and about Wednesday afternoon and evening, you're encouraged to have a radio near you and be prepared for rough weather. By late afternoon, a more organized pattern of strong storms is expected to develop in southern and western Minnesota and head toward the Twin Cities metro.
It was a nice tiny break of sunshine in between thunderstorms but it appears the clouds are moving in once again.
Here's a gallery of viewer-submitted photos documenting severe weather -- thunderstorms, hail, heavy rain, tornadoes -- in the warm months of 2013.
President Barack Obama has declared a major federal disaster for five southwestern Minnesota counties hit by an April ice storm.
If there's one thing that Minnesotan's love to talk about, it's the weather. That interest in rain, snow, and everything in between, has helped us build our Weather Watcher network: More than 500 viewers telling WCCO what's happening in their neighborhoods.
Thursday morning's commute was tough for some on Minneapolis' Highway 62. Liquid manure covered a section of the road. The Minnesota State Patrol says it was "inches deep" in both lanes.
Several agencies are investigating after a man was fatally struck by a train Friday night, according to Anoka County, Minnesota, officials.
The Minnesota Twins managed only two hits in a 2-0 loss to the Athletics on Friday night.
A family is mourning a man killed on the job. Police said he was fatally stabbed while working at an adult foster home in Cold Spring last month.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been taking people they detain in Minnesota to the Whipple Federal Building for processing. On Friday, members of Congress were there for an oversight visit.
Thursday morning's commute was tough for some on Minneapolis' Highway 62. Liquid manure covered a section of the road. The Minnesota State Patrol says it was "inches deep" in both lanes.
Several agencies are investigating after a man was fatally struck by a train Friday night, according to Anoka County, Minnesota, officials.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been taking people they detain in Minnesota to the Whipple Federal Building for processing. On Friday, members of Congress were there for an oversight visit.
Two kids were just feet away from a life-altering crash while riding on an e-moto. It happened along Highway 169 where it intersects with 114th Avenue.
A St. Paul, Minnesota, homeowner says he's reached a tipping point when it comes to frustration after police told him they'd closed their investigation into a hit-and-run on his property.
A family is mourning a man killed on the job. Police said he was fatally stabbed while working at an adult foster home in Cold Spring last month.
A woman who started an online fundraiser that garnered hundreds of thousands of dollars after she called a child with autism racial slurs at a southern Minnesota park has been convicted of a misdemeanor.
Portions of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness will reopen for day use starting Monday, after wildfires prompted a rare closure of the forest last week.
It's another action-packed weekend in Minnesota, with plenty of community celebrations.
Thousands of pictures of Split Rock Lighthouse are taken each year. And oftentimes a little island appears in those photos. Ellingsen Island has developed a following of its own.
A new lawsuit argues that Wisconsin's elections commission is wrongly blocking absentee voters from canceling their ballots and requesting new ones, with nearly 91,000 ballots already returned ahead of the Aug. 11 primary.
Madison, Wisconsin remains one of the only cities of its size without a police body camera program, leaving key moments of a fatal officer-involved shooting unrecorded.
The state Democratic Party is asking Wisconsin's elections commission to allow voters who already returned absentee ballots to cast new ones, after Lt. Gov. Sara Rodriguez dropped out of the governor's race and Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley rejoined it.
The effects of Minnesota's prolonged heat wave are becoming impossible to miss with several reports of fish kills.
Three new women's world records have been set at the Lumberjack World Championships in Hayward, Wisconsin.
After officials in Minnesota's capital city announced they would shut down encampments for those experiencing homelessness, the City Council approved more than $1 million to expand capacity at local shelters.
The city of St. Paul, Minnesota, is taking a stand and closing encampments amid growing concerns.
Baseball fans might remember the Metrodome's iconic blue seats, and now in Atwater, Minnesota, spectators can once again grab a blue seat and watch a game.
Tucked away in the Midway neighborhood in St. Paul is a community treasure many have come to love and respect.
What started as a small fundraiser following one of Joe's surgeries at Gillette Children's has grown into a community tradition that has raised nearly $100,000 for the hospital.
Anton Lazzaro was sentenced in 2023 to 21 years in prison in the sex trafficking case. Records from the Office of the Pardon Attorney show he requested a commutation in 2025. Mr. Trump denied the request on July 10.
President Trump cracked jokes at the redo of the White House Correspondents' Dinner on Friday night, after an armed assailant upended April's dinner.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has purchased commercial spyware that can covertly take control of phones, collect messages, photos and location information.
A new lawsuit argues that Wisconsin's elections commission is wrongly blocking absentee voters from canceling their ballots and requesting new ones, with nearly 91,000 ballots already returned ahead of the Aug. 11 primary.
President Trump says he's considering a "bigger than ever before" attack on Iran after 13 straight days of military strikes.
Get ready to watch movies and television with clarity like never before. That's how industry experts are describing the latest TV technology now on sale exclusively at Best Buy.
A lottery player in Minnesota won a jackpot of more than $34 million last week, a record for the Lotto America game in the state.
The lawsuit accuses Loon of using "kid-friendly characters" to promote its vapes in flavors such as Cotton Candy, Strawberry Popsicle, Banana Taffy and Blue Razz Slushy.
A Wisconsin family lost their ten-month-old daughter after she swallowed a water bead. They blame Target and the water bead manufacturer for her death.
For many Minnesotans, the road to the Fourth of July starts with a short drive across the St. Croix River to Wisconsin to stock up on fireworks. The kinds of pyrotechnics that can be legally ignited in Minnesota might be surprising.
Anton Lazzaro was sentenced in 2023 to 21 years in prison in the sex trafficking case. Records from the Office of the Pardon Attorney show he requested a commutation in 2025. Mr. Trump denied the request on July 10.
A Melvindale man faces federal charges over threats to kill ICE agents and other law enforcement officers, the U.S. Attorney's office for the Eastern District of Michigan said.
Four people arrested in connection with a hit-and-run in Farmington, Minnesota, that killed a 13-year-old boy will be released without charges, officials say, though the investigation continues.
A Hennepin County judge dismissed theft by swindle charges against Harding Smith, ruling the state caused an unnecessary delay of his trial, while allowing a separate charge against his nonprofit to proceed.
A woman who started an online fundraiser that garnered hundreds of thousands of dollars after she called a child with autism racial slurs at a southern Minnesota park has been convicted of a misdemeanor.
The CDC will not renew a federal grant that provided the Aliveness Project roughly $450,000 a year for HIV testing, PrEP referrals and community outreach across Minnesota.
Here's how weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy could reduce worker illness and save companies money.
There are new accusations surrounding pollution problems at a battery recycling plant in Minnesota. An attorney says lead migration from Gopher Resource in Eagan poisoned some kids connected to workers.
Taylor Farms said none of its branded salads or kits contain the iceberg lettuce associated with the outbreak.
The advice is to stay inside when air quality turns hazardous, but that's not an option for many outdoor workers.
Paramount Skydance on Friday said it would delay the deal until as late as June 2027.
It's another action-packed weekend in Minnesota, with plenty of community celebrations.
This weekend, a Twin Cities theater company will be performing "Dear Evan Hansen," a musical that deals with themes of anxiety, depression and isolation. But they also feel it relates to what Minneapolis went through during Operation Metro Surge.
The ruling comes after a coalition of 12 states sued to block the deal, arguing it would harm consumers and the entertainment industry.
The Minnesota Yacht Club Festival is expected to bring thousands upon thousands each day to Harriet Island Regional Park in St. Paul between Friday and Sunday.
The Minnesota Twins managed only two hits in a 2-0 loss to the Athletics on Friday night.
The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office said Romo was pulled over around 6 p.m. on Thursday.
The Sixers' wild offseason continued Friday when they added four-time NBA champion LeBron James.
Trevor Larnach and Luke Keaschall both delivered two-out RBI singles in the 12th inning, giving the Minnesota Twins a 3-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians and a split of their four-game series.
Thousands of fans descended Thursday on TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minnesota, eager to see some of the world's best golfers up close at the 3M Open, including Scottie Scheffler — the world's top-ranked player.
Secretary of State Steve Simon says federal observers at the Aug. 11 primary will most likely be Justice Department attorneys, not immigration or border enforcement agents.
The investigations into the ICE killings of Renee Good, Alex Pretti and the shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celishave entered a critical stage.
The investigations into the ICE killings of Renee Good, Alex Pretti and the shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis have entered a critical stage.
There's less than a month to go before the Aug. 11 primary, and one of the most watched and competitive races is the DFL race for the nomination for U.S. Senate between Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and Rep. Angie Craig.
New campaign finance numbers are expected out later this week in federal races, including Minnesota's U.S. Senate race, where a flood of ads is evidence of a highly competitive race.
Thousands of pictures of Split Rock Lighthouse are taken each year. And oftentimes a little island appears in those photos. Ellingsen Island has developed a following of its own.
There's a scenic, nearly century-old spot in St. Cloud, Minnesota, where right now you'll find thousands of flowers in bloom.
Baseball fans might remember the Metrodome's iconic blue seats, and now in Atwater, Minnesota, spectators can once again grab a blue seat and watch a game.
It's a lake cruise in the middle of town, and there's more than pelicans on the Pelican Breeze tour in Albert Lea, Minnesota.
Currie, Minnesota, is truly small-town America. The population hovers at just over 200. But on the northern outskirts, you'll happen upon a place with plenty of bells and whistles: End-O-Line Railroad Park and Museum
The U.S. House just voted to make daylight saving time permanent. In Good Question, Jeff Wagner explains how that could impact Minnesota and why our last attempt at getting rid of it failed.
Get ready to watch movies and television with clarity like never before. That's how industry experts are describing the latest TV technology now on sale exclusively at Best Buy.
When you get home from work in the evening, your first thought may be dinner. You might fire up the stove or oven, you could also start a load of laundry. Not long after that, you're running the dishwasher. You may think you're being efficient, but your house during this heat wave disagrees.
It's one of Minnesota's rules of the road in which two is better than one. But Jodi from Lakeville emailed WCCO saying a lot of drivers don't seem to care about the law.
Catching a flight with just a carry-on can make travel feel easy. No need to check a bag and all your belongings stay with you. But quite often, that suddenly changes before boarding.
The Minnesota State Fair has unveiled its new foods for 2026.
A look back at the esteemed personalities who've left us this year, who'd touched us with their innovation, creativity and humanity.
Minnesotans got a great view of the northern lights Tuesday night.
A look at the newest addition to the polar bear population at St. Paul, Minnesota's Como Zoo.
From food shelves to school programs, our team is proud to serve where it matters most.
The heat and humidity has returned. Feels like temperatures on Saturday will get into the triple digits, while high temps will be in the low 90s. Sunday will feel similar. Sunday also comes with a severe weather alert. Meteorologist Katie Steiner shares what you need to know for the next 48 hours.
In Minnesota, weather can be all over the place. Here at WCCO, we want to give you what you need to prepare for what's happening next.
WCCO has issued a NEXT Weather Alert for Saturday and Sunday due to extreme heat in parts of central and southern Minnesota on both days.
Storms are moving through northern Minnesota Friday evening ahead of a hot weekend in the state, according to NEXT Weather meteorologist Mike Augustyniak.
There is a NEXT Weather Alert for both weekend days, as temps will reach the mid-90s and peak heat indices will be around 105°, WCCO meteorologist Mike Augustyniak reports.
In the market for some new pottery? The Minnesota Pottery Festival runs through tomorrow.
Panda fest is returning to the Mall of America.
The heat and humidity has returned. Feels like temperatures on Saturday will get into the triple digits, while high temps will be in the low 90s. Sunday will feel similar. Sunday also comes with a severe weather alert. Meteorologist Katie Steiner shares what you need to know for the next 48 hours.
WCCO's Adam Duxter updates on the news of the day.
WCCO has issued a NEXT Weather Alert for Saturday and Sunday due to extreme heat in parts of central and southern Minnesota on both days.