Tornadoes and a waterspout: August 26, 2019

Small, but potent thunderstorms caused tornadoes and a waterspout during the evening of August 26, 2019.

At around noon on Monday, August 26 there was a large swath of moderate to heavy rain marching eastward across Minnesota ahead of a cold front. As the rain moved off to the east, some sunshine appeared and a broken line of thunderstorms rapidly developed behind the main area of rain. Some of the cells were strong enough to produce tornadoes and a waterspout.

The waterspout was seen by many over Farm Island Lake in Aitkin County. This caused dock, boat and tree damage. Two tornadoes were surveyed in Mille Lacs County: an EF-0 tornado north of Milaca and an EF-1 south of town. The tornadoes caused damage to sheds, shingles, a chicken coop and at least one hapless trampoline.

This event, like the one on July 28, 2019 shared some similarities with the tornadoes of August 19, 2009.

The Chanhassen National Weather Service did a survey of the August 26, 2019 tornadoes in Mille Lacs County.

Below are storm reports collected from the National Weather Service.

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
454 PM CDT WED AUG 28 2019
..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0732 PM     TORNADO          4 ESE MILACA            45.73N 93.58W
08/26/2019                   MILLE LACS         MN   NWS STORM SURVEY
EF1 TORNADO WAS ON THE GROUND FOR
APPROXIMATELY 2.5 MILES. DESTROYED A POLE
BARN AND RIPPED ABOUT HALF THE ROOF DECKING
OFF A NEARBY HOME.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
450 PM CDT WED AUG 28 2019
..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0656 PM     TORNADO          7 ESE HILLMAN           45.98N 93.75W
08/26/2019                   MILLE LACS         MN   NWS STORM SURVEY
EF0 TORNADO WAS ON THE GROUND FOR
APPROXIMATELY 3.5 MILES. MOST DAMAGE WAS TO
A GARAGE ALONG 290TH ST.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
626 PM CDT MON AUG 26 2019
..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0623 PM     HAIL             1 SSW VERNON CENTER     43.95N 94.17W
08/26/2019  E1.00 INCH       BLUE EARTH         MN   TRAINED SPOTTER
MOSTLY DIMES TO NICKELS WITH A FEW QUARTERS.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
727 PM CDT MON AUG 26 2019
..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0720 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     7 ESE DEERWOOD          46.43N 93.77W
08/26/2019                   AITKIN             MN   LAW ENFORCEMENT
AITKIN COUNTY SHERIFF RECEIVED A REPORT OF A
FUNNEL CLOUD OVER FARM ISLAND LAKE WITH A
POSSIBLE WATERSPOUT.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
730 PM CDT MON AUG 26 2019
..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0727 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     3 WSW GLORY             46.40N 93.65W
08/26/2019                   AITKIN             MN   LAW ENFORCEMENT
AITKIN COUNTY SHERIFF RECEIVED A REPORT OF A
FUNNEL CLOUD WITH THE SAME STORM JUST
SOUTHEAST OF THE PREVIOUS REPORT.

Modified August 29, 2019