Storm Events Database

Event Details:

Event Tornado
-- Scale EF1
-- Length 2.66 Miles
-- Width 50 Yards
State MINNESOTA
County/Area SWIFT
WFO MPX
Report Source Trained Spotter
NCEI Data Source CSV
Begin Date 2025-05-15 12:34 CST-6
Begin Location 4SE BENSON
Begin Lat/Lon 45.274/-95.575
End Date 2025-05-15 12:38 CST-6
End Location 2ESE BENSON
End Lat/Lon 45.312/-95.584
Deaths Direct/Indirect 0/0 (fatality details below, when available...)
Injuries Direct/Indirect 0/0
Property Damage 0.00K
Crop Damage 0.00K
Episode Narrative A very strong low pressure system produced storms on Thursday, May 15th, 2025 across the Upper Midwest. Two main areas of storms formed across south and west central Minnesota during the early afternoon.
One line of storms formed over west central Minnesota, producing a few tornadoes in Chippewa, Swift, and western Stearns counties. Another line of storms had many rotating wall clouds reported over south central Minnesota and into the Twin Cities metro.
Event Narrative A tornado developed approximately 3 miles to the SSE of Benson. Visible debris was reported by trained spotters and law enforcement. The tornado caused damage to some farm outbuildings before lifting just north of the intersection of US-12 and 10th St NE. Multiple damage photos and the detailed track were provided, so a virtual storm survey was conducted on this tornado. Its maximum wind was estimated at 95 mph.


    

Event Map:

Note: The tornado track is approximate based on the beginning (B) and ending (E) locations. The actual tornado path may differ from a straight line.


All events for this episode:

Location County/Zone St. Date Time T.Z. Type Mag Dth Inj PrD CrD
Totals: 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
HANOVER WRIGHT CO. MN 05/15/2025 07:54 CST-6 Hail 0.88 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
HAGEN CHIPPEWA CO. MN 05/15/2025 12:05 CST-6 Tornado EF0 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
DANVERS SWIFT CO. MN 05/15/2025 12:28 CST-6 Tornado EF0 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
BENSON SWIFT CO. MN 05/15/2025 12:34 CST-6 Tornado EF1 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
HOWARD LAKE WRIGHT CO. MN 05/15/2025 12:46 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 50 kts. EG 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
BLAINE ANOKA CO. MN 05/15/2025 13:43 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 55 kts. EG 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
SPRING HILL STEARNS CO. MN 05/15/2025 13:43 CST-6 Tornado EF0 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
SAUK CENTRE ARPT STEARNS CO. MN 05/15/2025 13:51 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 50 kts. MG 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
ISANTI ISANTI CO. MN 05/15/2025 14:11 CST-6 Hail 0.75 in. 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
WAITE PARK STEARNS CO. MN 05/15/2025 14:29 CST-6 Funnel Cloud 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
PIERZ MORRISON CO. MN 05/15/2025 15:20 CST-6 Thunderstorm Wind 60 kts. EG 0 0 0.00K 0.00K
Totals: 0 0 0.00K 0.00K