Confirmed Tornado in Northern Iowa, Rice County Receives Warning

The National Weather Service in Lacrosse has confirmed a tornado touched down near the Charles City Fairgrounds and has issued a warning to southeast Minnesota.

The National Weather Service has issued a special weather statement for Rice County:

...FUNNEL CLOUDS OVER SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA... AT 100 PM CDT, RADAR INDICATED SHOWERS, ONE THAT PRODUCED A BRIEF TORNADO NEAR GLENVILLE EARLIER, WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM WALDORF TO NEAR BLOOMING PRAIRIE. MOVEMENT WAS NORTH AT 30 MPH. ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF FUNNEL CLOUDS WHICH COULD BRIEFLY TOUCHDOWN. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... OWATONNA, FARIBAULT, WASECA, JANESVILLE, BLOOMING PRAIRIE, WATERVILLE, MEDFORD, NEW RICHLAND, MORRISTOWN, CLARKS GROVE, ELLENDALE AND ELYSIAN. THIS INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING HIGHWAYS... INTERSTATE 35 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 18 AND 57. U.S. HIGHWAY 14 BETWEEN MILE MARKERS 143 AND 182. TO REPORT SEVERE WEATHER, CONTACT YOUR NEAREST LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY. THEY CAN RELAY YOUR REPORT TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN THE TWIN CITIES. FUNNEL CLOUDS FROM THESE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS COULD BRIEFLY TOUCH DOWN AS WEAK TORNADOES. PEOPLE IN THE EFFECTED AREA SHOULD REMAIN INSIDE A STURDY STRUCTURE UNTIL THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS PASS.