Hail, tornado strike area

• Storm Over Worthington

Clouds over Worthington, 8:30 p.m. Thursday.
• Wading through water

Water splashes up from a vehicle passing through a flooded area of 10th Street, near the intersection of East Ninth Avenue, Thursday evening in downtown Worthington. (Kari Lucin/Daily Globe)

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11:36 p.m.

WORTHINGTON — A trained weather spotter reported a tornado on the ground three and a half miles southwest of Fulda shortly before 9 p.m. Thursday, prompting a tornado warning to be issued for northeastern Nobles, southern Cottonwood, northwestern Jackson and southeastern Murray counties. As of press time, no damage had been reported.

Nobles County Sheriff Kent Wilkening said he travelled throughout the area near Fulda Thursday night and did not see any destruction from the tornado touchdown.

“We haven’t heard any reports of damage and we haven’t seen any,” said Wilkening, adding that the storm had quickly moved to the east toward the Dundee area and on toward Windom.

While it was still in the Fulda area, the weather spotter reported that there were multiple funnel rotations visible.

Tornado sirens were sounded in both Windom and Bingham Lake, according to a Cottonwood County Sheriff’s dispatcher.

“We had heavy rotation so we started the sirens,” said the dispatcher, adding that there were no touch-downs reported.

Pea-size hail fell in Windom, he said.

The tornado and subsequent warnings came after a busy night for weather spotters and law enforcement officials throughout southwest Minnesota and northwest Iowa.

The first reports of active weather in Nobles County came at approximately 7:45 p.m., when golf ball-sized hail was reported in Ellsworth. The storm was tracking to the northeast at 35 miles per hour, with Adrian and Worthington in the path of the storm, according to weather alerts.

By 8:20 p.m., pea-size hail was falling in downtown Worthington.

Across the state line, in O’Brien County, Iowa, sheriff’s dispatchers received a report of 3- to 3.5-inch diameter hail falling in Sheldon. The dispatcher said she had received one report as of 9:30 p.m. of broken windows in Sheldon caused by the large hail stones.

In Osceola County, Iowa, a sheriff’s dispatcher said pea- to dime-sized hail was reported in an area stretching from Ashton to Sibley, and there was street flooding in Sibley.

The Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office reported at 10:05 p.m. that law enforcement was directing traffic on U.S. 71, near Milford, Iowa, due to flooding.

10:01 p.m. Thursday Update

MILFORD, Iowa - Law enforcement officials have instituted traffic control for U.S. 71 near Milford due to flooding on the road.

9:40 p.m. Thursday Update

WINDOM - Tornado sirens were sounded in Windom and Bingham Lake and heavy rotations were spotted, but no tornado touched down. Cottonwood County also experienced pea-sized hail.

The tornado warning was allowed to expire.

Tornado warning still on; flash flood warning issued

9:17 p.m. Thursday Update

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for Dickinson County, northeastern O'Brien County, northern Clay County and Osceola County in Iowa, and eastern Nobles County, Jackson County and southern Cottonwood County in Minnesota.

The flash flood warning will expire at midnight unless extended.

At 9 p.m., the National Weather Service Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms with very heavy rainfall moving across the warned area. One to 3 inches of rain should fall in some areas, causing local flooding, particularly in urban areas.

Runoff from this excessive rainfall will cause flash flooding to occur. Excessive runoff from heavy rainfall will cause flooding of small creeks and streams, highways and underpasses. Additionally, country roads and farm land along the banks of creeks, streams and other low-lying areas are subject to flooding.

9:05 p.m. Thursday

Tornado confirmed, heading for Windom area

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. - A tornado has been confirmed and a tornado warning issued for southern Cottonwood, northwestern Jackson, southeastern Murray and northeastern Nobles counties in southwest Minnesota.

The warning, if not extended, will expire at 9:30 p.m.

A trained weather spotter reported a tornado 4 miles southwest of Fulda at 8:53 p.m, and it is reportedly moving east at 45 miles per hour.

Should it continue on its current path, the tornado will be near Dundee at 9:05 p.m., Windom around 9:25 p.m. and Bingham Lake around 9:30 p.m.

Anyone in those areas should take cover.

The National Weather Service advises that the safest place to be during a tornado is in a basement. People should get under a workbench or other piece of sturdy furniture. If no basement is available, people should seek shelter on the lowest floor of the building in an interior hallway or room such as a closet. Use blankets or pillows for additional cover and people should always stay away from windows.

8:57 p.m. Thursday

Funnel cloud reportedly touches down southwest of Fulda

FULDA - A funnel cloud has reportedly touched down between 3.5 and 4 miles southwest of Fulda, with an additional three to four funnel clouds reportedly descending from the sky.

No damage has been reported at this time.

The thunderstorm warning has been extended until 9:30 p.m.

Iowa counties including northern Clay, northeastern O'Brien, southeastern Osceola and Dickinson counties remain under a thunderstorm warning until 9:15 p.m.

The storm has a history of producing large hail, the National Weather Service reported, adding that it is a dangerous situation.

"Seek shelter now inside a sturdy structure and stay away from windows," the National Weather Service warned.

8:25 p.m: Thunderstorm proceeding northeast

WORTHINGTON - The National Weather Service's severe thunderstorm warning for Jackson, Murray, Cottonwood and eastern Nobles County has been extended to 9 p.m.

The storm will hit Brewster at approximately 8:30 p.m. and it is moving northeast at 35 miles per hour.

8:20 p.m.: Pea-sized hail spotted in Worthington

WORTHINGTON - Pea-sized hail fell on some portions of Worthington around 8:20 p.m. Thursday evening during a thunderstorm that also reportedly dropped golf ball-sized hail on Ellsworth.

The National Weather Service's severe thunderstorm warning for Nobles County will remain in effect until 8:30 p.m. tonight.

The storm is moving northeast.

More information will be posted as it becomes available.

National Weather Service issues thunderstorm warning

ELLSWORTH - The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Nobles County until 8:30 p.m. this evening.

Golf-ball size hail was reported in Ellsworth, and the storm is moving to the northeast.

More information will be posted as it becomes available.

Tags: news, weather, worthington, ellsworth, tornado, storm, lightning