FOR DAYS NOW WE’VE HEARD the warnings and been advised to prepare for impending bad weather in parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Here’s the latest from the National Weather Service website as of early Sunday afternoon: Regardless of the risk level, an episode of dangerous weather is likely Monday, with all hazards possible…
The NWS breaks that weather threat down to include tornadoes (a few strong), large hail, damaging winds and frequent lightning. OK, then. I’m listening.
I live in southern Minnesota, which is under a “moderate” risk of severe storms. Now that word choice may not sound all that threatening until you consider that “moderate” ranks as number four on a scale of one to five. “High” risk, #5, tops the scale. Central and eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin fall in this “moderate” risk area for severe weather.
Weather forecasters seem pretty confident in their predictions. So I have to go with what they’re saying and remain watchful and informed. And stay in contact with my friend Brad, a Minnesota native who lives in North Carolina and is retired from the NWS. He’s like my personal weather forecaster. (Thanks, Brad.)
I emailed Brad that “I really really really don’t like tornadoes,” not that anyone does. But I do have a bit of history with tornadoes stretching back to June 1968. On June 13, 1968, a violent F5 tornado with wind speeds of 261-318 mph devastated the small southwestern Minnesota town of Tracy, killed nine and injured 125. Days after that deadly twister, Dad, Mom, my siblings and I piled into the car for the 25-mile drive south of our family farm to view the destruction. The imprint of those scenes has stuck with me, which is likely the reason I respect and fear tornadoes.
More recently, in September 2018, five tornadoes (the largest an EF2) swept through my county of Rice, including in Faribault. Randy and I sheltered in our basement as strong winds raged, ripping the electrical mast from our house and downing trees throughout our neighborhood and nearby. It was frightening to be huddled in the basement, to hear that roaring wind and then to be plunged into darkness. But damage to our property was minimal. And no one was killed or injured in the county. Today I can look out my office window or walk into my backyard to see visual reminders of that severe storm in what I call “tornado trees.”
Going back further, I recall seeing the destruction in St. Peter, 40 miles to the west of my community, after a tornado touched down there on March 29, 1998. A young boy died. A childhood friend lost his home. Prior to reaching St. Peter, the tornado devastated Comfrey in southwestern Minnesota.
In 1980, a tornado took down a silo, tossed a silage wagon, ripped the railing off the house and more on my childhood farm. That was literally too close to home. It was home. I was working as a newspaper reporter some 65 miles away and raced back to Vesta the next day to see the damage. While working as a reporter in Gaylord, I also reported on and photographed damage left by a tornado.
On July 7, 2011, downbursts during severe weather heavily-damaged my childhood church, St. John’s Lutheran, and caused other damage in my hometown. In neighboring Belview, an EF1 tornado touched down on that same date causing widespread destruction. My personal weather forecaster friend, Brad, grew up in Belview.
Yes, I have a history with severe storms and tornadoes. How about you?
Be alert, prepared and safe, everyone, especially my friends in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
I think that picture of the Tracy funnel cloud was a 4-H exhibit that year.
An earlier tornado occurred in southwest Minnesota on July 7, 1955 between Ivanhoe and Marshall. It hit our farm, destroying most of the buildings and severely damaging the house. It is one of my earliest memories—I have many memories of that day, even before the tornado hit. My dad always listened to the weather and market reports on the radio. That morning, there was so much static that he turned it off. After dinner (at noon, of course) we 2 “older” kids went with my mom to the garden to pick beans. (I think he younger 2 probably were in the house taking naps.) Soon after we came back to the house, my dad came in and said “Get to the basement!” No one questioned him—we immediately headed to the basement—my mom first, carrying my 1 1/2 year old brother (John); then my sister Marie (almost 4 years old) and myself (5 years old), then my dad carrying my 2 1/2 year old sister (DelRose). We were only a few steps down when we heard a loud crash. When we came up after the tornado, we saw the entire kitchen wall lying flat on the ground. Marie and I have always been convinced that was the crash we heard—what a close call we had! 2 bowls of beans that we had just picked were still setting on the kitchen table. The main thing I remember about being in the basement is praying the rosary. No one in the family had any injuries—God certainly protected us that day!
My sister and your friend, Sharon Eisenmenger, was born the following January, so our mom was pregnant with her at the time of the tornado.
WE moved to Wabasso in 1963, so we lived about 30 miles from Tracy. Papers from Tracy were found on our farm at Wabasso after the Tracy tornado.
Thank you for sharing this deeply personal and harrowing story about your experience with a tornado. I got chills reading it. That you remember that day and those events with vivid details does not surprise me. It was, in many ways, a traumatic experience. And, yes, your family was certainly under divine protection. And then came the Tracy tornado and finding those papers on your new family farm by Wabasso. The story comes full circle.
please stay safe and err on the side of caution. safety and shelter to all. and with the weather service and alerts being cut we really have to be especially careful to look out for ourselves and our neighbors
You are right on the cuts within the NWS and the additional need to watch out for our neighbors. My NWS friend Brad emailed after I published this post and shared more about the cuts made by the federal government and how the NWS (and thus us) is being affected. It’s truly tragic and could cost lives. It seems no thought went into slashing of funds and terminations of federal employees. We will all suffer due to the actions of the current administration/DOGE. I appreciate you bringing this up, Beth.
last week we did a protest with the scientists from epa and the Great Lakes biologists and noaa weather people, many had already lost their jobs –
Thank you, Beth, for protesting. I keep emailing my US rep on various topics of concern. His answers are disheartening.
and thank you for that, Audrey. we all do our part and every bit matters. yes, one of our senators, has checked out and is not running again, but we have a few who have stepped up to fill his seat and who are all great and we are supporting them fully
Glad to hear that, that capable individuals have stepped up and that you are supporting them. To those who have checked out, well, that’s disappointing.
Wow. Hang tight!
We’ll try. This forecast is definitely concerning me. I don’t like the words “strong tornadoes” possible.
Having grown up in rural west central Illinois I, too, am very familiar with the beasts. Oddly, in spite of seemingly endless spring tornado warnings, the only real damage to our small town was via straight line winds that killed three people and terrified the rest of us. These multi day severe weather events should not be taken lightly for sure. Take care.
To lose three people in a small town would certainly affect residents emotionally. I’m sorry you went through that traumatizing experience. The storms are starting now with our first tornado warning in western Minnesota, in the county where my oldest brother, his wife and others live. It “feels” very much like “something” will happen.
I have very little tornado experiences. But I have driven by the devastation left behind and it’s quite frightening. I hope we all make it through the severe weather day safely.
Me, too. Tornadoes are starting in MN as I type.