I OWE YOU a weather report.
The much-touted level 4 risk (out of 5) of severe storms here yesterday did not materialize. At least not in Faribault. But just to the east it did. A confirmed tornado touched down southeast of town in Richland Township, destroying several farm buildings and damaging a silo on a neighboring farm. That’s close enough for me. I feel badly for that farm family. Property damage was also reported by the Rice County Sheriff’s Department near Morristown, which is southwest of Faribault.
While that was happening, Randy and I were sheltering in our basement after warning sirens sounded just before 5:30 p.m. I’d prepared, earlier in the day gathering documents and items (yes, including my camera and Randy’s hearing aids) that I didn’t want blown away in a storm. My retired National Weather Service friend, who grew up in southwestern Minnesota, was keeping me updated on the weather throughout the day.
“PLEASE, JUST GET HOME.”
The biggest issue for me was that Randy was not yet home when the emergency sirens went off. I’d tried several times to reach him at work late Monday afternoon to warn him of the bad weather moving into our area. But his cellphone mostly doesn’t work inside the pole shed style garage in the countryside near Randolph. I texted and called numerous times in hopes that he might actually be in a part of the building with cell reception. I finally resorted to phoning the main garage in nearby Cannon Falls. Ideally, whoever answered could ring up Randy in the machine shop. That didn’t happen.
While I wanted Randy home, I really just wanted him safe. A pole shed, with no place to shelter, offers no protection during a storm. And I had no idea how weather-aware he was staying. Probably not too much given he’s swamped at work. He can’t hear warning sirens either.
In the end, it all worked out. Randy pulled into the driveway after sirens had been sounding for awhile. He’d stopped at the Faribault compost pile to drop off plant debris rather than driving directly home. Really? While sirens are wailing and a storm is moving in?
THREE LAUGHING EMOJIS
I recognize that Randy doesn’t fear storms. He doesn’t have the storm history that I do. I’m the one hustling us to the basement. It’s a bit of a joke with our adult kids. The second daughter, who lives in Madison, Wisconsin, texted yesterday, “Randy, get in the basement!” with three laughing emojis. Humor helps in a tense situation.
Many Minnesotans were not laughing yesterday as storms rolled in with tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings resulting in damaging winds and hail and that confirmed tornado between Faribault and Kenyon.
FEELING GRATEFUL THIS MORNING
This morning the sun is shining, popping through massive clouds in a deep blue sky. Crisp, cool air has replaced the heat and humidity of yesterday. Snow even fell in parts of northern Minnesota. Yesterday’s storms are behind us. I, for one, am thankful that strong tornadoes did not develop, that the National Weather Service and Twin Cities TV meteorologists prepared us and kept us informed, that my NWS friend, Brad, updated me and that Randy finally got home. Now, if only his cellphone would work inside that pole shed a 32-minute drive away. I’d feel much better next time severe weather rolls in.
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TELL ME: If you live in Minnesota or a neighboring state, did you experience any storms and/or storm damage on Monday? How do you react to storms, including warning sirens going off?
© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
Glad you and Randy were safe. It was scary weather! Now I realize I have missed something as I thought Randy had retired.
Let’s hope this isn’t a summer of bad storms.
The bad weather is getting off to an early start, isn’t it? Hopefully this won’t be a summer of bad storms.
Nope, Randy isn’t retired. He was supposed to be, but… He’s attempted to train three guys already so he CAN really, truly retire. But all of them quit. Randy has been doing automotive machining for 45 years. It takes time and practice to learn the trade. Let’s just say, well, I best not say. At some point he will be done. Hopefully soon, although right now we need the income with soaring prices and our retirement investments losing money.
I hope he is able to retire, but his skills are obviously needed and hard to come by. Certainly understand your concern about retirement income these days.
Yes, Randy is in high demand, always has been. He’s extremely good at what he does. Hopefully he can cut back on his hours now that the weather is warming. I remind him that he doesn’t have to work every day and really shouldn’t.
I think many people of retirement age are quite concerned now about investments, rising prices and the futures of Medicare and Social Security.
There were two storms – one north and one south of us (yours) – but nothing here. The only time we got near a tornado was years ago when we lived in Knoxville and a twister skipped over our house on its way to a touchdown in Oak Ridge. Scary stuff. 🥺
You’re right on that division of yesterday’s storm. My NWS friend says the tornado skipped over Faribault before touching down a bit to the east in the countryside.
Thais so scary for so many reasons. At least you had talked about it before with Randy so he probably knew it would be coming. If not exactly. When is you said he doesn’t have the storm history you have so he doesn’t have those built-in fears but that doesn’t make your fears any less on his behalf I’m glad that it turned out well for you and your family and your town and I’m sorry for the farmer and his family who were affected. It sounds like you are well prepared and ready to go, but that doesn’t make it any less scary especially when you’re worried about loved ones I was thinking about you yesterday especially with knowing what you had posted before and also for knowing what they’re doing about cutting weather services.
Thank you for validating my feelings. I appreciate that. Like you, I am concerned about the cuts to weather services.
I’m so glad to hear you and Randy are safe, I was thinking of you as I watched the weather warnings. We just had rain here. We’re mostly prepared for severe storms – going to the basement with our go-bag, which contains a weather radio, water, and necessities.… I hope I never have to find out if we’re as prepared as we think we are.
You sound much more prepared than me, especially with that weather radio. I hope you don’t have to find out either if you’re prepared enough.
that sounds like a frightening experience – John is the same – not deaf – but unbothered by storm threats. So far we have not been hit by anything terrible.
Maybe it’s a “guy thing?” And maybe it’s our protective nature as women to assure we and our loved ones are safe. I’m thankful you have thus far avoided anything terrible on your farm.
Thankful it all worked out, Belinda spent several days scaring us. After reroofing 8 hoa bldgs, 2 of them twice between 2021-2023 with yearly May hail, our insurance loss record is shot. As a kid I remember being in the back seat as my folks left the security of St. Mary’s to visit our relatives farms. I remember watching an elderly man walking on what were then gravel roads, leading a limping cow. I was probably 7. The flattened bldg pix of this storm, I’m sure people are out there…southern MN is like that. And the season begins….
Yes, the season begins. And, yes, insurance rates are going through the roof.
Weather can turn pretty quickly. We will be in the do not name that season here in Florida and just recently hunkered down in the master closet due to a tornado warning (no basements here). We finally got some rain yesterday and had one good pour while driving home from work during it. Glad the two of you are safe and that you are prepared. Sending prayers to those affected.
No basement, to me, would be quite frightening. Stay safe during the do not name season in Florida.
Storms like that are so scary. When Theo visited us in December we had a really freak tornado warning (which we RARELY have in the mountains) and I made him go in the bathroom with me. He still talks about hanging out in the bathroom with Fama. :;-). Better safe than sorry.
That would be scary without a basement. What a memory for Theo.