Storms Produce Tornado and Severe Thunderstorm Warnings Wednesday

UNDATED (WJON News) -- A line of severe storms rumbled through central Minnesota Wednesday night prompting a parade of thunderstorm warnings and a handful of tornado warnings.

The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Todd County just before 5:30 p.m. with the thunderstorm system growing into more cells as it pushed east/southeast.

The National Weather Service says there was a tornado spotted on the ground in Morrison County between 6:45 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. and a radar indicated tornado warning was subsequently issued for northeastern Stearns County.

Several thunderstorm warnings were issued in a number of central Minnesota counties on Wednesday evening with the primary impacts, being small hail, downed trees, and some damage from straight-line winds.

Thunderstorm warnings were issued across counties including Todd, Morrison, Stearns, Benton, Sherburne, Mille Lacs, and Crow Wing counties, among others.

Stearns County Emergency Management Director Erin Tufte says there were reports of half-dollar-sized hail in the Freeport area with pea-sized hail reported in St. Rosa.

Media reports indicated law enforcement reported cloud rotation over Waite Park, but those reports have not been confirmed at this time.

Damage reports are still being assessed and updates are expected on Thursday.

LOOK: Biggest Tornadoes in Minnesota of the Past Decade

Stacker compiled a list of the biggest tornadoes in Minnesota over the past decade using data from NOAA.

Gallery Credit: Stacker

LOOK: The most expensive weather and climate disasters in recent decades

Stacker ranked the most expensive climate disasters by the billions since 1980 by the total cost of all damages, adjusted for inflation, based on 2021 data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The list starts with Hurricane Sally, which caused $7.3 billion in damages in 2020, and ends with a devastating 2005 hurricane that caused $170 billion in damage and killed at least 1,833 people. Keep reading to discover the 50 of the most expensive climate disasters in recent decades in the U.S.

Gallery Credit: KATELYN LEBOFF