Severe weather alert issued for Upper Midwest with baseball-sized hail expected
- Severe thunderstorms are predicted to occur in the Upper Midwest, bringing risks such as heavy rain and damaging winds.
- Baseball-sized hail is one of the main threats expected, alongside possible tornadoes.
- Residents should prepare for severe weather, with additional storms anticipated by the Fourth of July.
On June 28, 2025, severe storms threatened parts of the Upper Midwest, particularly across Minnesota and South Dakota. A low-pressure system originating from the northern Rockies and High Plains contributed to a highly humid atmosphere, increasing the potential for severe weather conditions. Early Saturday morning, thunderstorms were already developing in the Dakotas, with expectations of intensifying later in the afternoon due to daytime heating creating favorable storm energy. Forecasts indicated significant atmospheric instability, resulting in the risk of large hail reaching diameters of at least 3 inches as well as damaging wind gusts between 60 to 80 mph. Some isolated tornadoes were also deemed possible within the severe weather risk frame. The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) categorized the risk at a Level 2 out of 5, especially highlighting the threat of large hail in western Minnesota and eastern South Dakota, including cities like St. Cloud and Watertown. As a result of recent rainfall, flash flooding concerns were also noted throughout the weekend. The severe weather could shift eastward by Sunday, with diminishing intensity, allowing the affected areas to begin drying out in early next week. Moreover, the forecast indicated brief periods of damaging winds for regions in the Northeast and along the Interstate 95 corridor, with thunderstorms starting in Upstate New York by Saturday afternoon. SPC also categorized a Level 2 threat extending from central Pennsylvania into Upstate New York, with a Level 1 threat covering major urban centers such as New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. Temperature expectations soared in the Twin Cities, where highs reached the upper 80s and heat index values climbed into the 90s. Later, the weather was expected to shift with the arrival of high pressure early in the week, making way for sunnier and more seasonable conditions, while additional storms were anticipated late in the week as the Fourth of July approached.