Thousands of people lost electrical power as trees and power lines were toppled by severe thunderstorms that rattled through the metro and surrounding area Sunday night.
The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for Scott and Carver counties during the evening as winds between 60 and 75 miles per hour were reported.
A few trees were blown down and roofs and sheds were damaged by the storms, which brought hail and heavy rain from southern Minnesota through the Twin Cities and farther north by the time things cleared up late Sunday.
In St. Paul's Highland Park neighborhood, trees and big limbs came down, in some cases flattening parked cars.
Reports out of Belle Plaine, where funnels were spotted, indicated that some roofs on sheds or barns were damaged, but dispatchers at the Scott County Sheriff's Office said no one had called in to report weather emergencies or damage.
In neighboring Carver County, emergency dispatchers said some trees had been knocked down in Chanhassen and in area townships but, again, no major problems related to the weather.
Trees were also reported down around Lake Minnetonka. Power lines were reported down in Maple Grove, Dayton and other towns. There were widespread reports of hail.
More than 18,000 Xcel Energy customers throughout the affected areas were without power for a time Sunday.
