Tornadoes confirmed across swath of northern Minnesota

DULUTH — A devastating storm system produced multiple tornadoes along its roughly 60-mile northern Minnesota path Wednesday, the National Weather Service in Duluth confirmed.

Whitefish Lake and the city of Crosslake, north of Brainerd in Crow Wing County, were hit the hardest, said Patrick Ayd with the Weather Service. Portions of Aitkin and Carlton counties also saw destruction.

A Weather Service survey team went to all three counties Thursday to assess damage and verify tornado activity, and it wasn’t finished with its work yet Thursday evening. Ayd said the strength of the tornadoes will be shared Friday but that the city of Wright in Carlton County experienced a weaker one that traveled about 5 miles.

The survey team saw uprooted pine trees as wide as 2 feet and a home with a roof lifted from the strength of the wind. The storm also took out power for thousands and produced hail that ranged in size from peas to golf balls in both central and northeastern Minnesota. Power had been restored for most as of Thursday night.

The storms flipped a trailer near Crosby, overturned docks and boats and sent large trees crashing to the ground or into homes and buildings, the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office said.