Tornado Warning Today: Live Radar, Storm Path Updates, and Urgent Safety Tips

Residents across the Upper Midwest were roused overnight as a string of tornado warnings lit up weather radios and smartphone alerts, capping a week that had already shattered heat records. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued multiple warnings for the Twin Cities metro after radar-confirmed twisters touched down near Waconia, St. Bonifacius and Canby, Minnesota, shortly after midnight Sunday, June 29 2025. Key points at a glance • At least five tornadoes were reported between 7 p.m. Saturday and 1 a.m. Sunday. • A Tornado Watch covered 4 million+ people from western Minnesota to central Wisconsin until 5 a.m. CDT. • Wind gusts up to 70 mph, tennis-ball-size hail and flash flooding accompanied the storms. Areas under the gun The greatest danger stretched from Sioux Falls through the Minnesota River Valley into the Twin Cities and north toward St. Cloud. Farther east, parts of western Wisconsin remained under Severe Thunderstorm Warnings as the line marched toward Eau Claire. Forecasters warn that additional storms could redevelop this afternoon in the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic as the same cold front pushes eastward. Why storms turned violent Meteorologists say the atmosphere was primed: record-breaking heat and humidity left surface temperatures in the upper 80s at midnight, driving “extreme instability.” A potent jet-stream disturbance sliding over that hot, moist air mass supplied the spin necessary for supercells. The result was a classic nocturnal tornado setup—especially dangerous because most people were asleep when sirens sounded. Safety steps during a tornado warning 1. Move to a basement or interior room on the lowest floor, away from windows. 2. Take pets, a flashlight, shoes and a charged phone. 3. If in a vehicle, drive at right angles to the storm path; if escape isn’t possible, seek shelter in a sturdy building. 4. Avoid overpasses; they create deadly wind tunnels. What to do after the all-clear • Stay off roads until emergency crews verify power lines are down and debris is cleared. • Document damage with photos for insurance claims. • Check on neighbors, especially seniors and those without power. How to stay informed today • Enable Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) on your smartphone. • Monitor NOAA Weather Radio channel WXK42 (162.55 MHz) for continuous updates. • Follow local NWS offices and emergency managers on X, Facebook and Threads. • Download a trusted local TV weather app that delivers geo-targeted push notifications. Looking ahead The Storm Prediction Center keeps a Slight Risk (Level 2 of 5) of severe weather in place from Chicago to Pittsburgh later today. Cooler, drier air arriving Monday should shut down the tornado threat for the Upper Midwest, but rivers already swollen by 6-inch rainfall totals may experience minor flooding through midweek. Bottom line: If you live anywhere from the Great Lakes to the Mid-Atlantic, review your tornado plan now. Warnings can—and did—arrive after dark, leaving minutes or even seconds to act. Stay weather-aware, keep devices charged, and be ready to shelter until this volatile pattern finally breaks tonight.