Tornado Threat Eases for St. Cloud Area

Strong "Couplet" North of Becker.  NWS Doppler at 6:55 pm. The tornadic storm that moved across Stearns County and the immediate St. Cloud area has a history of producing numerous tornado touchdowns and 1 to 2.5" diameter hail, large enough to damage car windshields - the risk is now east of St. Cloud, moving toward Princeton and St. Francis. Here's the latest from the NWS:

...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR NORTHWESTERN SHERBURNE AND
SOUTHERN BENTON COUNTIES UNTIL 700 PM CDT...

AT 645 PM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING A TORNADO.  THIS DANGEROUS STORM
WAS LOCATED NEAR PARENT...OR 13 MILES EAST OF ST CLOUD...MOVING EAST
AT 30 MPH.

TRAINED SPOTTERS HAVE REPORTED SEVERAL FUNNEL CLOUDS WITH THIS STORM...
SEEK SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. GOLF BALL SIZED HAIL HAS ALSO BEEN
OBSERVED.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE...
  RONNEBY...SANTIAGO AND GLENDORADO.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

IN ADDITION TO TORNADOES...SUPERCELLS ARE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING
EXTREMELY LARGE HAIL AND DESTRUCTIVE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. ACT QUICKLY
AND MOVE TO SAFETY INSIDE A STURDY SHELTER...SUCH AS A BASEMENT OR
SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR.