Tornado Sirens, Hail, and a Parade Coming This Evening

It's been years since the sirens went off to warn of a possible tornado, here in Sauk Centre. Now, we've gone to the basement twice in one week.


Clouds, looking northwest from the corner of South Ash and Ninth in Sauk Centre. July 17, 2010, about 1:20 p.m.


Look closely: those cars have their lights on. July 17, 2010, about 2:12 p.m.


The wind had picked up. Right after taking this picture, I decided to go inside. July 17, 2010, about 2:19 p.m.

Then, around 2:26 p.m., I heard the sirens and the family and I went to the basement.


Most of the hailstones were around the size of pea gravel. This was the largest I saw. July 17, 2010.


It's not as large as it looked from the top: this hailstone was rather flat. July 17, 2010.

I hope the folks who were in town for Sinclair Lewis Days were able to get in out of the hail. And, that the weather clears up for the Sinclair Lewis Days parade, starting just over three hours from now.

I'm planning to webcast the parade on Small Town America: Minnesota (no sound, but you'll get a good view of the parade).

Related posts:

• "Another Tornado Warning"
  (July 17, 2010)
• "A Tornado Warning, a Hard Drive, Frustration, and a Hummingbird"
  (July 14, 2010)