Twin Cities and much of MN under threat for large hail, tornadoes

In Minneapolis, many city facilities and services will close at 2 p.m. Monday. The city has activated its emergency operations center and will keep 311 operators on duty until 9 p.m. to take storm-related calls. Public works crews were dispatched to clean storm drains to help mitigate any flooding, the city said in a news release.

All Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board public buildings will close at 2 p.m. and all programs and activities are canceled, officials said.

The National Weather Service advised Twin Cities residents and those in Albert Lea, Rochester, Red Wing, Fairmont and Mankato to have plans in place in case they need to take shelter on Monday. Western Wisconsin and northern Iowa also are in the bull’s-eye, according to the Storm Prediction Center.

The moderate risk, or level 4 out of 5 on the severity scale, comes as AccuWeather says Monday could be one of the most active days of the severe weather season so far.

Carletta said it is unusual, but not unprecedented, to have a risk this high across Minnesota in April. Typically this elevated risk would occur in late May and into June, the peak of severe weather season locally.

Carletta said watches and warnings may come out and described them as a taco to help people know the difference.