Deadly Twin Cities Tornado Stuns Minnesotans

FIRST PERSON | COON RAPIDS, Minn. -- Although tornado season is set to hit the Midwest in June, it started early for residents in the northern Twin Cities metro.

Four tornadoes, all from the same wall cloud that had blanketed the Twin Cities for most of the day, twisted trees, siding and garbage from the ground into the sky on May 22, causing a wave of destruction from St. Louis Park to Coon Rapids.

Luckily, most of Coon Rapids, where I live on Minneapolis' northern edge, came out unscathed, though there are reports of damage to fences and outdoor decorations. One Coon Rapids resident said she saw a rain of debris shortly after the tornado passed. My driveway remained free of debris, although a two-foot piece of siding lay in front of my garage.

The National Weather Service reported its first tornado sighting at 2:16 p.m. in St. Louis Park, a close suburb of the Twin Cities. Additional reports indicated that the tornado was heading north at approximately 35 miles per hour to the Fridley, Blaine and Coon Rapids area. Sirens sounded immediately and soon the sky poured with torrential rain. At 2:34 p.m., the tornado was spotted in Fridley, just four miles south of Coon Rapids, with reports of roofs being ripped off houses.

Although I have witnessed Minnesota weather for 23 years, the sweeping winds and blinding rain were still unbelievable. I huddled in the hallway of my apartment complex with my cat, watching the storm from a nearby door. The wind was whistling, and my cat kneaded his claws into my bare legs, his heart pacing just as fast as the downpour. The streets quickly turned into makeshift rivers. Thankfully, it passed as soon as it began.

Residents spotted a funnel cloud in my exact area -- in fact, on the same street where I live -- but structurally, everything was intact. The rain turned into a shining, clear blue sky within minutes of its passing. Still, I sat in the hallway for another 15 minutes, afraid the tornado would return.

According to the Associated Press, at least 100 homes were destroyed during the storm, injuring 29 people and killing one person. Most of the damage occurred in north Minneapolis and Fridley. A mandatory curfew is in effect for Minneapolis; police have warned Minnesotans to stay out of north Minneapolis. A shelter has been set up for the victims of the tornado during the interim, but there is no telling how long it will take for them to recover.

We're not out of the thick of it, however. Paul Douglas reports that more thunderstorms and showers are expected early next week, which is bad news for the residents that lost their roofs during the tornado. To make matters worse, he predicts more storms will hit Minnesota during Memorial Day weekend.

Although I'm itching for a trip to the cabin, I think I'll spend next weekend at home.