Minnesota weather is part of daily life, and it brings with it many “extremes.” This collection presents some of those…from the floods of the Red River Valley, the blowdown in the BWCA, the Halloween Blizzard, to the devasting tornado in St. Peter. But were a state of many meteorological dimensions, not just tornadoes and blizzards. Below are memories of oppressive drought, the creep of flood waters, nature driven fire, and those glorious 50-degree December day anomalies. While these stories may attempt to explain the why, where, and what of various weather events, what is striking is the undeniable power of the human experience in the face of it all.
June 20, 1979 - MPR’s Dale Connelly reports on damage in downtown Minneapolis left behind from a violent storm that swept through Minneapolis on June 19th. Connelly describes broken windows and strewn glass fragments at IDS Center and the IDS Crystal Court.
August 24, 1979 - MPR’s Dan Olson and Rich Dietman visit the National Weather Service office. They talk to meteorologist John Graff and others who explain their forecasting equipment, the costs of the operations, trends in weather, and other aspects of their work.
November 10, 1980 - A storm chronology of the Lake Superior gale storm on November 10, 1975, that sank the SS Edmund Fitzgerald, a massive iron ore carrier.
June 15, 1981 - MPR’s Lee Axdahl reports from Roseville, where a tornado struck the afternoon of June 14, 1981. Storm caused multiple damage and injuries.
June 15, 1981 - MPR’s Dale Connelly interviews Peggy Hawkins, who witnessed the tornado that struck Roseville. Hawkins was in the parking lot of Target as storm struck, and describes a destructive scene.
June 15, 1981 - MPR’s Rich Dietman describes the scene in south Minneapolis in the aftermath of a tornado passing over Lake St. & Chicago Ave.
June 15, 1981 - MPR’s Linda Peinovich interviews meteorologist John Graff, who describes the path and destruction of tornado that struck areas of Twin Cities on June 14, 1981. Graff notes it was a singular tornado that made a straight line through the metro.
January 20, 1982 - MPR’s Gary Eichten talks with Les Coleman of the National Weather Service about record-breaking snowfall in the Twin Cities. Following interview, Eichten checks in with MPR’s Nancy Fushan on conditions and problems caused by storm.
January 23, 1982 - On this Weekend program, Bruce Watson, a consulting meteorologist, discusses the record-setting snowfalls of January 20th and 22nd in the Twin Cities, winter blizzards, and other issues related to winter weather. Watson also answers listener questions.
December 28, 1982 - MPR’s Pat Kessler reports on the literal stand still in place for much of the Twin Cities after large snowstorm. Kessler details abandoned cars, shut businesses, no school, a sag to Metrdome roof, and airport closure.