Severe thunderstorm warning issued for east-central Lake County, 60 mph winds, hail

Residents along the Highway 61 corridor northeast of Silver Bay faced the most immediate threat Monday night as a severe thunderstorm warning covered east-central Lake County until 9:30 p.m. The National Weather Service in Duluth warned that the storm could bring 60 mph wind gusts and quarter-size hail, enough to damage vehicles, shred outdoor plans and create dangerous driving conditions across the North Shore.

At 8:45 p.m., radar showed the storm over Little Marais moving southeast at 30 mph. An earlier update placed the storm over Finland at 8:33 p.m., also on a southeast track at 30 mph. The warning said the storm would remain over mainly rural parts of east-central Lake County, but the line of travel put communities, cabins and highway traffic in its path as it moved toward the lakeshore.

The weather service said hail damage to vehicles was expected and wind damage to roofs, siding and trees was possible. In practice, that meant cars parked outside, trailers, boats and other exposed property were at risk, while falling limbs or downed trees could threaten power lines and leave pockets of the county without electricity. Travel on Highway 61 could also turn hazardous quickly, especially for drivers caught between Silver Bay and the smaller communities farther northeast.

Officials urged people to get inside immediately and move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building for protection. With the storm tracking southeast at 30 mph, that meant anyone still outside, on the road or at work in the warning area needed to shelter without delay. Even in a largely rural stretch of northeastern Minnesota, the combination of strong wind and hail could bring fast-moving damage before the warning expired at 9:30 p.m.