High Wind Warning Issued for Central and Southern Minnesota; Gusts Up to 65 MPH Expected

Source: NOAA · Central and Southern Minnesota

This alert is no longer in effect.

NOAA issued it on April 6, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).

Areazine synthesizes this NWS weather alert directly from NOAA's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.

The National Weather Service has issued a High Wind Warning for central and southern Minnesota, effective Thursday night through Friday morning due to damaging wind gusts.

Read this weather record in 30 seconds

Record type
High Wind Warning
Affected area
Central and Southern Minnesota
Issued
April 6, 2026
Issuing authority
NWS Twin Cities

Wind notices are issued against local thresholds and a defined time window. Confirm both in the original notice before making a current-condition decision.

Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Central and Southern Minnesota.

Alert Details

The National Weather Service in Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN has issued a High Wind Warning for portions of central, south central, southwest, and west central Minnesota. The alert indicates that severe weather conditions are likely, with damaging winds expected to impact the region.

Affected Areas

The warning covers a broad geographic scope across Minnesota, including the following counties:

  • Douglas, Todd, Stevens, Pope, and Stearns
  • Lac Qui Parle, Swift, Chippewa, Kandiyohi, and Meeker
  • Yellow Medicine, Renville, McLeod, and Sibley
  • Redwood, Brown, Nicollet, Watonwan, and Blue Earth
  • Waseca, Martin, Faribault, and Freeborn

What You Should Do

Residents in the warning area are urged to take immediate precautions:

  • Secure loose outdoor objects that could be blown around or damaged by the wind.
  • Prepare for widespread power outages as winds may blow down trees and power lines.
  • Use extra caution if traveling, as high winds will make driving difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles.

Expected Conditions

Forecasters expect sustained northwest winds of 30 to 40 mph. Peak wind gusts are projected to reach up to 65 mph. These conditions are expected to cause property damage and hazardous travel conditions throughout the affected zones.

Timeline

The High Wind Warning is scheduled to take effect at 10:00 PM CDT on Thursday, March 12, and is expected to remain in place until 7:00 AM CDT on Friday, March 13.

Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this NWS weather alert.

What is this NWS weather alert about?
The National Weather Service has issued a High Wind Warning for central and southern Minnesota, effective Thursday night through Friday morning due to damaging wind gusts.
Which agency issued this alert?
This alert was issued by NOAA. The original notice is available at the source link at the bottom of this article.
How severe is this alert?
This alert is classified as "high" severity. Take precautions and monitor for updates.
What area is affected?
This alert affects Central and Southern Minnesota. Check with NOAA for the most current geographic scope.
Where can I find more Weather Alerts updates?
Browse the full Weather Alerts feed on Areazine at areazine.com/weather/ for the latest updates from NOAA and other agencies.