This Day in Weather History: May 17th

Weather History - May 17th

May 17th, 1902:

An estimated F3 Tornado moved northeast from 6 miles southwest of Mina to south of Westport, a distance of about 25 miles. A four-year-old girl was killed in one of two farmhouses blown apart in Edmunds County. Three more homes were damaged in Brown County. There were probably two, if not three, separate tornadoes involved.

May 17th, 1937:

A complex of tornadoes and downbursts skipped southeast from near Roslyn and Greenville. This storm also caused $50,000 in damage in downtown Waubay and damaged farm property about 4 miles west of Gray, Minnesota. About 20 barns were destroyed. Sheep and horses were killed. These events traveled a distance of about 70 miles. The strongest tornado was estimated at F2 strength.

May 17th, 1996:

An F1 tornado touched down 20 miles southeast of Wilmot or 5 miles northwest of Ortonville, Minnesota, at Schmidts Landing on Big Stone Lake. The roof was ripped off a house, and a garage wall was blown off its foundation. Three RVs were demolished, and a trailer was overturned and destroyed. This tornado moved into Big Stone County and intensified. An F3 tornado crossed Big Stone Lake from Roberts County, South Dakota, destroying a cabin at the Meadowbrook Resort. It also blew the roof off another cabin, and the third cabin was demolished when a tree fell onto it. Several boats on Big Stone Lake were overturned. Approximately 150 buildings were damaged or destroyed as the tornado moved northeast across Big Stone County. Southwest of Clinton, a pontoon boat and a camper were destroyed. East of Clinton, a farm lost all buildings and severely damaged their home. Estimated property damage was listed at $1.5 million.

A 90-mph wind gust blew two garage roofs off, destroyed an antenna, blew large trees down, and also blew down a grain dryer near Dumont, Minnesota.