EF2 tornado injures two, damages homes near Detroit Lakes, Minnesota

The National Weather Service (NWS) has confirmed that the tornado that struck the Detroit Lakes area of northwestern Minnesota on July 6 was rated EF2, with estimated peak winds of 185 km/h (115 mph).

The tornado touched down at 19:47 local time (LT), approximately 3 km (2 miles) south-southwest of Westbury, according to the NWS.

It remained on the ground for about 10 minutes. The tornado had a path length of 10.93 km (6.79 miles) and reached a maximum width of more than 730 m (2 400 feet). It dissipated approximately 6 km (4 miles) northeast of Detroit Lakes at 19:57 LT.

The Becker County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) said deputies and other emergency responders began monitoring the severe weather around 19:30 LT after receiving reports of a possible funnel cloud north of Lake Park.

At approximately 20:14 LT, the Sheriff’s Office received a report of a tornado near the Oakland Beach area, where it caused extensive damage to homes, buildings, and trees.

The NWS confirmed two injuries associated with the event, one of which was directly caused by the tornado.

“1 injury can be directly attributed to the tornado, as a homeowner was injured in their home when their roof was removed by the tornado. The second injury was after the tornado during the cleanup stage and could be due to shock or trauma, according to the county emergency manager,” the NWS reported.

“Responders went from home to home looking for residents and checking for the injured. Two individuals were transported to Essentia St. Mary’s Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. One other patient went to the hospital by private vehicle,” the BCSO said.

The tornado began about 2 km (1 mile) northwest of Wheeler Lake before crossing the lake, where it damaged the roofs of several homes and snapped the trunks of large oak and poplar trees.

It reached its maximum width near the western shore of Big Floyd Lake, with the Oakland Beach neighborhood sustaining the most severe damage.

Multiple garages and lighter outbuildings were swept away, while widespread roof and tree damage was reported. A 2 x 4 m (6 x 12-foot) horse trailer was lofted and carried about 200 m (656 feet) before the tornado crossed Big Floyd Lake and continued east. The last visible damage was identified near the intersection of County Highway 25 and Anchor Road.

More than 500 customers lost power as a result of the storms, according to Detroit Lakes Public Utility.

As the storm tracked east-southeast, strong winds, hail, and heavy rain affected areas north of Audubon before a tornado warning was issued for the Callaway and Rochert areas. Reports of downed trees, power lines, and debris soon followed from Detroit Township between U.S. Highway 59 and County Highway 21.

References:

¹ Public Information Statement – NWS – July 7, 2026

Rishav Kothari

I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.

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