EMBARRASS— A supercell thunderstorm brought heavy rain, accumulating hail, and serious wind damage across a swath of Embarrass and Babbitt last Friday. Trees fell onto powerlines, which prompted numerous callouts for the Embarrass, Pike-Sandy, and Babbitt fire departments. Meanwhile, outhouses and porta-potties at the Embarrass Fairgrounds were toppled by the intense winds.
National Weather Service meteorologist Cory Rophstein, in Duluth, said his office did receive a report of a funnel cloud in Embarrass during the storm. While no tornado touchdowns have been reported, Rophstein said the area did experience significant damage from straight-line winds.
The hail was equally impressive as it accumulated in large drifts along the edges of roads, many of which were still visible two days later. Hailstones were generally quarter-sized or smaller, but the volume was unexpected.
While rainfall was relatively widespread, the extreme conditions were largely limited to Embarrass and the Babbitt area, where the supercell had blown up. “It kind of fell apart after that,” said Rophstein.
Embarrass reported 2.27 inches of rain, which topped the rain reports from around the area. Reports of 1-2 inches of rain were fairly widespread, according to Rophstein.