WILLMAR - On top of flooding concerns in the area, a rash of tornado warnings sprung up in the late afternoon Thursday.
Multiple funnel clouds were reported at Maynard, Benson, Clara City, Farwell and Gluek. Tornado watches and warnings were issued in Swift, Chippewa, Pope, Renville, Douglas and Stevens counties.
The tornado sightings were accompanied by continued rain and thunderstorms in west central Minnesota.
All that storm activity apparently caused little damage, however.
As of early Thursday evening, sheriff’s dispatchers in Chippewa, Pope and Renville counties said they had not received reports of storm damage.
A trained weather spotter had reported a possible tornado west of Benson at about 4 p.m. Thursday, according to a news release from the Swift County Sheriff John Holtz.
Over the next 45 minutes, dispatchers received multiple reports of funnel clouds and confirmed touchdowns from just south to north and northwest of Benson, according to the release.
By early evening, damage reports included branches on the ground and a building with some siding blown off. There were no reports of severe damage, according to the release.
