Was There A Funnel Cloud Over Fridley on Tuesday?

Residents spotted funnel-shaped clouds Tuesday night over Fridley, but weather experts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center (SPC) and the National Weather Service say there is no way to confirm whether they were actually funnel clouds.

Weather organizations also said they are not going to spend the time investigating.

“Funnel clouds are interesting and sometimes scary, but they don’t produce any damage,” said Greg Spoden, climatologist for the State Climatology Office.

Instead, severe weather spotters from the National Weather Service focused on tornadoes, hail, and high winds, because those produce damage. But one weather spotter did report a funnel cloud over Hopkins.

“There were probably some funnel clouds, but we couldn’t confirm it,” said James McQuirter, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Chanhassen. “People saw it, we got pictures and videos, so I guess that’s good enough.”

Along with the photos Patch has, KSTP-TV also received a stunning photo from Stephanie Riley of a possible funnel cloud over Fridley.

“SPC does not track funnel clouds as there is no way to verify them short of video,” according to Pat Slattery, spokesman for the National Weather Service central region.

Spoden of the State Climatology Office said Tuesday’s storm was in part created by warm temperatures. The high in the Twin Cities Tuesday was 88 degrees.

“Water vapor in the air along with warm temperatures in contrast with colder temperatures are sometimes storm producers,” Spoden said.

The Storm Prediction Center received reports of two tornadoes around St. Michael. The National Weather Service confirmed Wednesday afternoon that .

“The heart of tornado season is May and June,” said Spoden.

The greatest number of tornadoes in Minnesota in any one year was last year, with 104 tornadoes across the state. That broke the record from 2001, when there were 74 tornadoes.