Severe Storm Rocks Fridley

Update (2:15 p.m. Tuesday): In Fridley, 45 customers remain without power after a strong midday storm, according to Xcel Energy's website. (Note: Apartment buildings can count as a single customer.)

Original post (11:20 a.m. Tuesday): Rough weather with high winds and hard rain is bearing down on Fridley and Anoka County. The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Anoka, Ramsey and northern Hennepin counties:

SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 1103 AM CDT TUE JUL 19 2011

...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR RAMSEY... NORTHEASTERN HENNEPIN AND ANOKA COUNTIES UNTIL NOON CDT... AT 1059 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL...AND DESTRUCTIVE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 70 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR COON RAPIDS...OR 14 MILES NORTHEAST OF PLYMOUTH...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... MINNEAPOLIS...ST PAUL...BROOKLYN PARK...BLAINE...SPRING LAKE PARK...BROOKLYN CENTER...LEXINGTON...CRYSTAL...FRIDLEY...CIRCLE PINES...MOUNDS VIEW...LINO LAKES...ROBBINSDALE...CENTERVILLE AND HILLTOP. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS STORM...PREPARE IMMEDIATELY FOR DESTRUCTIVE WINDS...WHICH CAN UPROOT TREES...DOWN POWER LINES...AND CAUSE DAMAGE TO ROOFS AND WINDOWS. EVACUATE MOBILE HOMES AS THEY MAY BE OVERTURNED. LARGE HAIL IS ALSO EXPECTED...WHICH CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO VEHICLES AND WINDOWS. SEEK SHELTER NOW INSIDE A STURDY STRUCTURE AND STAY AWAY FROM WINDOWS. THIS STORM HAS EXHIBITED SOME WEAK ROTATION. TORNADOES CAN DEVELOP QUICKLY FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. ALTHOUGH ONE IS NOT IMMEDIATELY LIKELY...IF A TORNADO IS SPOTTED...ACT QUICKLY AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY INSIDE A STURDY STRUCTURE... SUCH AS A BASEMENT OR SMALL INTERIOR ROOM.

The National Weather Service broadened its warning for areas east of Fridley. Their language is still of interest:

ANOKA MN-HENNEPIN MN-RAMSEY MN- 1131 AM CDT TUE JUL 19 2011 ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR RAMSEY... NORTHEASTERN HENNEPIN AND SOUTHERN ANOKA COUNTIES UNTIL NOON CDT... AT 1127 AM CDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL...AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR ROSEVILLE...OR 6 MILES NORTHWEST OF ST PAUL...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH. LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... ST PAUL...LITTLE CANADA...NORTH ST PAUL...MAPLEWOOD AND GEM LAKE. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... THIS STORM HAS EXHIBITED SOME WEAK ROTATION. TORNADOES CAN DEVELOP QUICKLY FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. ALTHOUGH ONE IS NOT IMMEDIATELY LIKELY...IF A TORNADO IS SPOTTED...ACT QUICKLY AND MOVE TO A PLACE OF SAFETY INSIDE A STURDY STRUCTURE... SUCH AS A BASEMENT OR SMALL INTERIOR ROOM.