The National Weather Service confirmed that at least five tornadoes touched down in southeastern Minnesota on Friday, including four that hit Olmsted County. At least another three twisters were confirmed in southwestern Wisconsin.

The NWS was still analyzing data and other information to determine if more tornadoes occurred in the area.

The storms started Friday afternoon, with the first tornado touching down north of Sargeant in Mower County around 1:45 p.m. The short-lived EF0, with top wind speeds of 80 mph, traveled about 3 miles northeast into rural Dodge County near the unincorporated town of Oslo. It lasted for about five minutes in total, the weather service says, and caused minor damage to a grain silo before dissipating.

A new tornado formed a few minutes later, less than a mile away south of Oslo. The storm was also considered an EF0, with wind speeds around 80 mph. Lasting less than 10 minutes, it traveled 4 miles into Olmsted County, causing light damage to farm outbuildings and trees.

The line of storms seemed to pick up intensity as it entered Olmsted County.

Around 2:17 p.m., the EF2 tornado that would later hit Marion Township first touched down just northeast of Stewartville. The weather service estimates that the twister had wind speeds of about 130 mph and traveled nearly 10 miles northeast, before dissipating around 2:31 p.m. Multiple homes were severely damaged with roof removal and partially collapsed exterior walls.

An EF1 tornado was also confirmed to have hit near Potsdam around 2:30 p.m.

The first portion of the tornado was weak, the weather service said, with mainly EF0 damage. On the second portion of the 12-mile track, the tornado intensified to produce approximately 100 mph winds with tree and farm outbuilding damage. It lifted around 2:54 p.m.

A second EF2 tornado was confirmed in Olmsted County around 2:46 p.m. about 5 miles east-northeast of Viola and traveled about 7.5 miles, ending in Wabasha County, a few miles south of Plainview, around 3 p.m. Maximum wind speeds were around 125 mph. The storm affected mainly rural areas and damaged trees and outbuildings. One farmhouse lost a roof and a garage roof, the weather service said.

No injuries were reported in the Minnesota-Wisconsin outbreak.

Friday was a historic day for the NWS La Crosse office, which issued 26 tornado warnings – the most for any one day since the office opened in 1995.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, Police Chief Brian O’Hara and other city leaders outlined ongoing efforts to improve safety and livability in the city’s Uptown neighborhood during a news conference Tuesday morning.

The discussion focused on a series of public safety initiatives, including expanded patrols by the Minneapolis Police Department and the planned growth of the city’s Community Safety Ambassador Program in Uptown.

That program is already in place elsewhere in south Minneapolis, on East Lake Street and Franklin Avenue. Officials said Tuesday it will come to Uptown in November. One dispatcher and up to eight ambassadors will be available to perform safety escorts, wellness checks, first aid and more.

Officials say efforts to increase safety in the area have been ongoing since December, when dedicated police patrols were introduced.

“Uptown is experiencing a comeback, but we need to be doing the work to make sure that it happens faster. We’ve all got these beautiful, nostalgic memories about what Uptown was six, seven, eight years ago. Twenty years ago,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said. “What’s certain is the Uptown of the future is going to be dramatically different than the Uptown of the past.”

In March, dozens of people lined up for a community meeting discussing safety and livability concerns in the Uptown neighborhood. Data from the city shows there are more assaults, car thefts, robberies and calls for gunshots in the neighborhood compared to the same time last year. Community members, business owners and others have come together to launch community initiatives — like United Uptown — to get the area back on track.

Leaders describe the city’s approach as a coordinated strategy that combines public safety resources, infrastructure investments and partnerships with community organizations. City Council member Elizabeth Shaffer said the goal is “an Uptown that is safe, welcoming and enjoyable for everyone.”

Frey, O’Hara and Shaffer all highlighted drug use as a serious problem in the area. Shaffer and Frey said law enforcement has been helpful in curbing the issue, but more needs to be done. 

“We need to be stepping up to be honest about it, to do something about it, to provide the supports for people who need it and yes, also make sure that we’re enforcing the law,” Frey said. “That’s part of the comeback that we’re going to see in Uptown.”