Quick moving storm leaves its mark

HIBBING—Cleanup was ongoing Thursday morning following a swift moving storm with high winds that swept through the area at about 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday causing downed trees, broken branches, some hail and some power outages across the region.

The National Weather Service reported maximum wind gusts at 50 miles per hour at Range Regional Airport in Hibbing. Gusts as high as 48 miles per hour were reported in the Virginia area, and 45 miles per hour outside of Grand Rapids, according to a map provided by the National Weather Service.

“There were also some third hand reports about isolated wind damage in Hibbing and branches that came down in the Mountain Iron/Eveleth Area,” a spokesperson for the weather service wrote in an email on Thursday, adding there were also some reports of trees down and playsets overturned in Grand Rapids.

Karen McNeal, Fair Manager said the high winds experienced on Wednesday blew over and damaged some canopies at the St. Louis County Fairgrounds in Chisholm.

By 7 p.m. on Wednesday a post on the fair’s Facebook page notified that they remained open. In a follow up on Thursday, the fair posted that ride wristbands purchased before the storm would be honored on Thursday.