Damage in Melrose after reported tornado touchdown

An apparent tornado tore through the town of Melrose in west-central Minnesota on Saturday night, leaving parts of the town badly damaged.

"When it hit I was gathering my animals to get them in my basement and saw debris flying all around outside. It was crazy," Trevor Singleton, whose home sustained minor damage, including a tree on his garage, told Bring Me The News.

Singleton captured numerous damage photos from around town. The area hit hardest appears to be near Melrose Metalworks, located at 318 8th Ave. NW on the west side of town.

Singleton said metalworks buildings were completely destroyed by the tornado, which was confirmed by a trained spotter who reported the twister was on the ground for approximately four minutes.

"Definitely tore up the town quick," Singleton said.

The tornado-warned storm was one of two supercells that tracked southeast across Minnesota on Saturday. The storms formed in central Minnesota and dropped hail the size of baseballs and golf balls in Wadena and Grey Eagle, later producing tornado warnings in Stearns, Kandiyohi and Meeker counties.

Atwater, a town of about 1,100 people located about 40 miles south of Melrose, was also hit by damaging winds and large hail. The Atwater area was under a tornado warning but it is unclear if there was a tornado touchdown.

The other supercell wasn't as intense but it tracked over the western Twin Cities metro and was the reason the Basilica Block Party ended earlier than scheduled.