2025 New Ulm tornado
| File:2025 New Ulm tornado.jpg The tornado at peak intensity before hitting New Ulm. | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | March 21st, 2025, 9:59 p.m. CDT (UTC−05:00) |
| Dissipated | March 21st, 2025, 10:34 p.m. CDT (UTC−05:00) |
| Duration | 35 minutes |
| EF4 tornado | |
| on the Enhanced Fujita scale | |
| Highest winds | 190 mph (310 km/h) |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 16 |
| Injuries | 189 |
| Damage | $1.65 billion (2025 USD) |
| Areas affected | Brown and Nicollet Counties, including the cities of Stark, New Ulm, and Rush River in Minnesota. |
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| Part of the Tornado outbreak of March 21-22, 2025 and the Tornadoes of 2025 | |
The 2025 New Ulm tornado was a violent and destructive EF4 tornado that struck the southern Minnesota city of New Ulm on the night of March 21, 2025, during the devastating Tornado Outbreak of March 21-22, 2025. This outbreak is considered one of the deadliest in Minnesota’s history, with numerous long-track tornadoes leaving a trail of destruction across several counties. The New Ulm tornado, which reached peak wind speeds of 190 mph (310 km/h), was one of the most significant events during the outbreak’s second wave of storms, causing widespread destruction in Brown and Nicollet counties.
Touching down at 9:59 p.m. CDT, the tornado intensified rapidly as it approached the city of New Ulm, carving a path of devastation through both rural and urban areas. Entire neighborhoods were reduced to rubble, and commercial districts were obliterated, with hundreds of homes and businesses destroyed. The tornado remained on the ground for 35 minutes, during which time it devastated the communities of Stark, New Ulm, and Rush River. By the time it dissipated at 10:34 p.m. CDT, the tornado had claimed 16 lives, injured 189, and caused an estimated $575 million USD in damages, making it one of the costliest tornadoes in the state’s history.
The New Ulm EF4 was part of the second round of tornadoes during the outbreak, following the earlier devastation caused by the Mankato EF5 and the Southern Minnesota EF5 tornadoes. This second wave of storms, fueled by lingering instability in the atmosphere, proved deadly as it struck after dark, leaving many residents with little time to react. The tornado’s path through New Ulm and the surrounding areas created a long-lasting impact on the region, with recovery efforts stretching on for months after the storm passed.