casabrian.com > Photography > Northside Tornado May 22, 2011

Click on any picture to see the full size image.

Here's what happened to the western half of my Minneapolis neighborhood (Homewood) in the span of about 25 seconds around 2:15pm on May 22, 2011, when an enormous wedge tornado sped across north Minneapolis without warning on a five-plus-mile path of destruction. My home was fine, but my neighbors just a block or so away weren't so lucky, nor were the other northside neighborhoods further down the line.

The affected area in these photos covers 40 acres.

Trees down on Thomas Ave. just north of 12th, looking NW
Trees down on 12th Ave just west of Thomas, looking NW
Upton Ave. just south of 12th, looking south.
Upton Ave. & 12th, looking north.
Upton Ave, just south of 12th. Looking SW
1100 block of Upton Ave N, looking west
1100 block of Upton Ave N, looking NW
1100 block of Upton Ave N, looking SW

Tree has pierced the roof and damaged the gambrel roof dormer.

1100 block of Upton Ave N, looking NE
1100 block of Upton Ave N, looking north
1100 block of Upton Ave N, looking east
1100 block of Upton Ave N, looking NW
Upton & Farwell Ave, looking SE
Significant damage to house on 1100 block of Upton Ave N, looking NW
Significant damage to house on 1100 block of Upton Ave N, looking NW
Upton & Farwell Ave, looking SE
Upton & Farwell Ave, looking SW
Damage to house on 1100 block of Upton Ave, looking north
Damage to house on 1100 block of Upton
Damage to house on 1100 block of Upton
Damage to house on 1100 block of Upton
Farwell Ave., west of Upton, looking NW
Destroyed willow tree behind house on 1100 block of Upton Ave, looking NE
Farwell & Vincent, looking NE
Farwell & Vincent, looking NW
Farwell & Vincent, looking NW
Farwell & Vincent, looking NW

Tree damage to roof

1100 block of Vincent, looking NW

Tree damage to roof

1100 block of Vincent, looking east
1100 block of Vincent, looking NW

Roof ripped off back corner of house as well as sunroom (see tarp)

1100 block of Vincent, looking east
Boulevard tree began to fall, lifting the curb nearly three feet and raising the car with it.

1100 block of Vincent

Boulevard tree began to fall, lifting the curb nearly three feet and raising the car with it.

1100 block of Vincent

1100 block of Vincent, looking west

Collapsed chimney, front door blocked

1100 block of Vincent, looking west

Windows blown out on 1st floor and attic

Vincent & 12th, looking NE
Vincent & 12th, looking NE
Vincent & 12th, looking SW

Sidewalk heaved & trees down everywhere

Alley between Vincent and Washburn at 12th, looking south
Tree down on north side of 12th between Washburn and Vincent. It lifted not only the fence but some of the concrete anchors (look carefully, they're in midair!)
12th Avenue, just west of Washburn-Vincent alley, looking NE
12th & Washburn is directly ahead, looking west.
1101 Washburn Ave., looking SW
1125 Washburn & 1207 Washburn, looking west
1125 Washburn, looking west
1125 Washburn, looking SW
1125 Washburn Ave., looking SW
1200 block of Washburn, looking west
1200 block of Washburn, looking NW
1211 Washburn, looking NW

This house lost its tall "hip" roof.

1211 Washburn, looking NW

Roof ripped off & windows blown out

1211 Washburn Ave.

sans roof and 1st-floor windows

1200 block of Washburn, looking NW

Roof damage & glass front door exploded

1200 block of Washburn, looking SE

Windows blown out

1200 block of Washburn, looking NE
1200 block of Washburn, looking NE
1200 block of Washburn, looking SE

What little a terrible fire didn't manage to destroy last fall, the tornado finished off today.

1200 block of Washburn, looking NE
1200 block of Washburn, looking east

Attic window blown out, roof damage

1200 block of Washburn, looking west
1200 block of Washburn, looking east

Roof damage

1200 block of Washburn, looking NE
House at Plymouth & Washburn - half destroyed by tornado, looking NE
1300 block of Washburn (just north of Plymouth), looking north
House at Plymouth & Washburn - half destroyed by tornado, looking NE

Most windows blown out

House at Plymouth & Washburn - half destroyed by tornado, looking north

Rubble was once the garage.

House at Plymouth & Washburn - half destroyed by tornado, looking north

Rubble was once the garage.

House at Plymouth & Washburn - half destroyed by tornado, looking north

Windows blown out, roof damaged, siding peeled off, awnings akimbo

House at Plymouth & Washburn - half destroyed by tornado, looking NW

Rubble was once the garage.

House at Plymouth & Washburn - half destroyed by tornado, looking NW

Rubble was once the garage.

Alley between Washburn and Vincent, looking north from Plymouth Avenue.
Alley between Washburn and Vincent, looking south from Plymouth Avenue.
Alley between Washburn and Vincent, looking south from Plymouth Avenue.
1200 block of Vincent Ave, looking NW
Alley between Vincent and Washburn, looking south from Farwell Ave.
Farwell Ave & Washburn, looking NE
Mansion Row (1000 block of Washburn)

1045 Washburn Ave N.

Mansion Row (1000 block of Washburn)

1045 Washburn Ave N.

Farwell Ave & Washburn, looking NW
Mansion Row (1000 block of Washburn)
Collapsed chimney & damaged roof
1035 Washburn Ave N.
Carl Eller's house
Mansion Row (1000 block of Washburn)
Collapsed chimney & damaged roof
1035 Washburn Ave N.
Carl Eller's house
Mansion Row (1000 block of Washburn)
1045 Washburn Ave N.
Slate roof peeled off.
Mansion Row (1000 block of Washburn)

1045 Washburn Ave N.

Mansion Row (1000 block of Washburn)
1045 Washburn Ave N.
Slate roof peeled off.
Mansion Row (1000 block of Washburn)
1045 Washburn Ave N.
Slate roof peeled off.
Mansion Row (1000 block of Washburn)
Carl Eller's yard
1035 Washburn Ave N.
Mansion Row (1000 block of Washburn)
Carl Eller's yard
1035 Washburn Ave N.
Tree down at Farwell & Washburn, looking NE
1000 block of Washburn, looking SE
1000 block of Washburn, looking east

Chimney collapsed & roof damage

1000 block of Washburn, looking east

Chimney collapsed & roof damage

Mansion Row (1000 block of Washburn)
Carl Eller's yard
1035 Washburn Ave N.
Mansion Row (1000 block of Washburn)

1025 Washburn Ave N.

Mansion Row (1000 block of Washburn)
Carl Eller's yard
1035 Washburn Ave N.
Mansion Row (1000 block of Washburn)

1015 Washburn Ave N.

Mansion Row (1000 block of Washburn)

1025 Washburn Ave N.

Oak Park Ave, west of Washburn

Debris smashed the windshield

Oak Park Ave, west of Washburn

Windows blown out, roof damage

Oak Park Ave, west of Washburn

Windows blown out, roof damage

Oak Park Ave, west of Washburn

Windows blown out, roof damage

Oak Park Ave, west of Washburn

Power line poles blown over

Oak Park Ave, west of Washburn

Debris field where tornado entered Homewood.

Oak Park Ave, west of Washburn

Debris field where tornado entered Homewood.

Oak Park Ave, west of Washburn

Roof damage

Mansion Row (1000 block of Washburn)
1015 Washburn Ave N.
Windows blown out and slate roof peeled off, chimneys collapsed
Mansion Row (1000 block of Washburn)
1015 Washburn Ave N.
Windows blown out and slate roof peeled off, chimneys collapsed
Tree down on 1000 Washburn Ave (at Oak Park Ave), looking NE
Squashed garage in alley between Washburn and Vincent, looking north from Oak Park Ave.
Tree splinted on 1000 block of Vincent Ave, looking NE
Low rider. Unintentionally.

Lexus crushed under tree, 1000 block of Vincent.

Front door of 1023 Vincent Ave.

Porch windows blown out

Trees down on 1100 block of Upton Ave, looking north
Damage to house on 1100 block of Upton, looking NW
Damage to house on 2600 block of Farwell Ave

Glass panes blown out

Damage to house on 2600 block of Farwell Ave

Glass panes blown out

Plymouth Ave & Upton, looking SW
Bus shelter at Plymouth Ave & Upton, looking west
Bus shelter at Plymouth Ave & Upton, looking west
Apartment building at Plymouth & Upton, looking NW
1241 Upton Ave, at Plymouth, looking south
1241 Upton Ave, at Plymouth, looking SE
Vincent Ave at Plymouth, looking south.

Note power lines down in foreground.

Upton Ave at Plymouth, looking south.

Note power lines down in foreground.

Alley between Washburn and Vincent, looking SW from Plymouth Ave.
Alley between Washburn and Vincent, looking SW from Plymouth Ave.
Alley between Washburn and Vincent, looking south from Plymouth Ave.
1200 block of Washburn, looking south from Plymouth Ave.

 

Other post-tornado photos from the Jordan neighborhood

View north toward 29th & Logan Ave N in the devastated Jordan Pond area.
View north toward 29th & Logan Ave N in the devastated Jordan Pond area.