CHANHASSEN, MINN. – The National Weather Service is checking into at least four reported tornado touchdowns in Minnesota. Meteorologist Jake Beitlich says a strong, low-pressure system brought gusty winds and severe storms to parts of the state on Thursday.

Meteorologist Jake Beitlich says a strong, low-pressure system brought gusty winds and severe storms to parts of the state on Thursday. Tornadoes were reported far northwest by Grand Forks and Crookston, wet central Minnesota near Benson, a “skinny-rope” tornado near Montevideo, and another near Spring Hill.

A busy stretch of severe thunderstorms is underway due to record heat and now the threats are ramping up, putting major metro areas from Chicago to Nashville under threat as the country hits the peak of tornado season.

A tornado watch is in effect until 8 p.m. Thursday, May 15. The National Weather Service issued the watch for 21 Minnesota counties, including Stearns, Benton and Sherburne counties. The watch was issued shortly after 2:30 p.m. Thursday.

A tornado watch has been issued until 8 p.m. across all of central Minnesota and into northwest Wisconsin. The watch includes 35 counties in Minnesota, including the Twin Cities metro area, and 20 counties in Wisconsin,

The National Weather Service for Green Bay Wisconsin has issued a tornado watch for the majority of Wisconsin, with southwestern parts of the state already impacted. The tornado watch is in effect until 10 p.