I am disturbed but not surprised to note that the racist remarks (North is something of an African American neighborhood though it is not as color-monolithic as those who fled the area a generation ago tell their children to this day) on the local news sites started before the tornado warnings were lifted by the weather service. Remarks about karma and secion eight housing. Truly, though, the majority of homes destroyed were probably owner occupied. Nonetheless, prepare, Minneapolis, for a Katrina like political circus. Good thing our mayor has his head screwed on right.

We went down in the basement for a while, but got an all clear and came up to survey the no damage. Feeling lucky about it.

North Memorial Hospital reports 18 injuries in their ER, generally minor.

There was a air show at a local airport, but they got the planes in the hanger just before the storm hit so damage there is minimal. The city will have a news convernce in a few minutes (ca 530PM local).

The twister was probably an F2. It came down from very very low hanging clouds, and was about a half mile wide. It ran from Theodore Wirth Park or points west/soutwest of there, crossed Emerson at about 36th street, then the river (turning left, north, at the 94 according to one source, for a while), and then on to Fridley, then Mounds View. I find it hard to believe that the airport could have been hit by the same twister … that may have been a second one.

People in the area are being asked to stay away to avoid traffic jams. Rescue workers are walking as much as 7 blocks through debris. There is no power in the area, with hundreds off segments of power lines donw.

Residents are being told to go to the police station, where someone will give you a ride to a shelter if you need that.