A variety of storms were expected to hit the Northland this afternoon.
A thunderstorm with winds in excess of 50 mph is expected to pass nine miles southeast of Duluth and out into Lake Superior.
A special marine warning has been issued on the open waters of Lake Superior. Thunderstorms can produce waterspouts, according to the National Weather Service.
A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for Two Harbors, in effect until 3:45 p.m.
The Twin Ports area remains under a tornado watch until 10 p.m. today. Much of northeastern Minnesota remains under a similar watch until 6 p.m.
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Earlier, a tornado warning was issued for northwest Price and southeastern Sawyer counties in northern Wisconsin.
The watches and warnings are part of a powerful storm system will move into the region today and tonight, bringing a cold front from west to east across the area and sparking severe storms. Severe storms began popping up across the region by early afternooon.
A tornado watch has been issued for much of Minnesota and western Wisconsin, including all of the Northland except Lake and Cook counties. A watch means conditions are ripe for tornadoes to develop in strong thunderstorms. The watch lasts until 10 p.m.
The strength of this system, combined with a flow of warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico, will result in a high likelihood of severe thunderstorms today and tonight, the National Weather Service in Duluth reported early today.
The best chance of storms will be this afternoon and evening across Northeastern Minnesota and Northwestern Wisconsin.
Forecasters at the Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Okla., say there is a good chance some of these storms will produce strong tornados, large hail and damaging winds. Heavy rain has been reported in northwestern Minnesota today, where small stream flood warnings have been issued.
The stern advance warning, repeated over the past several days, is unusual for summer storms in the Northland.
"It's a very strong system with a lot of ingredients, but especially strong wind shear, that could really trigger severe storms,'' said Declan Cannon, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Duluth. "We don't have the heat usually associated with powerful storms. But a lot of the other ingredients are there.''
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Severe storms were expected to develop quickly across the region and strike with little warning, the Weather Service has noted.
