Tornado Scores a Hit: St. Michael Family Homeless as Storm Tears off Roof

A St. Michael family was staying with friends Tuesday night, forced out of their home after a severe storm tore the roof off of their home in the Royal Meadows neighborhood, southwest of Gutzwiller Park. 

The home at 9540 42nd Street NE, which is owned by Dan and Teresea Steinbach, was hit hard. The garage roof was completely torn off, and the roof behind it severely damaged. Witnesses said a funnel cloud formed right above the neighborhood, and before anyone knew it, debris was flying. 

Jerry Zachman, who had just presided over the St. Michael City Council meeting hours earlier, was on the scene Tuesday night to assist in tarping over the roof and hanging the damaged garage door to prevent any further structural damage. His contracting company - J.Zac - specializes in storm repair. 

"He (Dan) told me he was across the street with a neighbor just sort of watching the clouds roll in, when all of the sudden it hit. They were like 'Look at that!' And he bee-lined for the basement. He heard the roof go," Zachman said. 

The roof, trusses and all, was mainly intact, but partially submerged in a pond behind the home. 

"They'll fish it out after the insurance adjuster can see it," Zachman said. 

Trained spotters eyed a pair of tornadoes near Eull's Manufacturing in St. Michael, and ping-pong ball sized hail fell on Albertville, as the storm swept through the area around 8 p.m. Tuesday night. 

A tornado has not been confirmed by the National Weather Service or Wright County, but both will have a team investigate the damage to the Steinbach home. 

Zachman didn't need to hear the result.

"Pressure takes the door in and then just comes up. Not much you can do," he said. 

Cold air aloft provided the perfect mixture for hail, which fell twice. Marble-sized hail fell around 7:30 p.m. in St. Michael, interrupting (briefly) the city council meeting there. Then, as that meeting ended the sirens sounded, right on a Wright County Deputy's cue. 

"Meeting adjourned," said Mayor Zachman, just as the sirens began to wail.

"I'm not sure where to go," said Nadine Schoen, a council member. She was talking to her husband, who said he was watching two funnels form over the city. 

The funnels made their way south of St. Michael, and a wall cloud hung over the central intersection of town (Wright County 19 and Highway 241) as the storm crept its way through.