Inside The Twins

Could a derecho disrupt the Twins-Red Sox series opener?

Monday could be a day of extreme weather in Minnesota, and the Twins-Red Sox game could be impacted if the timing and storm track come together over Minneapolis.
May 19, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; A general view of Target Field during a rain delay in the second inning in game between the Cleveland Guardians and Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
May 19, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; A general view of Target Field during a rain delay in the second inning in game between the Cleveland Guardians and Minnesota Twins at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images | Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

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The Minnesota Twins welcome the Boston Red Sox to Target Field on Monday evening, and there could be a weather version of the Green Monster impacting the game.

According to NOAA's Storm Prediction Center (SPC), a complex of storms known as a derecho is "likely" to race across southern Minnesota on Monday night. Where it tracks and when is to be determined, but Minneapolis is in the risk zone for severe storms.

Parts of Minnesota are in a moderate risk for severe storms, which is level 4 of 5 on the National Weather Service severe sca
Parts of Minnesota are in a moderate risk for severe storms, which is level 4 of 5 on the National Weather Service severe scale. The Twin Cities is in a level 3 of 5 enhanced risk. | NOAA

A derecho is a weather event in which a line of storms produces wind damage for at least 240 miles, and it can often produce hurricane-force winds. You can read Minnesota-based Bring Me The News' explainer about the derecho threat right here.

The expectation Monday is that storms will develop in the Dakotas and blast into Minnesota — likely producing damaging winds somewhere between Interstate 94 and Interstate 90. I-94 tracks through the heart of the Twin Cities, so it's possible that storms impact the Twins game. According to the SPC, there could be swaths of damaging winds, possibly 75-90 mph.

There is a zone across South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa where the risk of damaging winds is 30-45%.
There is a zone across South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa where the risk of damaging winds is 30-45%. | NOAA

First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. CT. The storms could miss the Twin Cities or arrive after the game concludes, but that's not certain and there is chance that storms arrive in Minneapolis during the game.

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Joe Nelson
JOE NELSON

Joe Nelson has more than 20 years of experience in Minnesota sports journalism. Nelson began his career in sports radio, working at smaller stations in Marshall and St. Cloud before moving to the highly-rated KFAN-FM 100.3 in the Twin Cities. While there, he produced the popular mid-morning show hosted by Minnesota Vikings play-by-play announcer Paul Allen. His time in radio laid the groundwork for his transition to sports writing in 2011. He covers the Vikings, Timberwolves, Gophers and Twins for On SI.

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