Storm Center: Live Weather Alerts for Steele County and Southern Minnesota
Watches, warnings, and what to do after.
Live watches, warnings, and advisories from the National Weather Service for Steele County and the counties around it, refreshed from weather.gov while you are on this page. Below the alerts: what to do in the first 48 hours after hail, wind, or water, the roofer rules that keep a claim clean, and the direct path into the claims process with a licensed agent at our Owatonna office. General information only — your policy and your adjuster decide a claim, not a web page.
Active alerts right now.
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Source: NWS Twin Cities via api.weather.gov. Alerts refresh every few minutes while this page is open. For life-safety decisions use NOAA Weather Radio, local broadcasts, and official county alerts — this page is informational.
After hail, wind, or water: in order.
Document before cleanup
Wide shots, then close-ups. Dents on soft metals (gutters, vents, AC fins) show hail size better than shingles do. Date-stamped photos settle arguments later.
Prevent further damage, and keep every receipt
Policies generally expect reasonable steps to protect the property after a loss — a tarp, a board over a window, a plumber for a burst line. Emergency costs are usually part of the claim.
Decide whether it is a claim
A deductible, especially a percentage wind-and-hail deductible, can be larger than the repair. A licensed agent can walk through the math with you before a claim is opened. When to file, and when not to.
Report it to the carrier
Through our office or the carrier's 24-hour line — both are on the claims page. You get a claim number and an adjuster assignment.
Meet the adjuster, with your photos
Be there for the inspection. Point out what you documented. Ask for the estimate in writing and what depreciation is being held back.
Then, and only then, pick a contractor
Local, licensed, insured, with a certificate of insurance you can verify. Never sign an assignment of benefits or a contract contingent on the claim before you have the adjuster's estimate.
Collect recoverable depreciation
Most roof claims pay in two parts. The second check arrives after the work is done and invoiced. Keep the paperwork.
Five things to know before the door-knockers arrive.
- Storm chasers follow hail reports. A truck with out-of-state plates the day after a storm is a reason to slow down, not speed up.
- "Free inspection" is not free if it comes with a contract. Read what you sign; a contingency agreement can lock you to that contractor before you know what the claim pays.
- Minnesota law limits a contractor's role in your claim. They can repair; they are not your public adjuster. If a contractor offers to "cover your deductible," that is insurance fraud, and it can void the claim.
- Ask for a certificate of insurance and verify it. Workers' compensation and liability, current, from a carrier you can call. Our roofer insurance page explains what a legitimate roofing company carries.
- Local references, written scope, matching the adjuster's estimate. If the contractor's price is far above the estimate, the difference is usually yours.
Storm and water claims, explained.
Storms and claims, answered plainly.
Does home insurance cover hail damage in Minnesota?
Hail and wind are generally covered perils on a standard homeowners policy, subject to the deductible — which in Minnesota is often a separate wind-and-hail deductible, sometimes a percentage of the dwelling limit. Whether a specific roof is paid at replacement cost or actual cash value depends on the policy form and the roof schedule. A licensed agent reads that on your declarations page.
Should I file a claim for every storm?
No. If the repair is close to the deductible, a claim may cost more over time than it pays. Talk to a licensed agent before opening one; the conversation is not a claim.
How long do I have to report storm damage?
Policies require prompt notice and set outer time limits for filing. Report as soon as you know there is damage, and document it immediately even if you are undecided about filing.
Where do these alerts come from?
Directly from the National Weather Service through api.weather.gov, filtered to the counties you select. No personal information is sent; the page only asks weather.gov for current alerts.