16 confirmed tornadoes in Minnesota during December storm
Workers and volunteers pile debris after a tornado ripped through Hartland, Minn. on December 15. (FOX 9)
(FOX 9) - Survey crews have now confirmed 16 tornadoes touched down in southern Minnesota during storms last week.
The National Weather Service in La Crosse confirmed one more EF1 tornado in Fillmore County, bringing the total in the state to 16 on Wednesday, Dec. 15.
In an update on Monday, the La Crosse NWS office confirmed three more tornadoes in Minnesota and the Twin Cities branch added three more to their totals.
Before Dec. 15, Minnesota had never seen a tornado hit the state in December.
While the damage was experienced across southern and particularly southeast Minnesota from the storms and tornadoes, some of the worst damage FOX 9 saw was in Hartland, Minnesota where a EF2 tornado damaged homes and buildings.
Man killed by falling tree near Rochester
By all accounts, Keith Dickman was larger than life. Whether he was hunting or fishing, he loved spending time in the great outdoors, relaxing with his friends.
"The best way to describe him was maybe a gentle giant. He was a big guy," said friend Ron Moffit. "Just a fantastic guy. Really quiet. Just awesome."
The Olmsted County Sheriff's Office says the 65-year-old man died after a tree fell on him while he attended a gathering at a home on the east side of Rochester when storms rolled through Wednesday night.
Record high December temperature
The tornadoes came on the same day the Twin Cities broke a record high temperature for December, hitting 52 at MSP Airport at 2 p.m. and continuing to climb into the late afternoon and evening. That breaks the record of 51 set in 2014. Snowpack at the airport dropped from 8 inches to just a trace over the course of the day.