Hydro vortex: crop damage across southern Minnesota

The swirling mass of moisture overhead and endless torrential rainfall is starting to take a toll on crops in southern Minnesota.

As many as 30 counties in southern Minnesota and northern Iowa are now likely to see significant crop loss from standing water, hail and wind damage. That word comes from Thomas R. Hoverstad, a Scientist at the University of Minnesota Southern Research and Outreach Center in Waseca.

Here's part of Wednesday release.

The news of likely crop loss comes as no surprise given the torrential, near record rainfall over much of southern Minnesota this spring. Rainfall totals are running 4 to 8 inches above normal in the past 7 days.

That's an eye opening and filed flooding 300 percent to 600 percent of average.

Wednesday's early morning deluge only added insult to injury in southern Minnesota around New Ulm and Mankato, where several rainfall totals of 3 to 5 inches or more caused mudslides and extensive urban street flooding.

 Forecast: More rain and flood potential then a break in sight?

The active warm front stalled just south of Minnesota looks ready to erupt again overnight into Thursday morning. The main body of our latest Hydro Vortex spins through Thursday as coverage on showers and thunderstorms increases once again.

Here's a look at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's two-day precipitation outlook, which suggest another inch or two for most of southern Minnesota.

The soggy system that's plagued Minnesota all week finally shows signs of slogging east on Friday, and taking the bulk of the heavy rain along with it. The Global Forecast System and European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts models are still at odds over precise timing of rainfall -- and dry days over the next week.

But the trends suggest our June Monsoon may finally be easing off and that we may finally be moving beyond consecutive days of heavy flooding rain.

Stay tuned.