Update: Major flood event in southern Minnesota

Update 3pm:

Incredible rainfall totals are still pouring in from southern Minnesota this afternoon. Here are a few from Twin Cities NWS today.

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN

220 PM CDT THU SEP 23 2010

HIGHWAY 52 CLOSED FROM NEAR ZUMBROTA TO PINE ISLAND DUE

TO WATER OVER THE ROADS /RUNOFF FROM FARM FIELDS/.

NUMEROUS ROAD CLOSURES IN ZUMBROTA COUNTY INCLUDING

HIGHWAY 60 NEAR BOMBAY AND HIGHWAY 56 NEAR WEST CONCORD

DUE TO OVERFLOWING CREEKS.

0641 AM HEAVY RAIN S MAPLETON E6.00 INCH TRAINED SPOTTER

SPOTTER MEASURED 6+ INCHES OF RAINFALL. AMOUNT OVER 6

INCHES IS UNKNOWN BECAUSE HIS GAUGE HAD OVERFLOWED.

0715 AM FLASH FLOOD 1 ENE MINNESOTA LAKE FARIBAULT TRAINED SPOTTER

8.35 INCHES OF RAIN WITH PONDING AND STANDING WATER AND

LOCAL STREAMS RISING QUICKLY.

0940 AM FLOOD ST JAMES M8.75 INCH WATONWAN TRAINED SPOTTER

NUMEROUS STREETS UNDERWATER WITH SOME CLOSED. A FEW

APARTMENTS HAVE BEEN EVACUATED DUE TO WATER.

0800 AM FLASH FLOOD TRUMAN MARTIN EMERGENCY MNGR

ROADS FLOODED IN TRUMAN. FOUR TO FIVE FEET OF WATER IN

BASEMENTS. EGRESS WINDOWS BROKEN DUE TO FLOODING.

0151 PM HEAVY RAIN 17 NE OWATONNA M8.00 INCH GOODHUE TRAINED SPOTTER

0215 PM HEAVY RAIN AMBOY M10.53 INCH BLUE EARTH TRAINED SPOTTER

That's 10.5" of rain in 24 hours in Amboy south of Mankato. That's nearly a SUMMER'S worth of rain in one day.

Widespread reports of river, creek and basement flooding continue to flow in. Here's the doppler storm total rainfall loop as of mid-afternoon.

[image]

You can clearly see the swath of 6" to 10" north of I-90 in southern Minnesota. Rainfall of 3" to 4" edges right up into southern Dakota and Scott counties in the far south metro. 1" to 2" rainfall is common in the south half of the metro, with lesser amounts north.

The Twin Cities has so far dodged a major flood event by about 50-60 miles.

Here are some rainfall totals for the metro and St. Cloud:

-Twin Cities Airport 2.24"

-Target Field 2.2" (courtesy Larry DiVito Minnesota Twins)

-St. Paul 2.02"

-Eden Prairie (Flying Cloud) 1.96"

-Crystal 1.49"

-St. Cloud .56"

Southeast Minnesota is also getting hit hard wither over 5" in Rochester.

The good news is trends indicate the heaviest, steadiest rains are finally tapering off. There will be a few showers and maybe a clap of thunder this evening, but most of the rain has fallen. Still, it will take hours and days for floodwaters to recede in much of southern Minnesota.

PH

(original post 8:16am)

Persistent heavy rains are causing what can only be described as a major flood event in southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Rainfall totals of between 4" to over 9" have been reported, with flooding in progress in a swath running north of I-90. This is TWO MONTH'S worth of rain in a day. This is a potentially life threatening situation. Get the latest flood warnings here.

Incredible rainfall totals:

This is going to be a record rainfall event for many Minnesota locations. Here are some rainfall totals as of early Thursday morning. Many of these totals will increase today. We could see some rainfall totals in excess of 1 FOOT by Friday morning.

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN

723 AM CDT THU SEP 23 2010

..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...

..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....

..REMARKS..

0713 AM HEAVY RAIN AMBOY 43.89N 94.16W

09/23/2010 M9.02 INCH BLUE EARTH MN CO-OP OBSERVER

0515 AM HEAVY RAIN JORDAN 44.67N 93.63W

09/23/2010 M2.35 INCH SCOTT MN CO-OP OBSERVER

0700 AM HEAVY RAIN MONTEVIDEO 44.95N 95.72W

09/23/2010 M1.92 INCH CHIPPEWA MN CO-OP OBSERVER

0700 AM HEAVY RAIN NORTHFIELD 44.45N 93.17W

09/23/2010 M5.20 INCH RICE MN CO-OP OBSERVER

0700 AM HEAVY RAIN SPRINGFIELD 44.24N 94.98W

09/23/2010 M4.00 INCH BROWN MN CO-OP OBSERVER

0715 AM FLASH FLOOD 1 ENE MINNESOTA LAKE 43.85N 93.81W

09/23/2010 FARIBAULT MN TRAINED SPOTTER

8.35 INCHES OF RAIN WITH PONDING AND STANDING WATER AND

LOCAL STREAMS RISING QUICKLY.

0715 AM HEAVY RAIN WELCOME 43.67N 94.62W

09/23/2010 M4.90 INCH MARTIN MN TRAINED SPOTTER

Here are some additional totals:

-Waseca 8.5"

-Rochester 4.54"

[image]

Doppler storm total rainfall shows a swath of 4" to 9" rainfall north of I-90 corridor in south central MN.

Flooding is in progress and will continue today in southern Minnesota. People in areas near rivers and streams should seek higher ground. This is a dangerous situation. Do not drive into flooded waters.

-Twin Cities radar loop

-Twin Cities NEXRAD storm total rainfall loop

Severe threat increasing:

As if two month's worth of rainfall isn't enough, the threat for severe storms will increase in southern Minnesota this afternoon. As the surface low pressure system pulls north with a potent warm front, warm and unstable air will open the door for severe storms.

[image]

Keep an eye out for possible severe T-Storm warnings (and even a stray tornado warning) later today.

PH