Those overnight storms: Possible 8 inches of rain at Breezy Point

June 21, 2013 3:25 AM

treedown3 — The scene at Macalester Street and Niles Avenue in St. Paul on Friday morning, June 21, 2013, after a powerful wave of storms swept across Minnesota and the Twin Cities. (MPR Photo/Tim Nelson)

MPR reporter Tim Nelson reports that storms swept across Minnesota and into western Wisconsin early this morning, leaving tens of thousands of people without power and streets blocked by downed trees.

A trained spotter at Breezy Point reported nearly 8 inches of rain in the last 24 hours.

Winds over 80 mph started blowing across parts of Minnesota shortly before 2 a.m.

The storms moved southwest from the Fargo area dropping nearly 5 inches of rain near Long Prairie, and 3.7 inches in Little Falls, according to the National Weather Service.

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storm6 — Julie Johnson sent in this photo from her home and office halfway between Sauk Rapids and Rice on Highway 10, on Friday, June 21, 2013, after powerful overnight storms swept through the region, knocking a tree down onto a building on her property.

One-inch hail was reported in the Detroit Lakes area.

Lightning from the storm sparked house fires across the area, and downed trees along Victory Memorial Parkway in Minneapolis. Flash flooding was reported in Morris, Starbuck and Glenwood.

storm7 — Another photo from Julie Johnson from her home and office halfway between Sauk Rapids and Rice. showing greenhouse damage from the storm.

You can read Tim Nelson's full report here.

And climatologist Mark Seely spoke with Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer about the data behind last night's storms here.

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