Heavy rainfall batters western and central Minnesota
Minnesota is under increased weather stress as repeated rounds of rain continue to soak large parts of the state. The National Weather Service has confirmed that significant precipitation fell between Thursday afternoon and Friday morning, particularly across central and western counties.
In St. Cloud, 1.10 inches of rain (about 28 mm) were recorded at the St. Cloud Regional Airport, but that’s modest compared to the inundation seen elsewhere.
Here are the most affected areas as of Friday morning:
- Raymond: 6.86 inches (174 mm)
- Willmar: 4.21 inches (107 mm)
- Appleton: 3.58 inches (91 mm)
- Annandale: 3.55 inches (90 mm)
- Glencoe: 3.36 inches (85 mm)
- Montevideo: 3.30 inches (84 mm)
- Spicer: 3.09 inches (78 mm)
Flood warning in effect for Big Stone County
A Flood Warning remains active for Big Stone County in far west-central Minnesota until 9:15 a.m. on Saturday. The Big Stone County Sheriff’s Office has issued a strong public advisory due to extensive road flooding and structural water damage.
Residents are urged to exercise extreme caution when traveling, as many roadways remain underwater, and some may have suffered erosion or collapse from intense water flows. Some streets and highways could be impassable for several days.
Rising water levels along Big Stone Lake
Property owners along the shores of Big Stone Lake are being asked to carefully monitor water levels. Local authorities advise residents to raise docks, secure watercraft, and be alert to rapid changes in lake elevation over the weekend.
More rain expected into next week
The region is not in the clear yet. Additional rain showers and possible thunderstorms are forecast to continue into the middle of next week, which could worsen flooding conditions in vulnerable areas, particularly where the soil is already saturated and drainage systems are under strain.
Stay tuned for further updates and keep monitoring conditions if you’re located in or near central and western Minnesota.
