Alert archive / Minnesota / Flash Flood Warnings in 2026

Flash Flood Warning 4, NWS Twin Cities, MN

July 4, 2026Benton County, Sherburne County, Stearns County, Minnesota

NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this flash flood warning at Jul 4, 2026, 5:37 PM CDT for Benton County, Sherburne County, Stearns County, Minnesota. It was in force for 2 hr. 2 reports came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The outline as issued, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Jul 4, 2026, 5:37 PM CDT (22:37 UTC)
Expired
Jul 4, 2026, 8:00 PM CDT
In force
2 hr
Issued by
NWS Twin Cities, MN
Area
Storm-based polygon
Flood severity
None

Counties Benton County, MN, Sherburne County, MN, Stearns County, MN

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 93 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 22:38 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.

Open the radar archive at this moment

The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jul 4, 5:57 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD1 N St. Cloud, MNDispatch reports several disabled vehicles. Public works is being sent to assist with road closures.
Jul 4, 6:15 PM CDTFLASH FLOOD1 Ene St. Cloud, MNPicture on X of vans disabled at an underpass with water up to the windows, covering break lights on van.

Local storm reports filed while the alert was in force, from inside its polygon or its counties.

The nearest sounding before it

Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 10.6 hours before the alert went out and 92 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 2026-07-04Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 944 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Minneapolis, MN at 12:00Z on 2026-07-04The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 3 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
944 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-38 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
925 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
16 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
3 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
-4 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted.

444 
WGUS53 KMPX 042237
FFWMPX
MNC009-141-145-050000-
/O.NEW.KMPX.FF.W.0004.260704T2237Z-260705T0000Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
537 PM CDT Sat Jul 4 2026

The National Weather Service in the Twin Cities has issued a

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  South Central Benton County in central Minnesota...
  Northwestern Sherburne County in central Minnesota...
  Eastern Stearns County in central Minnesota...

* Until 700 PM CDT.

* At 537 PM CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing
  heavy rain across the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or
  expected to begin shortly.

  HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

  SOURCE...Radar indicated.

  IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas,
           highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor
           drainage and low-lying areas.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  St. Cloud, Sauk Rapids and Waite Park.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.

Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.

&&

LAT...LON 4560 9419 4561 9418 4560 9407 4553 9410
      4553 9416 4555 9424

FLASH FLOOD...RADAR INDICATED

$$

PV
1 follow-up statement
052 
WGUS53 KMPX 042359
FFWMPX
MNC009-141-145-050100-
/O.EXT.KMPX.FF.W.0004.000000T0000Z-260705T0100Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/

BULLETIN - EAS ACTIVATION REQUESTED
Flash Flood Warning
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
659 PM CDT Sat Jul 4 2026

The National Weather Service in the Twin Cities has extended the

* Flash Flood Warning for...
  South Central Benton County in central Minnesota...
  Northwestern Sherburne County in central Minnesota...
  Eastern Stearns County in central Minnesota...

* Until 800 PM CDT.

* At 659 PM CDT, local law enforcement reported thunderstorms
  producing heavy rain in St. Cloud. Between 2 and 4 inches of rain
  have fallen. Flooding impacts will continue, but no additional
  rainfall is expected. Flash flooding is already occurring.

  HAZARD...Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.

  SOURCE...Law enforcement reported.

  IMPACT...Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas,
           highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor
           drainage and low-lying areas.

* Some locations that will experience flash flooding include...
  St. Cloud, Sauk Rapids and Waite Park.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood
deaths occur in vehicles.

Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.

&&

LAT...LON 4560 9419 4561 9418 4560 9407 4553 9410
      4553 9416 4555 9424

FLASH FLOOD...OBSERVED

$$

CTG

The office that day

Everything else NWS Twin Cities, MN issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 3, 10:51 PM CDTFlash Flood WarningMPXRamsey, Washington103 min
Jul 4, 2:09 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXTodd51 min
Jul 4, 2:55 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXTodd35 min
Jul 4, 3:07 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXTodd38 min
Jul 4, 3:31 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXTodd29 min
Jul 4, 3:37 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXStearns, Todd38 min
Jul 4, 3:47 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXTodd43 min
Jul 4, 3:55 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXStearns35 min
Jul 4, 4:11 PM CDTTornado WarningMPXStearns34 min
Jul 4, 4:25 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXKandiyohi, Stearns50 min
Jul 4, 4:35 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXStearns40 min
Jul 4, 4:36 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXKanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison54 min
Jul 4, 4:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXRenville27 min
Jul 4, 5:02 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXBenton, Sherburne, Stearns43 min
Jul 4, 5:10 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXKanabec65 min
Jul 4, 5:14 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXKandiyohi, Meeker, Stearns46 min
Jul 4, 5:20 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXKandiyohi40 min
Jul 4, 5:22 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXKanabec, Mille Lacs41 min
Jul 4, 5:42 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXKanabec33 min
Jul 4, 5:57 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXKandiyohi, Meeker48 min
Jul 4, 6:02 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXWright43 min
Jul 4, 6:23 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXWright52 min
Jul 4, 6:30 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXLac qui Parle60 min
Jul 4, 6:39 PM CDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningMPXLac qui Parle23 min
Jul 4, 6:55 PM CDTSpecial Weather StatementMPXHennepin50 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Minnesota, 2026Every flash flood warning in 2026

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; local storm reports from the same archive; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.