Alert archive / Minnesota / Flood Watches in 2026
Flood Watch 4, NWS Twin Cities, MN
NWS Twin Cities, MN issued this flood watch at Sep 6, 2026, 10:26 AM CDT for Martin County, Watonwan County, Minnesota. It took effect at Sep 6, 2026, 11:00 AM CDT. It was in force for 8 hr.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- Sep 6, 2026, 10:26 AM CDT (15:26 UTC)
- In effect from
- Sep 6, 2026, 11:00 AM CDT
- Expired
- Sep 6, 2026, 6:44 PM CDT
- In force
- 8 hr
- Issued by
- NWS Twin Cities, MN
- Flood severity
- None
Counties Martin County, MN, Watonwan County, MN
The radar
The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 140 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 15:28 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.
The nearest sounding before it
Minneapolis, MN (KMPX), launched 12:00Z, 3.4 hours before the alert went out and 138 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.
- Mixed-layer CAPE
- 257 J/kg
- Mixed-layer CIN
- -330 J/kg
- Mixed-layer LCL
- 1056 m above ground
- 0-6 km bulk shear
- 23 kt
- 0-1 km storm-relative helicity
- 24 m²/s²
- 0-3 km storm-relative helicity
- 55 m²/s²
- Significant tornado parameter
- 0.0
- Supercell composite
- 0.0
The text
As transmitted.
192
WGUS63 KMPX 061526
FFAMPX
URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
Flood Watch
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
1026 AM CDT Sun Sep 6 2026
.Slow moving thunderstorms are possible throughout the day today.
These storms could produce high rainfall rates, which could lead to
flash flooding. A flash flood watch means "be prepared", and make
sure you are able to receive any warnings if they are issued.
MNZ082-091-070300-
/O.NEW.KMPX.FA.A.0004.260906T1600Z-260907T0300Z/
/00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/
Watonwan-Martin-
Including the cities of St James and Fairmont
1026 AM CDT Sun Sep 6 2026
...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT THIS EVENING...
* WHAT...Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible.
* WHERE...A portion of south central Minnesota, including the
following counties, Martin and Watonwan.
* WHEN...Until 10 PM CDT this evening.
* IMPACTS...Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
- The potential for slow moving thunderstorms to produce heavy rain
across parts of the area.
- http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action
should Flash Flood Warnings be issued.
&&
$$
JRB1 follow-up statement
649 WGUS63 KMPX 062344 FFAMPX Flood Watch National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 644 PM CDT Sun Sep 6 2026 MNZ082-091-070045- /O.CAN.KMPX.FA.A.0004.000000T0000Z-260907T0300Z/ /00000.0.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.OO/ Watonwan-Martin- Including the cities of St James and Fairmont 644 PM CDT Sun Sep 6 2026 ...FLOOD WATCH IS CANCELLED... The Flood Watch is cancelled for a portion of south central Minnesota, including the following areas, Martin and Watonwan. Flash Flooding is no longer expected to pose a threat. Please continue to heed remaining road closures. $$ MPG
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this flood watch went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Twin Cities, MN wrote its last area forecast discussion before this flood watch went out at Sep 6, 6:24 AM CDT, 4 hours 2 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- Higher confidence in scattered storm development across western MN this afternoon, likely dissipating before reaching Twin Cities and eastern MN.
- More widespread rainfall possible Monday night into Tuesday, though areas across northern MN are favored for heaviest amounts.
- Seasonable airmass arrives for the rest of the week after Tuesday with only small chances for rain.
Area forecast discussion, Sep 6, 6:24 AM CDT, 4 hours 2 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 624 AM CDT Sun Sep 6 2026 .KEY MESSAGES... - Higher confidence in scattered storm development across western MN this afternoon, likely dissipating before reaching Twin Cities and eastern MN. - More widespread rainfall possible Monday night into Tuesday, though areas across northern MN are favored for heaviest amounts. - Seasonable airmass arrives for the rest of the week after Tuesday with only small chances for rain. && .DISCUSSION... Issued at 247 AM CDT Sun Sep 6 2026 TODAY THROUGH TUESDAY...Ridging remains in place across the central plains this morning, with a corridor of greater surface moisture stretching from the Gulf Coast up through the Dakotas. The Marginal Risk from the Day 1 SWO does look a little goofy, though it does match up with this region of greater moisture and instability. Zooming into our area, the greatest chance for storm development today will be across western MN. Timing and coverage are still pretty low confidence though. The remnants/energy from the storms ongoing across western Nebraska this morning are the most likely trigger for storms this afternoon in Minnesota and Iowa. You see this idea with the latest runs of the HRRR and RRFS, where storms bubble along the axis of higher instability. There are reasonable scenarios where storms are relatively limited in coverage, but have a greater chance of producing marginally severe wind or hail... or you get widely scattered storms that are mostly garden variety with a few becoming more organized at points. Regardless of how widespread in coverage the storms become, the drop-off in MUCAPE values to the east will struggle to support any storms from advancing much farther than the line from St Cloud to Mankato. After storms dissipate some time Sunday evening, it will be a relatively quiet end to the long weekend until our final wave of this pattern moves through overnight Monday into Tuesday. A potent shortwave trough will break us out of this hot and stormy pattern, bringing one last push for rain. The trough itself will not be orientated as favorably for a high end severe threat, though the SPC does have a Marginal Risk for Days 2-3 covering the Monday night to Tuesday morning window. The greatest rainfall amounts are still favored along the international border closer to the surface low, though we will certainly take any moisture we can squeeze out from the cold front that sweeps across the southern half of the state and into western WI. The majority of the morning actively should be mostly wrapped up by noon, leaving us in a cooler and drier airmass heading into the rest of the week. WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY...Seasonable temperatures and mostly dry conditions look to be the main story for the second half of the week. Northwest flow aloft may support a weak wave from sparking small rain chances any day, though there is no real strong signal from any long range ensemble guidance. As we get to the end of the weekend and into next week, there are some signs pointing towards a negative PNA phase which could support an even bigger push into fall-like weather for the central US. Heck, there are trees near the office already starting to drop their leaves, though it is more out of moisture preservation at this point... && .AVIATION /12Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z MONDAY/... Issued at 606 AM CDT Sun Sep 6 2026 Very few issues this TAF duration with mainly high ceilings. MVFR ceilings starting out at AXN with IFR ceilings at RWF, both of which will dissipate by late morning, with VFR conditions continuing for all sites through Monday morning. A few showers are possible in western MN later this morning into early afternoon, thus the PROB30 at AXN, but chances are too low elsewhere so have kept other TAF sites dry. Winds will run SE throughout this duration with speeds around 10kts, with fairly frequent gusts to near 20kt in western MN from late morning onward. KMSP...No precipitation is expected at MSP at this point, as the precip ongoing in western-northern MN looks to run into more stable air and dissipate, along with there being high uncertainty with the CAMs. /OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/ TUE...SHRA/MVFR likely with chc TSRA in mrng. Clearing late. Wind S 10-15kts bcmg W. WED...VFR. Wind WNW 15G25kts. THU...VFR. Wind W 5-10kts. && .MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... MN...None. WI...None. && DISCUSSION...BED AVIATION...JPC
Hazardous weather outlook, Sep 6, 4:24 AM CDT, 6 hours 2 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 424 AM CDT Sun Sep 6 2026 MNZ041>045-047>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ014>016-023>028- 070930- Douglas-Todd-Morrison-Mille Lacs-Kanabec-Stevens-Pope-Stearns- Benton-Sherburne-Isanti-Chisago-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-Chippewa- Kandiyohi-Meeker-Wright-Hennepin-Anoka-Ramsey-Washington- Yellow Medicine-Renville-McLeod-Sibley-Carver-Scott-Dakota- Redwood-Brown-Nicollet-Le Sueur-Rice-Goodhue-Watonwan-Blue Earth- Waseca-Steele-Martin-Faribault-Freeborn-Polk-Barron-Rusk- St. Croix-Pierce-Dunn-Pepin-Eau Claire- 424 AM CDT Sun Sep 6 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central and southern Minnesota, and west central Wisconsin. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight. Isolated thunderstorms are possible in far western Minnesota late this morning through the afternoon. A few storms may be strong to severe, potentially producing large hail or damaging winds. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Monday through Saturday. Scattered thunderstorms are possible Monday evening into Tuesday morning. Some storms may be strong to severe, potentially producing large hail or damaging winds. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN spotter activation may be needed later today and again Monday evening into Tuesday morning.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Sep 6, 8:31 AM CDT, 1 hour 55 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
831 AM CDT Sun Sep 6 2026
MNZ074-061415-
Brown MN-
831 AM CDT Sun Sep 6 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT SOUTHWESTERN BROWN COUNTY UNTIL
915 AM CDT...
At 831 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over
Springfield, or 22 miles south of Redwood Falls, moving north at 5
mph.
HAZARD...Pea size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Heavy rainfall is occurring with this nearly stationary
storm.
Locations impacted include...
Springfield.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Monitor the weather situation closely and be alert for threatening
weather conditions.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 4416 9487 4415 9510 4420 9510 4420 9511
4428 9511 4428 9487
TIME...MOT...LOC 1331Z 195DEG 3KT 4422 9503
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.25 IN
MAX WIND GUST...<30 MPH
DyeSpecial weather statement, Sep 6, 8:34 AM CDT, 1 hour 52 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
834 AM CDT Sun Sep 6 2026
MNZ082-091-061415-
Watonwan MN-Martin MN-
834 AM CDT Sun Sep 6 2026
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL IMPACT NORTHWESTERN MARTIN AND
SOUTHWESTERN WATONWAN COUNTIES UNTIL 915 AM CDT...
At 834 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm near
Butterfield, or 26 miles northwest of Fairmont, moving north at 5
mph.
HAZARD...Half inch size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible. Heavy rainfall
is occurring with this nearly stationary storm. Minor
flooding is possible.
Locations impacted include...
Ormsby, Odin, Echols and Butterfield.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Monitor the weather situation closely and be alert for threatening
weather conditions.
Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm and may lead to
flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.
&&
LAT...LON 4399 9486 4399 9464 4379 9463 4379 9485
4385 9485 4385 9486
TIME...MOT...LOC 1333Z 188DEG 3KT 4390 9482
MAX HAIL SIZE...0.50 IN
MAX WIND GUST...<30 MPH
DyeSpecial weather statement, Sep 6, 9:27 AM CDT, 59 minutes before
Special Weather Statement
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
927 AM CDT Sun Sep 6 2026
MNZ073-061500-
Redwood MN-
927 AM CDT Sun Sep 6 2026
...THUNDERSTORMS WITH HEAVY RAIN WILL IMPACT NORTHEASTERN REDWOOD
COUNTY UNTIL 10 AM CDT...
At 927 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking heavy rain and minor
flooding near Morgan, or 9 miles southeast of Redwood Falls, moving
north at 15 mph.
Locations impacted include...
Redwood Falls, Morgan, Morton, Clements, Redwood Falls Airport and
North Redwood.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Monitor the weather situation closely and never drive through flood
waters.
&&
LAT...LON 4434 9487 4436 9513 4461 9515 4458 9509
4457 9510 4457 9507 4455 9502 4455 9501
4454 9502 4455 9499 4454 9498 4454 9497
4453 9497 4453 9494 4452 9494 4452 9488
4451 9488 4450 9487
TIME...MOT...LOC 1426Z 191DEG 12KT 4443 9500
JRBThe office that day
Everything else NWS Twin Cities, MN issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 6, 8:31 AM CDT | Special Weather Statement | MPX | Brown | 44 min |
| Sep 6, 8:34 AM CDT | Special Weather Statement | MPX | Watonwan | 41 min |
| Sep 6, 9:27 AM CDT | Special Weather Statement | MPX | Redwood | 33 min |
| Sep 6, 1:12 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | MPX | Blue Earth | 33 min |
| Sep 6, 1:28 PM CDT | Flash Flood Warning | MPX | Faribault | 3 hr |
| Sep 6, 1:37 PM CDT | Special Weather Statement | MPX | Stearns | 23 min |
Nearby
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.