Minnesota, 1996

Flooding in Minnesota, April 10 to 30, 1996

April 10 to 30, 1996 · NWS FGF · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

Moderate to severe flooding occurred on the Red River of the North and many of its tributaries in Minnesota. Above normal precipitation was observed over the basin for the 6 months prior to the flood.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
7

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS FGF wrote it up.

Moderate to severe flooding occurred on the Red River of the North and many of its tributaries in Minnesota. Above normal precipitation was observed over the basin for the 6 months prior to the flood. In addition, heavy snow cover, with drifts up to 12 feet, lingered into early April. This combined with a rapid snowmelt to produce a memorable spring flood, despite below average precipitation from mid-March through April. Ice jams contributed to the flooding. The flooding was, for many areas, the worst since 1979, which for some, was the most devastating on record. On April 19th at 7 pm, a 19-year-old man from Warroad, Minnesota, drowned while attempting to cross the Robin bridge over the Red River at Drayton, North Dakota. The man unfortunately did not heed a road closed sign, which clearly marked the flooding hazard. The governor of Minnesota activated the National Guard to assist with the flood. On the Roseau River, a record stage was observed. On the Red River, the most extensive damage was from Grand Forks downstream. Many roads and bridges were closed.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, West Polk

When
April 10, 1:00 PM CST to April 30, 11:00 PM CST
Where
West Polk forecast zone
Coordinates
47.774, -96.402 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Norman

When
April 10, 1:00 PM CST to April 30, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Norman forecast zone
Coordinates
47.327, -96.455 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Clay

When
April 10, 1:00 PM CST to April 30, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Clay forecast zone
Coordinates
46.892, -96.491 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Kittson

When
April 10, 1:00 PM CST to April 30, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Kittson forecast zone
Coordinates
48.777, -96.783 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Roseau

When
April 10, 1:00 PM CST to April 30, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Roseau forecast zone
Coordinates
48.775, -95.811 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, West Marshall

When
April 10, 1:00 PM CST to April 30, 11:00 PM CST
Where
West Marshall forecast zone
Coordinates
48.358, -96.368 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Wilkin

When
April 10, 1:00 PM CST to April 30, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Wilkin forecast zone
Coordinates
46.357, -96.468 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flood
Flooding that develops more slowly than a flash flood: rivers leaving their banks, or water standing over land for an extended time.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Minnesota in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, April 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5577469, 5577470, 5577471, 5577472, 5577473, 5577474, 5577475.