Minnesota, 1996

Flash Flood in Minnesota, July 6, 1996

July 6, 1996 · NWS DLH · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Heavy thunderstorm rains caused the closure of several highways in the Duluth area, including State Highway 61, 11 miles northeast of Duluth, which was covered with 8 inches of water. The Northshore Scenic Railroad tracks just northeast of Duluth were washed out.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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
$300,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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 DLH wrote it up.

Heavy thunderstorm rains caused the closure of several highways in the Duluth area, including State Highway 61, 11 miles northeast of Duluth, which was covered with 8 inches of water. The Northshore Scenic Railroad tracks just northeast of Duluth were washed out. Other city streets, county roads, and rural driveways suffered washouts, and the city of Duluth experienced sewer overflows. A total of 2.33 inches of rain fell at Duluth International Airport, setting a new record for the date.

The radar

The Duluth radar (KDLH), 86 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 17:01 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, St. Louis

When
July 6, 11:00 AM CST to 5:00 PM CST
Where
St. Louis County, Duluth
Property damage
$300,000
Coordinates
47.590, -92.461 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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, July 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: 5583552.