Minnesota, 1997

Flash Flood in Minnesota, July 22, 1997

July 22, 1997 · NWS MPX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

25 inches that began after midnight caused Mill Creek to exceed its banks. A culvert plugged by debris enhanced the flooding causing water and mud to inundate parts of Main street in Henderson.

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.

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
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 MPX wrote it up.

Excessive rainfall of 4.25 inches that began after midnight caused Mill Creek to exceed its banks. A culvert plugged by debris enhanced the flooding causing water and mud to inundate parts of Main street in Henderson. A hardware store was flooded. A bridge was also washed out over Mill Creek. Basements flooded in Henderson township.

The radar

The Minneapolis radar (KMPX), 61 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 12:01 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Sibley

When
July 22, 6:00 AM CST to 10:00 AM CST
Where
Sibley County, Henderson
Coordinates
44.580, -94.232 (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 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, July 1997

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5615260.