Minnesota, 1997

Flooding in Minnesota, March 26 to 31, 1997

March 26 to 31, 1997 · NWS MPX · 17 events in 17 counties and zones

Above normal temperatures during the last week of March began melting a deep snowcover across much of west central into central Minnesota. Snow depth rank was in the 80 to 90th percentile over much of the area measured on 3/20/97.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 17 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
17

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.

Above normal temperatures during the last week of March began melting a deep snowcover across much of west central into central Minnesota. Snow depth rank was in the 80 to 90th percentile over much of the area measured on 3/20/97. The snowcover had a high moisture content. In addition, a Spring storm deposited a mixture of rain and fresh snow over the area on 3/24/97, immediately preceeding the warm temperatures. The flooding resulted in severe losses to both public and private property. Damage was extensive to roads, bridges, culverts, agricultural drainage areas, homes and businesses. More details will be in the April report.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

17 flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flood, Douglas

When
March 26, 3:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Douglas forecast zone
Coordinates
45.934, -95.453 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Benton

When
March 26, 3:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Benton forecast zone
Coordinates
45.699, -93.999 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Chippewa

When
March 26, 3:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Chippewa forecast zone
Coordinates
45.022, -95.567 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Kanabec

When
March 26, 3:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Kanabec forecast zone
Coordinates
45.945, -93.293 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Kandiyohi

When
March 26, 3:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Kandiyohi forecast zone
Coordinates
45.152, -95.005 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Lac Qui Parle

When
March 26, 3:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Lac Qui Parle forecast zone
Coordinates
44.996, -96.173 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, McLeod

When
March 26, 3:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
McLeod forecast zone
Coordinates
44.824, -94.272 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Meeker

When
March 26, 3:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Meeker forecast zone
Coordinates
45.123, -94.527 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Mille Lacs

When
March 26, 3:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Mille Lacs forecast zone
Coordinates
45.938, -93.630 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Morrison

When
March 26, 3:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Morrison forecast zone
Coordinates
46.013, -94.268 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Pope

When
March 26, 3:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Pope forecast zone
Coordinates
45.586, -95.444 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Renville

When
March 26, 3:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Renville forecast zone
Coordinates
44.727, -94.947 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Sibley

When
March 26, 3:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Sibley forecast zone
Coordinates
44.580, -94.232 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Stevens

When
March 26, 3:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Stevens forecast zone
Coordinates
45.586, -96.000 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Swift

When
March 26, 3:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Swift forecast zone
Coordinates
45.283, -95.681 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Todd

When
March 26, 3:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Todd forecast zone
Coordinates
46.071, -94.898 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Flood, Yellow Medicine

When
March 26, 3:00 PM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
Where
Yellow Medicine forecast zone
Coordinates
44.716, -95.868 (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 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, March 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: 5602529, 5602530, 5602531, 5602532, 5602533, 5602534, 5602535, 5602536, 5602537, 5602538, 5602539, 5602540, 5602541, 5602542, 5602543, 5602544, 5602545.