Flood, Traverse
- When
- March 27, 12:00 AM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
- Where
- Traverse forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 45.772, -96.472 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Flooding in Minnesota, March 27 to 31, 1997
As temperatures began to warm up towards the end of March, the near record to record snowpack across Big Stone and Traverse counties began to melt and runoff, filling up ditches, lakes, creeks, streams, and low-lying areas. The extensive amount of water, inundated many county and township roads as well as some highways.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 2 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 2
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 ABR wrote it up.
As temperatures began to warm up towards the end of March, the near record to record snowpack across Big Stone and Traverse counties began to melt and runoff, filling up ditches, lakes, creeks, streams, and low-lying areas. The extensive amount of water, inundated many county and township roads as well as some highways. Many sections on the roads were broken up or washed out. Some culverts were damaged or blown out and some bridges were damaged or washed out by ice chunks and highwater flows. Thus, road closures occurred with rerouting taking place for school buses, mail carriers, farmers, ranchers, etc.. Many acres of farmland and pastureland were underwater. Due to the high groundwater level, some homes received water in their basements. Also, some farms were surrounded by water and were inaccessible, leaving some people and livestock stranded. The flooding continued into April.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
2 flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Flood, Big Stone
- When
- March 27, 12:00 AM CST to March 31, 11:59 PM CST
- Where
- Big Stone forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 45.426, -96.411 (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
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Oklahoma, March 27, 1997
- Damaging Wind in Oklahoma, March 27, 1997
- Flood in Montana, March 27, 1997
- High Wind in Wyoming, March 27, 1997
- High Wind in Nebraska, March 27, 1997
- High Wind in Colorado, March 27, 1997
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Kansas, March 27, 1997
- Flooding in South Dakota, March 27 to 31, 1997
- Flood in Minnesota, March 27 to 31, 1997
- Flood in Minnesota, March 27 to 30, 1997
- Flood in South Dakota, March 27 to 29, 1997
- High Wind in Montana, March 27, 1997
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: 5591834, 5591835.