Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Minnesota, September 12 to 13, 2005

A total of 2.5 inches of rain was recorded in 45 minutes 4 miles west of Lakeside. Field flooding was reported south of Bird Island along Highway 5.

Golf ball to baseball sized hail fell in and just east of Boyd.

A trained spotter reported a funnel cloud with the storm that produced baseball sized hail just east of Boyd. This storm was the same one that dropped a tornado 8 miles northwest of Granite Falls less than one half hour later.

Ping pong sized hail fell along County Road 15.

Ping pong sized hail fell in section 33 of Stony Run Township.

Quarter sized hail was photographed by the public.

Several inches of rain caused flooding at the Chippewa County jail.

A tornado touched down a mile west of the Minnesota River (about 2 miles west of Wegdahl) in Yellow Medicine County then crossed the river into Chippewa County. Trees along the river bluff were blown onto Highway 212.

A tornado that touched down in Yellow Medicine County crossed the Minnesota River just north of Wegdahl then lifted just northeast of town. Tree tops just east of the river were sheared off in the vicinity of Wegdahl.

Quarter sized hail was reported 1 mile north of Lamson.

Houses and vehicles were damaged by tennis ball to baseball sized hail.

Golf ball sized hail fell on the west side of town.

Trees and power lines were downed onto 2nd and 3rd streets.

Dime to nickel sized hail was reported.

A shed was blown apart and a tree was downed onto 44th Street in Franklin Township outside of Delano.

A few trees were downed north of Highway 12 and East of Highway 14 on the south end of Cook's Lake.

Dime sized hail was reported on the west side of Lake Jennie.

Thirty foot trees were blown down in scattered locations across town and a garage door was blown in. Signs were blown down near Buffalo High School. A tree was downed onto County Road 134 in Buffalo Township.

A shed was blown down. Wind blown debris tore a gas meter off a house.

Trees and power lines were downed.

A tree was downed onto McAllister Avenue.

Two trees were downed in Pipenburg Park.

Local law enforcement officials reported flooded roadways in Redwood Falls. A total of 3.62 inches of rain was recorded in Morgan.

Trees and power lines were downed in town and in scattered locations across Meeker County.

A tree was downed onto a house on the east side of town.

Five inch diameter branches were downed.

Flooding was reported in Litchfield. A total of 3.33 inches of rain was recorded in Dassel.

Several trees and power lines were downed.

Tree branches were downed onto 5th Avenue NW.

Fifty trees were uprooted or snapped at Lake Marion County Park and Campground. Downed trees damaged a bathhouse and picnic shelters. The roof of the caretaker's house was damaged. Four trees up to 5 feet in diameter were also downed onto Highway 15 just east of Lake Marion. Power poles were also downed at the intersection of 120th Street and Page Avenue.

Trees up to 8 inches in diameter were downed near the intersection of 110th Street and Melody Avenue.

A few trees were downed onto power lines.

Power lines were downed at the intersection of 16th Street and Newton Avenue. Power lines and a few trees were downed in the area of 10th Street and Stevens Avenue. A tree was downed at the intersection of Union Avenue and 11th Street. A tree was downed onto Highway 212 near Morningside Avenue.

Several trees and branches were downed near the intersection of 120th Street and Dairy Avenue.

Tree branches up to 8 inches in diameter were downed onto the westbound lanes of Highway 212 near County Road 9.

Several low lying areas of south Willmar were flooded with up to waist high water after an estimated 5 inches of rain fell. Kennedy Elementary School had to be closed because ankle deep water backed up into the building from nearby storm drains. Flooded roads included Seventh Street Southwest, Third Street, Robbins Avenue Southwest, Rice Avenue, 10th Street, First Street, Fifth Street, 15th Avenue, Tenth Street, Kandiyohi Avenue Southwest, and Olena Avenue. Highway 12 and a nearby service road were also covered by water after road ditches filled. Minor street flooding was reported in New London.

Water up to 6 feet deep covered roads in Monticello. In addition, a bank of grass and recently planted trees slumped into the Mississippi River at Monticello. Streets in Buffalo were filled with water up to 3 feet deep after 5.16 inches of rain fell. Water rushed down 1st Street South from Willow Creek and flooded a building. Houses just across Pulaski Road from Buffalo Lake had water backed up into them. In addition, homes in Griffing Way neighborhood on the southwestern side of Lake Pulaski were also flooded. In Albertville, where a total of 3.75 inches of rain was recorded, flooding was reported on Barthel Industrial Drive and at holding ponds in the Cedar Creek development, and a car became stranded in flood waters on 57th Street. County Road 8 and County Road 35 were flooded in Marysville Township. County Road 19 in Otsego was also flooded. In Montrose, a partial washout was reported on Center Avenue. A holding pond overflowed into a house on 44th Street in St. Michael. Three inches of rain was recorded in Maple Lake in one hour. A total of 3.12 inches was recorded near South Haven during the night.

Three inches of water covered a road in Waite Park. Minor street flooding was reported at St. Cloud State University.

Water was 2 feet deep at the intersection of Pryor Avenue and 12th Street in Glencoe. Flooding was also reported on South Grade Road SW, Sunset Street SW, and on California Street NW in Hutchinson. A car was stalled in the deep water and had to be towed out at the intersection of South Grade Road and Sunset Street. A total of 3.25 inches of rain fell in Hutchinson, mainly between 8 PM and 10 PM CDT.

A 30 yard wide tornado touched down in Independence near the intersection of county roads 11 and 90, then crossed Lake Sarah. Around the lake numerous boats and docks were damaged. On the southern edge of the lake a home sustained structural damage and an attached garage was destroyed along Woodhill Lane. Several 2 to 3 foot diameter trees and power lines were downed nearby. On the northern edge of the lake a small airplane hangar was blown away and hundreds of 1 to 2 foot diameter trees were knocked down along Lake Sarah Heights Drive and Sunset Lane. A tractor trailer was blown over on its side in the same neighborhood. Next the tornado moved northeast into extreme southeast Greenfield where it damaged ten homes in the Country Circle area just north of Highway 55. Two homes suffered significant damage including one home that had damage to exterior walls on the second story and another home that lost an attached garage. One man inside a damaged home was cut on the nose by flying glass. Finally the tornado moved into southwest Corcoran where it destroyed a barn near the intersection of County Road 19 and Pioneer Trail. On the same property a three-season porch, chimney, heated 4-stall garage, fences, and two ice fishing houses were also lost. The tornado lifted nearby after being on the ground for 3 miles.

A large tree was downed onto a house on Klaers Drive.

Signs were blown down at the intersection of County Road 116 and County Road 30.

Street flooding was reported on the east side of the Mississippi River in St. Cloud. A total of 4.9 inches of rain was recorded just south of Big Lake in 90 minutes. A car was stranded in flood waters on a main street in Elk River. Rainfall totals from observers across the county included 6.20 inches in Zimmerman, 5.89 inches in Elk River, 5.70 inches one mile east of Eagle Lake, and 3.55 inches in Becker.

A few trees were downed across town, including one which fell onto a home along Spencer Street and one which fell onto a car and a home on Shakopee Avenue East.

Tress and power lines were downed.

Trees were downed onto power lines in East Bethel and Oak Grove.

A downed tree fell through a roof.

Several trees were downed onto power lines. A gas station canopy was also damaged.

Tree branches up to 4 inches in diameter were downed.

A dock was flipped and twisted on First Lake.

Trees were downed along County Road 53. Tree branches up to 6 inches in diameter were downed in town and some streets were blocked.

Main Street was flooded by 6 inches of water and a washout was reported at the Main Street and 6th Avenue intersection. Water also overflowed onto sidewalks and nearby yards. Traffic was unable to pass through flooded North Main Street. Cars were stalled in high water and several basements were flooded across town. Manhole covers also popped off due to the pressure of water flowing through the storm drains. The official weather observer for Cambridge recorded 4.60 inches of rain during the storm. A spotter on the south end of Cambridge recorded 5.10 inches and the DNR office in Cambridge recorded 5.55 inches. Other rainfall totals included 4.95 inches two miles northeast of Bradford, 4.50 inches 5 miles northwest of Bethel, and 3.80 inches 1.5 miles west of Stanchfield.

A few cars were stranded in high water on Interstate 35 in North Branch and Stacy. In downtown North Branch several streets were flooded, including Oakview Avenue which had to be closed for a time.

Numerous trees were downed.

A building was damaged.

A home on Maple Avenue suffered an electrical fire after being struck by lightning. Damage to electrical appliances, wiring, and attic insulation totaled $20,000.

Several trees and numerous branches were downed. Minor damage was reported to several businesses and homes.

Tree branches were downed.