Southern Minnesota remains on alert for flooding after day of heavy rain

But sunny, drier weather is on tap for the weekend.

September 13, 2019 at 2:46AM

After a day of relentless rain and flooding in southern Minnesota, sunny, drier weather is on tap for the weekend.

Thursday brought a flurry of warnings and watches, some of which were canceled earlier than expected. But several inches of rain took a toll in southwestern Minnesota and southeastern South Dakota, where streets, fields and basements were underwater. A flood warning is in effect in those areas until 1:15 p.m. Friday.

Cities reporting several inches of rain after the 24 hours ending Thursday morning, when rainfall was heaviest, included Marshall and Pipestone. Near Sioux Falls, S.D., some fields resembled lakes, even with whitecaps. West of Windom, Minn., in eastern Murray County, 8.74 inches of rain fell in the 24 hours ending at 8 p.m. Thursday, said Caleb Grunzke of the National Weather Service.

As of midnight Wednesday, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport had received 33.5 inches of rain this year, Grunzke said. Thursday brought 1.17 inches more, a total of 34.67 this year. The record for the most rainfall by this time any year was set in 1892, when 35.08 inches had fallen by Sept. 12, he said.

The record for the most rain in a year at the airport was in 2016, at 40.42 inches.

Rain may linger into Friday in the metro area with a high of 62 degrees, while the weekend looks warmer and drier. Highs will be in the 70s Saturday and Sunday, and rising into the 80s Monday and Tuesday with sunny skies, the Weather Service said.

STAFF REPORTS

Traffic ran through flooded areas along Shepard Road and Homer Street in St. Paul Thursday, September 12, 2019. The Twin Cities could see one to two inches of rain Thursday.
Traffic ran through flooded areas along Shepard Road and Homer Street in St. Paul Thursday, September 12, 2019. The Twin Cities could see one to two inches of rain Thursday. (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Rain water shoots out from a sewer cover along 2nd Ave. S, near S. 5th St. in downtown Minneapolis Thursday morning.
Rain water shoots out from a sewer cover along 2nd Ave. S, near S. 5th St. in downtown Minneapolis Thursday morning. (Kevin Martin — Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Rush hour traffic lit up 35E as it made its way northbound toward downtown St. Paul in the rain, Thursday, September 12, 2019. The Twin Cities could see one to two inches of rain Thursday.
Rush hour traffic lit up 35E as it made its way northbound toward downtown St. Paul in the rain, Thursday, September 12, 2019. The Twin Cities could see one to two inches of rain Thursday. (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Rain water shoots out from a sewer cover along 2nd Ave. S, near S. 5th St. while rain inundates the metro and much of Minnesota, bringing concern for flooding Thursday, Sept, 12, 2019, in Minneapolis, MN.] DAVID JOLES • david.joles@startribune.com Rain, rain, it just won't go away. The Twin Cities could see 1 to 2 inches of rain Thursday and much of southern Minnesota will be quite soggy, too.
Rain water shoots out from a sewer cover along 2nd Ave. S, near S. 5th St. while rain inundates the metro and much of Minnesota, bringing concern for flooding Thursday, Sept, 12, 2019, in Minneapolis, MN.] DAVID JOLES • david.joles@startribune.com Rain, rain, it just won't go away. The Twin Cities could see 1 to 2 inches of rain Thursday and much of southern Minnesota will be quite soggy, too. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Rush hour traffic lit up the 35E as it made its way northbound toward downtown St. Paul in the rain, Thursday, September 12, 2019. The Twin Cities could see one to two inches of rain Thursday. ] ELIZABETH FLORES • liz.flores@startribune.com
Traffic lit northbound I-35E heading into downtown St. Paul in Thursday morning’s rain. At top, rainwater shot from a manhole on S. 2nd Avenue near S. 5th Street in Minneapolis. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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