Heavy rains miss Twin Ports, pummel southern Minnesota

A massive low pressure system was pelting southern Minnesota and central Wisconsin with torrential rainfall Thursday as high winds pummeled Lake Superior and the Twin Ports.

Only about a quarter-inch of rain had fallen at Duluth International Airport by 4 p.m. with another half-inch or so expected before the rain moves out Friday.

But parts of southern Minnesota have seen nearly 10 inches of rain with flooding and evacuations reported.

Flood watches have been dropped for most of northern Minnesota as the big storm skirted farther south than some forecasters had expected. A flood watch remains in effect for all of northern Wisconsin, including Douglas County.

"The majority of the heaviest precipitation is moving up from southern Minnesota through Wisconsin east of the Twin Ports,'' said Declan Cannon, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Duluth. "There will be another round of rain tonight and early Friday for northern Minnesota, the Arrowhead and borderland. Duluth is kind of in between. But this is such a big system that it's going to be cloudy and a little rainy much of the day Friday.''

Meanwhile strong winds have funneled down Lake Superior, with the crew from the Great Lakes freighter Mesabi Miner reporting to the National Weather Service after leaving Duluth Friday afternoon that they were experiencing steady 30-knot winds and 10-12 foot waves.

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management activated their emergency operations center Thursday afternoon in response to widespread flooding in southern Minnesota.

"The decision to activate the EOC is in response to an increasing number of requests for assistance and equipment from several communities around the state," said Kris Eide, state Homeland Security director, in a statement.

Approximately 10 inches of rain have fallen in Martin and Faribault counties as of noon today, with more rain in the forecast. Dodge, Waseca and Rice Counties have asked for 75,000 sandbags.

In Wisconsin, Gov. Jim Doyle declared a state of emergency and ordered the National Guard to Trempealeau County. Heavy rains there sparked mandatory evacuations for as many as 1,500 residents of Arcadia, a town of around 2,400 people 100 miles southeast of Minneapolis.

Police officers in Arcadia began going door-to-door in the rain early Thursday to urge residents to flee rising floodwater, City Clerk Angela Berg said. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation reported multiple road closures in the Mankato and Rochester districts Thursday afternoon, including U.S. Highway 52, the main route from the Twin Cities to Rochester. Motorists are encouraged to visit www.511mn.org for a complete list of road closures in the area.

State officials also reported heavy flooding in the camping area of Whitewater State Park. Conservation officers are working closely with local officials in the affected area. The Minnesota Department of Health is providing assistance with the evacuation of assisted living and long term care facilities in the cities of New Richland and St. Charles.

The Minnesota Office of Pipeline Safety reported that 300 natural gas meters in the city of Truman have been shut off due to heavy flooding in the area. Approximately 80 homes in the city of Owatonna are currently underwater and have had natural gas and electricity shut off.

Several schools also have closed.