The Northland is in line to get socked by heavy rain and high winds on Thursday as a strong, unseasonably wet fall storm takes aim at the region.
The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for Duluth, Superior and points south - including all of Northwestern Wisconsin - from early Thursday morning through Thursday night, for the potential of 2 to 4 inches of rain. The heaviest rain is expected south of U.S. Highway 2, with lower totals on the Iron Range and to the north.
In addition to possibly torrential rainfall, east winds of 20 to 30 mph, with higher gusts, are forecast for areas along Lake Superior, including the Twin Ports. A gale warning is in effect for the open waters of Lake Superior from Thursday afternoon into Friday, with gale watches in effect for nearshore waters. Waves may reach 10 feet or more.
It's all the result of a low pressure system moving from Colorado to the Upper Midwest, and interacting with an unseasonably moist air mass over the region.
The flood watch is in effect for the following counties: southern St. Louis, Carlton, Pine, Aitkin, Cass, Crow Wing, Douglas, Bayfield, Ashland, Iron, Burnett, Washburn, Sawyer and Price. It also extends farther south to the Twin Cities and central Wisconsin.
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Check back to duluthnewstribune.com for weather updates tonight and Thursday.
For more information on the storm and other Northland weather news, make a visit to Observation Hill , the News Tribune's weather blog.
