RAPID BOARD UP
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Our Office:
1204 Cannon Valley Dr
Northfield, MN 55057 - (952) 900-5904
However, it wasn’t always like this before the ambitions and foresight of the State Climatologist Earl Kuehnast and Dr. Don Baker in the 1970s. Their desire to study the flash floods caused by heavy rainfalls impacted an explosion of rain observers. Since that time, the state of Minnesota has definitely avoided some substantial destruction caused by the waves.
Although their system has experienced some changes over the years, it has remained intact for the core purpose of identifying mega-rainfall events.
In the Spring of 1952, the Mississippi River broke its banks, pouring its own water as the most damaging flood in most history in St. Paul. Unfortunately, the state capital is located downstream from the intersect of Minnesota and the Mississippi rivers. This positioning makes it highly susceptible to flooding from spring snow melts. On that unfortunate day, almost 5000 people were homeless and property worth millions of dollars damaged. The destruction was so severe that the city’s improvement following the effect of the incident remains noticeable even today.
In 1965, the rain experienced in the Twin Cities remained as the highest flood in their history, having crested to 26 feet. As if to preserve its history, the unprecedented downpour branded its title on the downtown facing side of the three-mile floodwall protecting the new West Side industrial park. The high-water mark stays painted on the wall up to this day.
Fortunately, the effect of the flooding didn’t equate to its intensity as the destruction was confined to the companies on Lowertown and Shephard Road. There was no displacement reported as only 45 families hunted food assistance from the Red Cross.
Despite the recurring floods over the years, it is said none compares to the size and ruthlessness of the 1881 flood. Regrettably, there are no further details about the flood other than setting the benchmark where the rest are measured, having recorded a 19.7 foot-crest
The downpour on the late evening of July 23, 1987, marks the most significant rain event in the history of Twin Cities. In barely 6 hours, Twin Cities International Airport measured a 10- inches rain resulting in massive flooding in the western and southern regions of the cities.
The rain is believed to have been a by-product of the interaction between the south and east warm, moist atmosphere, and the cooler, drier air of the north and west. The claim is further supported by the intense thunderstorms and the torrential downpour which has been experienced two days before this fateful day.
Severe flash flooding was experienced on the evening of July 23 as most major streets became swamped, and rivers burst their banks. This saw motorist hurriedly abandon their cars for higher ground as water levels rose past car rooftops. Roads were closed, bridges washed out, lives were lost, homes destroyed, and properties of significant value ruined.
Notably, this is the most extraordinary rainfall event ever recorded in the Twin Cities. The warm season rainfalls occurred in mid-July of 1867 across the western part of central Minnesota. On the night of July 17th, 1867, a torrential downpour measuring 30 inches of rain was recorded. The event listed the following damages, four deaths, bridges were washed away, with an estimated 25-40 million logs sailed away.
August 18-20, 2007: In the footsteps of the 1867 storm, these Southern Minnesota flash floods produced 15.10 inches, which makes it the greatest recorded total in 24 hours.
