Heavy Rains and Severe Storms: June 21, 2011

A high precipitation, low pressure system caused intense rainfall during the evening commute Tuesday in St. Cloud. The localized rain event doused the west side of St. Cloud and Waite Park leaving the east side and Sauk Rapids with a light shower. At St. Cloud State University, 2.33 inches were recorded between 4 and 5pm (Robert Weisman, SCSU Meteorologist), while the official report from the St. Cloud Airport, measured only 0.35 inch between 4 and 7pm.

The estimated precipitation map from the National Weather Service shows the line between the east and west sides of St. Cloud and its suburbs.

The intensity and short time period of the rainfall, caused some low-lying streets in St. Cloud to flood very rapidly which stalled vehicles of some commuters and residents of the area and created difficult driving conditions throughout the effected area. Police diverted traffic around the worst flooded streets until the storm drains were able to catch up with the rainfall.

In addition to the heavy rains, numerous funnel clouds were reported over east central Minnesota, including a tornado touchdown from Blane to Coon Rapids in Anoka County.

Listed below are Local Storm Reports from the National Weather Service.

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
746 PM CDT WED JUN 22 2011

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..
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0137 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     1 S HUTCHINSON          44.87N 94.37W
06/21/2011                   MCLEOD             MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

0156 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     HAMPTON                 44.61N 93.00W
06/21/2011                   DAKOTA             MN   FIRE DEPT/RESCUE

            AT HWY 52 AND COUNTY ROAD 50

0212 PM     HEAVY RAIN       NNE GRANITE FALLS       44.82N 95.53W
06/21/2011  M1.25 INCH       CHIPPEWA           MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

0230 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     5 W WILLMAR             45.12N 95.15W
06/21/2011                   KANDIYOHI          MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            NOW DISSIPATED

0312 PM     TORNADO          3 SW BLAINE             45.13N 93.24W
06/21/2011                   ANOKA              MN   NWS STORM SURVEY

            AN NWS STORM DAMAGE SURVEY TEAM DETERMINED AN EF-0
            TORNADO TRACKED FROM NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF U.S.
            HIGHWAY 10 AND CENTRAL AVENUE IN BLAINE...TO THE
            NORTHWEST FOR APPROXIMATELY FIVE AND A HALF
            MILES...ENDING ONE HALF MILE NORTHWEST OF THE
            INTERSECTION OF COUNTY HIGHWAY 14 AND HANSON BOULEVARD IN
            FAR NORTHERN COON RAPIDS. THE DAMAGE WAS ALMOST ENTIRELY
            UPROOTED TREES...ON THREE OCCASIONS HAVING FALLEN ON
            HOUSES. THE START TIME IS AN APPROXIMATION AND MAY VARY
            BY A FEW MINUTES.

0317 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     BLAINE                  45.17N 93.21W
06/21/2011                   ANOKA              MN   EMERGENCY MNGR

            AT HWY 65 AND HWY 10.

0329 PM     FUNNEL CLOUD     ANDOVER                 45.26N 93.33W
06/21/2011                   ANOKA              MN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            AT THE INTERSECTION OF BUNKER LAKE AND HANSON BLVD.

0408 PM     HEAVY RAIN       2 S HASTY               45.35N 93.97W
06/21/2011  M2.00 INCH       WRIGHT             MN   TRAINED SPOTTER

            REPORTED TO HAVE FALLEN IN 12 MINUTES.

0505 PM     FLASH FLOOD      ST CLOUD                45.55N 94.17W
06/21/2011                   STEARNS            MN   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            DELAYED REPORT. HEAVY RAIN ACROSS DOWNTOWN ST. CLOUD LED
            TO WATER HALF WAY UP VECHILES CAUSING 20 TO 30 TO BE
            STRANDED IN THE WATER. PEOPLE HELPED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT
            OUT OF THE VEHICLES.