Thunderstorms formed along a slow-moving cool front during the morning hours of August 27, and became numerous late that evening. By the time the rain had tapered off by the early hours of August 28, one to two-and a half inches of rain fell over a large swath of eastern Minnesota. Lesser amounts fell over western parts of the state. The heaviest rain fell in a narrow swath from northern Mille Lacs County to northern Pine County. The largest 24-hour total reported was 3.40 inches 1.5 miles southwest of Hinckley. Other notable totals included 2.12 at the Twin Cities International Airport, 1.78 inches at the Duluth International Airport, 1.29 inches at the Marshall Airport and 1.11 inches at the Rochester Airport. The heavy rains fell over areas that were experiencing abnormally dry conditions or a moderate drought. The rains did make up some of the shortfall this summer over central and southeast Minnesota, but more rain is needed to eliminate the dry conditions.
Below are local storm reports and public information statements courtesy the National Weather Service.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN 1044 AM CDT THU AUG 28 2008 ...HEAVY RAINFALL ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE NORTHLAND... RAIN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOPED ALONG A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT BROUGHT SIGNIFICANT AND MUCH NEEDED RAINFALL TO PORTIONS OF NORTHLAND WEDNESDAY EVENING THROUGH EARLY THURSDAY MORNING...ESPECIALLY SOUTH AND EAST OF A LINE FROM ORR...TO HIBBING...TO AITKIN. HERE ARE SOME OF RAINFALL TOTALS (INCHES) REPORTED BY ASOS SITES... RAWS STATIONS...AND COOPERATIVE OBSERVERS: IN MINNESOTA HINCKLEY (1.5 SW)..............3.40 ILLGEN CITY....................2.60 DULUTH (LAKESIDE)..............2.60 MOOSE LAKE.....................2.58 ASKOV..........................2.55 WOLF RIDGE ELC.................2.48 BRIMSON........................2.35 SANDSTONE (6 W)................2.33 GRAND MARAIS...................2.15 BRUNO..........................2.11 CLOQUET........................2.10 SILVER BAY.....................2.08 TWO HARBORS....................2.02 FINLAYSON......................2.02 DULUTH AIRPORT.................1.78 GRAND PORTAGE..................1.01 ISLE (12 N)....................0.79 EMBARRASS......................0.53 HIBBING........................0.17 BRAINERD.......................0.12 COOK...........................0.06 IN WISCONSIN SUPERIOR (10 E)................3.51 PATTISON RIDGE STATE PARK......3.34 WENTWORTH......................3.25 MAPLE..........................1.68 PORT WING......................1.53 OULU...........................1.39 BENNETT........................1.36 COZY CORNER....................1.00 TRADE LAKE.....................0.98 BAYFIELD (9 N).................0.76 MADELINE ISLAND................0.64 BARNES.........................0.62 HAYWARD........................0.52 SARONA.........................0.47 WINTER.........................0.42 ASHLAND........................0.35 BUTTERNUT......................0.35 GURNEY.........................0.32 SUPERIOR FALLS.................0.31 MAX/MIN TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION TABLE FOR CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 1052 AM CDT THU AUG 28 2008 VALUES REPRESENT YESTERDAYS HIGHS...LOW OVER THE LAST 12 HOURS AND PRECIPITATION OVER THE LAST 24 HOURS ENDING AT 6AM .BR MSP 0828 C DH00/TX/DH06/TAIRZP/PP : : : STATION MAX MIN 24-HR : NAME TEMP TEMP PCPN AXN : ALEXANDRIA MN ARPT : 74 / 55 / T EAU : EAU CLAIRE WI ARPT : 78 / 65 / 0.87 STC : ST CLOUD MN ARPT : 71 / 54 / 1.06 MIC : CRYSTAL MN ARPT : 75 / 59 / 1.67 MSP : MINNEAPOLIS MN ARPT : 76 / 62 / 2.00 STP : ST PAUL MN ARPT : 76 / 65 / 2.07 FCM : EDEN PRAIRIE MN ARPT : 77 / 61 / 1.53 RWF : REDWOOD FALLS MN ARPT : 78 / 62 / 1.20 : : COOPERATIVE OBSERVER REPORTS :VALUES ARE FOR THE PREVIOUS 24 HOURS ENDING BETWEEN 6 AM AND : 8 AM LOCAL TIME UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED : : STATION MAX MIN 24-HR : NAME TEMP TEMP PCPN :MINNESOTA MN0LS : BALD EAGLE 1 SE : M / M / 1.33 / MNAZK : BLUE EARTH 1 WNW : M / M / 0.37 / MN0ZK : BONNIE GLEN 1 N : M / M / 0.63 / MNHIO : BOYD 4 N : M / M / 0.05 / MNAEB : BRICELYN : M / M / 0.46 / MNILH : BROOKLYN CENTER : M / M / 1.90 / MNLXC : BROWERVILLE 4 S : M / M / 0.14 / BWNM5 : BROWNTON WWTP : M / M / 1.68 / BFLM5 : BUFFALO LAKE : M / M / 1.66 / MPXM5 : CHANHASSEN MN WFO : 75 / 59 / 1.70 / CHNM5 : CHANHASSEN 2SW : M / M / 1.56 / CHKM5 : CHASKA : 76 / 59 / 2.31 / MNJVP : COLD SPRING 1 SSE : M / M / 1.02 / DSLM5 : DASSEL : 72 / 57 / 1.79 / ELKM5 : ELK RIVER : 72 / 57 / 0.72 / MNGSG : ETTER 2 E : M / M / 1.84 / FIRM5 : FAIRMONT : 74 / 61 / 0.49 / FBTM5 : FARIBAULT : 79 / 58 / 0.79 / FORM5 : FOREST LAKE : 76 / 57 / 0.63 / FDYM5 : FRIDLEY : M / M / 2.46 / GLDM5 : GAYLORD : 75 / 59 / 0.93 / MN0HS : GLOSTER 1 SSE : M / M / 1.14 / GOLM5 : GOLDEN VALLEY : M / M / 1.90 / GDHM5 : GOODHUE : M / M / 0.88 / HAMM5 : HAMBURG : M / M / 1.89 / MNI9S : HAMEL 1 NW : M / M / 1.70 / MNGE8 : HAMPTON 1 N : M / M / 1.55 / HSTM5 : HASTINGS L/D 2 : 71 / 61 / 1.10 / MNG28 : HENDERSON 1 NW : M / M / 1.48 / JORM5 : JORDAN 2E : 74 / 57 / 1.27 / MN0GW : LAKE ELMO 3 NW : M / M / 2.66 / MN0CW : LAKELAND SHORES 1 NE : M / M / 1.79 / MN0M8 : LEXINGTON 2 NNW : M / M / 1.73 / LCHM5 : LITCHFIELD : 71 / 57 / 1.01 / LTFM5 : LITTLE FALLS : M / M / 0.60 / LNGM5 : LONG PRAIRIE : 70 / 54 / 0.16 / MNLGG : LONG PRAIRIE 1 WSW : M / M / 0.14 / MNG0G : LONSDALE 1 NNE : M / M / 1.94 / MKAM5 : MANKATO : 77 / 60 / 0.94 / MWDM5 : MAPLEWOOD : M / M / 1.14 / MNAES : MARNA 2 NNW : M / M / 0.16 / MLRM5 : MELROSE : 72 / 54 / 0.70 / MLCM5 : MILACA : 68 / 55 / 1.13 / MNFS0 : MILROY 1 ESE : M / M / 0.47 / LSAM5 : MINNEAPOLIS LOWER ST ANT : M / M / 1.32 / MGMM5 : MONTGOMERY : M / M / 1.73 / MRAM5 : MORA : M / M / 1.23 / MGNM5 : MORGAN : M / M / 0.53 / MRRM5 : MORRIS : 75 / 51 / 0.01 / NHPM5 : NEW HOPE : M / M / 1.64 / NEWM5 : NEW LONDON : 70 / 57 / 0.41 / MNG2O : NEW ROME 3 W : M / M / 1.10 / MN22O : NORTH PRAIRIE 3 WNW : M / M / 1.45 / MNDM8 : OWATONNA 4 E : M / M / 1.49 / MNDQ8 : PERTH 3 NW : M / M / 1.11 / MNF68 : POOR FARM LANDING 3 SW : M / M / 2.25 / RDWM5 : RED WING L/D 3 : 74 / 58 / 1.45 / REWM5 : REDWOOD FALLS : 77 / 63 / 1.05 / MNGLS : REDWOOD FALLS 1 SW : M / M / 1.12 / RCEM5 : RICE : 69 / 54 / 1.86 / MN228 : RICE 3 WNW : M / M / 1.66 / RFDM5 : ROCKFORD : M / M / 1.26 / SCOM5 : ST CLOUD SCSU : M / M / 1.32 / MNF5F : SAINT PETER 1 S : M / M / 2.01 / MN0GW : SIEGEL 2 SE : M / M / 2.43 / SFDM5 : SPRINGFIELD : M / M / 0.55 / STIM5 : STILLWATER 2SW : 72 / 58 / 1.96 / VESM5 : VESTA : M / M / 1.29 / VCTM5 : VICTORIA : M / M / 1.92 / WACM5 : WACONIA : M / M / 1.72 / MNF3K : WARSAW 4 SE : M / M / 0.48 / WASM5 : WASECA : 77 / 58 / 0.59 / WTTM5 : WATERTOWN : M / M / 2.25 / MN09S : WESCOTT 2 NNE : M / M / 1.09 / WLDM5 : WILD RIVER STATE PARK : 75 / 58 / 0.50 / WLLM5 : WILLMAR : 73 / 57 / 0.84 / WNNM5 : WINNEBAGO : 75 / 61 / 0.61 / MN0DC : WOODBURY 2 WNW : M / M / 2.25 / MN2U8 : WOODLAND 1 E : M / M / 2.43 / ZBRM5 : ZUMBROTA : 70 / 55 / 1.45 / :WISCONSIN AGSW3 : AUGUSTA RANGER STATION : 75 / 51 / 1.08 / BMRW3 : BLOOMER WI : 76 / 53 / 1.48 / BALW3 : BALDWIN WI : M / M / 1.97 / CHPW3 : CHIPPEWA FALLS : M / M / 1.10 / CBLW3 : CUMBERLAND WI : 73 / 52 / 0.49 / ELRW3 : EAU CLAIRE 3SW : 77 / 53 / 1.25 / HAMW3 : HAMMOND : M / M / 2.44 / JIMW3 : JIM FALLS WI : 76 / 49 / 2.03 / LDSW3 : LADYSMITH 3W : 76 / 45 / 0.35 / ROBW3 : ROBERTS : M / M / 2.46 / STAW3 : STANLEY WI : 76 / 51 / 1.00 / PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 445 AM CDT THU AUG 28 2008 ...PRELIMINARY RAINFALL AMOUNTS IN THE LAST 24 HOURS... LOCATION COUNTY RAINFALL NORTHEAST IOWA CHARLES CITY AWOS FLOYD 0.53" IONIA 2W CHICKASAW 0.51" CHARLES CITY FLOYD 0.50" DORCHESTER HWY 76 ALLAMAKEE 0.48" YELLOW RIVER PARK ALLAMAKEE 0.44" BLUFFTON WINNESHIEK 0.34" DECORAH AWOS WINNESHIEK 0.33" ION ALLAMAKEE 0.32" ELKADER CLAYTON 0.30" OELWEIN AWOS FAYETTE 0.29" MCGREGOR CLAYTON 0.22" GARBER CLAYTON 0.19" LITTLEPORT CLAYTON 0.17" SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA ROCHESTER - CASCADE CREEK OLMSTED 1.39" ROCHESTER - BEAR CREEK OLMSTED 1.39" ROCHESTER - SILVER CREEK OLMSTED 1.36" ROCHESTER - BELTLINE OLMSTED 1.35" AUSTIN - DOBBINS CREEK MOWER 1.28" AUSTIN - KAAL TV MOWER 1.23" LAKE CITY WABASHA 1.15" ROCHESTER INTL AP OLMSTED 1.11" AUSTIN - TURTLE CREEK MOWER 1.07" AUSTIN 3S MOWER 0.97" LANSING FILLMORE 0.94" PILOT MOUND FILLMORE 0.80" BEAVER WINONA 0.56" LANESBORO FILLMORE 0.47" WINONA AWOS WINONA 0.42" HOUSTON HOUSTON 0.33" BROWNSVILLE HOUSTON 0.20" DAKOTA HOUSTON 0.13" SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL WISCONSIN DIAMOND LAKE RAWS TAYLOR 0.70" ALMA BUFFALO 0.60" VOLK FIELD JUNEAU 0.28" PRAIRIE DU CHIEN AWOS CRAWFORD 0.22" LA CROSSE NWS LA CROSSE 0.20" LA CROSSE ASOS LA CROSSE 0.15" BLACK RIVER FALLS JACKSON 0.12" DODGE TREMPEALEAU 0.10" BOSCOBEL ASOS GRANT 0.09" NECEDAH RAWS JUNEAU 0.07" OBSERVATIONS ARE COLLECTED FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES WITH VARYING EQUIPMENT AND EXPOSURE. NOT ALL DATA LISTED IS CONSIDERED OFFICIAL. FOR THIS...AND A WEALTH OF OTHER RIVER AND WEATHER INFORMATION... VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/LACROSSE