Central Minnesota Bracing for Days of Heavy Rain, Severe Weather, and Potential Flooding

(KNSI) — Moderate to heavy rainfall in the area will continue on Monday and over the next few days as an unsettled weather pattern moves into central Minnesota this week.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms over the next few days are bringing an increased risk of flooding due to what is known as training. That means thunderstorms keep developing over the same area, causing a deluge in some spots. Exact amounts are up in the air based on the orientation of the training storms.

For Monday, we are between the marginal and slight risks for severe weather. Southern and western Stearns County are in the slight risk category or two out of five. Along and south of Interstate 94 is in the slight risk zone. The rest of the area north of Interstate 94 is in the marginal risk, or one out of five.

We are in the slight risk area on Tuesday with all modes of severe weather possible. That includes a chance for tornadoes but a greater chance for hail and high winds. Additionally, temperatures could approach 90 degrees with dew points in the low 70s, resulting in heat indices near 95 degrees. Heavy rainfall and flooding remain among the chief concerns, with over 1″ of rain possible, depending on the speed of the trailing cold front.

By Wednesday, the passing front will stall southeast of the area, stretching from southeastern Nebraska to southeastern Wisconsin, but will push northward, providing continuous rainfall opportunities through Saturday. An additional two to five inches of rain is possible from Wednesday to Saturday, with the heaviest totals forecasted for Friday into Saturday, with maximums of 2.5″ over central Minnesota. The exact severity and extent of storms, heavy rain, and flooding are still uncertain, but it will be an active period.

A brief relief from the rain is likely early next week before unsettled weather returns mid-week.

For flooding safety tips, click here.

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