MPR’s Art Hughes reports on multiple storms causing havoc in southeastern Minnesota. An uncommon weather scenario flooded homes and roads in a weekend filled with heavy rains, high winds and rapid-fire lightning in southeast Minnesota.
Over a period between June 26 and 27, 1991, a line of thunderstorms with heavy downpours swamped areas of southeastern Minnesota with more than six inches of rain and straight line winds. High water closed several roads including two of the main north-south highways in region. Thousands of trees were downed due to the storms, along with power lines and sporadic property damage. One of the hardest hit locations was Austin, MN. The city experienced widespread property and tree damage. There were deaths attributed to flash floods near Zumbrota, north of Rochester.