Stormy weather that had threatened to swamp the Torchlight Parade in downtown Minneapolis veered south of the Twin Cities Wednesday evening, leaving the parade on track.
But within a couple of hours, a second wave of heavy rain, hail, thunder and lightning moved into the metro and surrounding areas, flooding some roadways. The National Weather Service said 2 to 5 inches of rain could fall overnight in some areas.
A flash flood watch was in effect from St. Cloud to the north to Red Wing to the south to Eau Claire, Wis., to the east. High winds of 50 to 60 miles per hour were reported in communities such as Madelia, Albert Lea and Red Wing.
The Dakota County Sheriff's Office said late Wednesday that 200th Street was closed east from Hwy. 316 to the county border and Ravenna Trail was closed from 185th Street to 200th Street due to flooding. More than 4 inches of rain fell in Rosemount Wednesday, according to the Weather Service.
Xcel Energy said it has roughly 450 crew members poised to pounce should power failures occur. The crews and their equipment are already in position not only in the Twin Cities but elsewhere in the state.
