Several Minnesota Counties Could Face Flooding From Widespread Heavy Rain

A sizable portion of Minnesota is being warned by the National Weather Service about heavy rain coming this week that could lead to flooding across the state.

After what has turned into a wet spring for parts of the state, a band of some additional heavy rainfall expected across roughly half of the state has prompted the National Weather Service to issue a flood watch for Tuesday's rain event.

The flood watch goes into effect on Tuesday morning across the areas in green on the map below. The flood watch is issued through late Tuesday night for the southern parts of the state, while it is in effect for the Northern half of the state until Wednesday morning.

The National Weather Service is anticipating 2-3 or more inches of rain across a sizable part of Minnesota that could lead to the greatest impacts near creeks, streams, rivers, and other low-lying and flood-prone areas.

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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is cautioning of a risk of "excessive rainfall" for Tuesday, noted in the area in yellow on the map below - which spans nearly all of Minnesota, Western Wisconsin, and a portion of Northeastern Iowa.

This system that will be bringing heavy rain will also be bringing with it the chance of severe storms for parts of the region, too. In the most recent update from NOAA's Storm Prediction Center, a marginal risk of severe storms noted in dark green extends through central Minnesota including areas like St. Cloud and Duluth.

Greater risks can be found as you head toward Southern Minnesota and Wisconsin, where increased chances of damaging wind, large hail, and tornadoes will be.

Rain is expected to wrap up Tuesday night and into Wednesday, with a reprieve from rain anticipated for Thursday.

As a reminder, the National Weather Service is urging people to be aware of flood safety. Of the most important flood tips, you should never travel onto a flooded roadway, as you don't know if the road beneath the water is safe or if it has been washed out and could be dangerous. Here are more tips from the National Weather Service.