DULUTH, Minn. — Emergency officials are assessing the damage in parts of northern Minnesota after significant flooding and a reported tornado Tuesday evening.
The storm system that swept across the region brought heavy rain, hail and the tornado, which the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office said touched down in the community of Cotton, about 40 miles north of Duluth. As of early Wednesday morning, the extent of damage caused by that twister is unclear.
KARE 11's John Zeigler said rain estimates are preliminary, but show that Ely received 7.3 inches, and an area just north of Silver Bay got 6.5 inches. Overall, totals from 4 to 6 inches fell on portions of the north country. The National Weather Service placed the majority of northern and northeastern Minnesota under a flood watch for Wednesday.
The deluge filled the rivers that feed the multiple scenic falls that draw tourists to the North Shore, creating raging flows that even frequent visitors to the area have never seen before.
"2022 was really dramatic here, but nothing like this," reflected Alice Tibbets, who runs an adventure park in Silver Bay. "When we get these volatile rains, it just sparks these big weather events that are challenging for an outdoor business... it's very concerning."
The heavy rains - up to 10 inches in some locations - created significant runoff, washing off topsoil and compromising roads and trails. Park and emergency management officials are urging that everyone use caution until things settle down.
"All of our employees do the same thing... they don't go across standing water unless they've walked that road and they know they can get across it," said Ellen Borgardus-Szymaniak of the Tofte Ranger District. "It's sort of common sense and sounds condescending, but it's really a safety precaution."
In a Facebook post Wednesday, St. Louis County emergency management posted that there is significant damage to roads and infrastructure across the county and said crews worked through the night to begin repairs and post warnings about unsafe conditions. Included in the post is a list of dozens of roads that remain closed due to continuing flooding or damage.
Residents of the region are encountering closures like one on Highway 169 in the Iron Range triggered by flash flooding.
On Wednesday, St. Louis County officials said 43 roads were closed as a result of the heavy rainfall. Of those closures, 32 are in the northern portion of the county. For a full list of road closures, click here.
County officials said they anticipate the county board will approve a disaster declaration at next week's meeting, which would allow them to seek funds from the state and FEMA for cleanup.
Northland News Now's Dan Wolfe captured flood scenes from all across Duluth and the Iron Range, including a raging Cascade River and an auto parts store in Hibbing that was swamped.
Officials with the City of Duluth said they've only seen "minor" damage, including some loose gravel, tree damage, waterlogged trails and bridge damage. However, officials are still assessing the damage and could be doing so for the next few days.
“The good news is that all the measures the City took after the 2012 flood to shore up our infrastructure and help protect it from future storm damage have served us well,” said Mayor Roger Reinert in a press release.
The release goes on to state that Reinert has been in contact with Grandma's Marathon race officials about this weekend's race.
“Preparations for race weekend are looking great," Reinert said. "Our staff will continue to monitor any weather-related issues and address them. That’s in addition to the work necessary every year to ready the race route for all the runners and attendees."
This is a developing story and will be updated as severe weather continues to sweep through the state.
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