"OMAHA (DTN) -- Rains of 11-plus inches pounded south-central Minnesota's rich farming areas Wednesday and Thursday, flooding out roadways, closing schools and causing extensive harvest delays. It also raises the prospect that some flooded-out acreage will have to be abandoned.
Rains measuring ten or more inches closed dozens of roads in south-central Minnesota Thursday. (photo courtesy Sam Ziegler) National Weather Service rainfall estimates indicated from four to six inches rainfall across almost the entire breadth of south-central Minnesota Thursday morning. However, actual amounts were even higher. Unofficial rainfall tallies include: 11.3 inches near Lewisville (about halfway between Worthington and Mankato) and more than ten inches in southern Blue Earth, Watonwan, northern Martin, and Faribault counties.
Five-plus inches of rain at the University of Minnesota research and outreach center at Waseca have pushed that location's September rainfall to 10.5 inches -- the highest ever for September in the 96-year history of the facility -- with still a week to go in the month.
"It's a big area that got this rain," said ag banker Kent Thiesse of MinnStar Bank in Lake Crystal, Minn. "This entire area drains into the Minnesota River watershed. And, we were full (soil moisture profile) already."
This year is a record breaker.
Rains measuring ten or more inches closed dozens of roads in south-central Minnesota Thursday. (photo courtesy Sam Ziegler) National Weather Service rainfall estimates indicated from four to six inches rainfall across almost the entire breadth of south-central Minnesota Thursday morning. However, actual amounts were even higher. Unofficial rainfall tallies include: 11.3 inches near Lewisville (about halfway between Worthington and Mankato) and more than ten inches in southern Blue Earth, Watonwan, northern Martin, and Faribault counties.
Five-plus inches of rain at the University of Minnesota research and outreach center at Waseca have pushed that location's September rainfall to 10.5 inches -- the highest ever for September in the 96-year history of the facility -- with still a week to go in the month.
"It's a big area that got this rain," said ag banker Kent Thiesse of MinnStar Bank in Lake Crystal, Minn. "This entire area drains into the Minnesota River watershed. And, we were full (soil moisture profile) already."
This year is a record breaker.
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