Minnesota weather is part of daily life, and it brings with it many “extremes.” This collection presents some of those…from the floods of the Red River Valley, the blowdown in the BWCA, the Halloween Blizzard, to the devasting tornado in St. Peter. But were a state of many meteorological dimensions, not just tornadoes and blizzards. Below are memories of oppressive drought, the creep of flood waters, nature driven fire, and those glorious 50-degree December day anomalies. While these stories may attempt to explain the why, where, and what of various weather events, what is striking is the undeniable power of the human experience in the face of it all.
July 7, 2016 - After a thunderstorm rolled through the Twin Cities that created severe flash floods, MPR’s Tom Crann asks meteorologist Paul Huttner about the moisture conditions and urban landscape environment that made for the ingredients for flash flooding.
July 12, 2016 - MPR’s Matt Sepic reports that in central Minnesota, residents of Litchfield and Watkins are cleaning up after a late afternoon tornado on July 11th damaged homes and other buildings in those communities. The damage shows both the immense power of tornadoes and the precision of their destruction.
July 21, 2016 - MPR’s Dan Kraker reports on the impact of powerful overnight storms in Duluth area. Wind gusts toppled trees on top of homes and cars, downed power lines, and blocked streets.
August 11, 2016 - MPR’s Tom Weber interviews Sean Christenson, Willmar's city engineer, about how the city is dealing with historic deluge on August 10, 2016…one he considers a 1,000-year rainfall event.
April 17, 2017 - MPR’s Elizabeth Dunbar reports on the repeated flooding conditions found in the Red River Valley. Dunbar interviews several scientists who have studied climate and hydrology in the Red River basin.
October 10, 2018 - MPR’s Dan Kraker visits Duluth’s Canal Park and finds himself soaked as he witnesses 20-foot waves crash along the shore of Lake Superior.
January 30, 2019 - MPR’s Matt Sepic reports on the various ways Minnesotans are dealing with the brutal cold snap that hit the state. Amid some of the coldest weather in a generation, the Postal Service stopped delivering mail, schools closed, homeless sought shelter, a rail on the Blue Line cracked, Twin Cities hospitals saw a jump in frostbite cases, and there were broken water mains. Report is followed by an interview with John Storkamp, a runner in the Arrowhead 135 race.
February 25, 2019 - MPR’s Marianne Combs reports on gusting winds and drifting snow that trapped hundreds in areas of Minnesota. Combs interviews some of those that were trapped and officials who rescued them.
July 15, 2021 - MPR’s Dan Kraker profiles framers and ranchers in north central Minnesota as they battle against the toll of severe drought conditions. Kraker also talks with climatologists about dry weather.
July 19, 2021 - MPR’s Riham Feshir reports on how a heat wave has added to the intensity of extreme drought encompassing much of Minnesota. Feshir interviews various officials about coping in the dry and hot weather.