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.
May 9, 1997 - In the aftermath of spring's record flooding in the Red River Valley, Mainstreet Radio’s Leif Enger reports on one of the most visible and immediate legacy of disaster…trash.
July 2, 1997 - MPR’s Laura McCallum reports on the clean-up effort underway in Monticello. A major storm front carved a 15-mile path of destruction through Wright County, downing trees and power lines.
July 3, 1997 - MPR’s Bill Wareham reports that local officials expect cleanup from the July 1st storm to last weeks, as several of the city's schools sustained heavy damage. One of the most damaged was Edison High School in Northeast community of Minneapolis.
September 18, 1997 - Just a few months after flooding irreversibly changed thousands of peoples' lives in the Red River Valley...some are telling their stories for posterity. MPR's Hope Deutscher spoke with two people who are gathering individual stories of struggle, despair and recovery...for very different reasons.
December 30, 1997 - MPR’s Lauara McCallum presents the documentary “Losing Lincoln Drive: Grand Forks After The Flood,” which shares the stories of three families and what has happened since the sirens blew.
March 30, 1998 - Midday presents a special report on the tornadoes that destroyed large parts of St. Peter and Comfrey. MPR’s reporters detail the massive destruction in the Minnesota towns and provide updates on aftermath. Program also includes various interviews and accounts from listeners.
March 30, 1998 - MPR’s Art Hughes and Lynette Nyman describe the scene in St. Peter after a tornado went through the town, destroying much of it.
March 30, 1998 - MPR’s Mark Steil reports on the tornado that went through Comfrey, Minnesota. Local residents share their experiences during the twister, which damaged the economic heart of the town and caused more misery for farmers already facing challenging times.
March 31, 1998 - Midday presents a special report on the tornadoes that went through southern Minnesota and destroyed large parts of St. Peter and Comfrey. MPR reporters give updates on aftermath, followed by various interviews and accounts from listeners.
March 31, 1998 - MPR’s Bill Catlin traces path of the storm that devastated farms and towns in southern Minnesota. Reports includes firsthand accounts of the storm and tornadoes.