Storm knocks out power to thousands in Twin Cities
About 5,800 Xcel Energy customers are without power in the Twin Cities area following a night of rain and strong winds.
That includes dozens in Watertown, nearly 200 in Maple Grove, and hundreds more in Coon Rapids, Fridley, Blaine and Champlin, Xcel Energy officials said. Hundreds are without power in Stillwater as well. Earlier Tuesday, 8,000 homes were reported to be without power, but service has been restored to about 2,200 customers.
Some trees were reported down in Maple Grove, Elk River and other locations. Wind gusts up to 42 mph were reported at 5 a.m. Tuesday in Maple Grove, 40 mph in Buffalo, and 37 mph in Blaine, where half an inch of rain fell between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. The airport in Crystal reported a half-inch of rain as well this morning, and gusts up to 41 mph.
The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport reports steady winds of 15 mph from the northeast, and gusts up to 30 mph. The airport received nearly an inch of rain overnight.
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