Heavy rain floods streets in West St. Paul, leaving vehicles stranded
Powerlines knocked down in Howard Lake, downed trees seen across Twin Cities metro
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Roads in West St. Paul have reopened after heavy rain Saturday afternoon blocked streets and left vehicles stranded.
West St. Paul Police Chief Brian Sturgeon told MPR News area catch basins and storm sewers couldn't keep up with the intense downpour. Public Works crews cleared drains to help clear out the water.
Sturgeon said tow trucks were still out hours after the storm passed trying to remove stalled cars. He said the situation should serve a reminder for drivers to be cautious in poor weather conditions.
“The big problem we had is, you know, it was obvious roadways were flooded,” said Sturgeon, who is also the city’s emergency manager. “It was obvious cars were stuck in the roadway in flooded areas and cars continuously tried to make their way through flooded areas and then they get stuck themselves. So it's created a lot of issues.”
Roughly 40 cars were stalled out, according to Sturgeon. Roads were also closed in South St. Paul.
Storms also caused problems in other parts of the Twin Cities metro. Downed trees and power lines were reported in Howard Lake in Wright County. Trees also blocked roads in Winsted, according to reports submitted to the National Weather Service.
Cooler temperatures and clear skies are expected across Minnesota following the storm.
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