Heavy rain and high wind bring flooding and other damages along North Shore, Iron Range
Jun 19, 2024 09:45AM ● By Content Editor
White Birch washed out in Lutsen. Photo taken by Todd Ford.
By Laura Durenberger-Grunow - Boreal Community Media - June 19, 2024
Severe storms rolled through the Arrowhead region of Minnesota yesterday, bringing heavy rain and high wind. The National Weather Service in Duluth issued a "life-threatening" flash flood warning (the highest level) around 6:00 pm, which sent an alert to most cell phones in the area. The Cook County Sheriff's Department issued a no-travel advisory last night through the County's Code Red alert system (for those who have signed up) due to flooding and debris on Highway 61, Sawbill Trail, the Gunflint Trail, and other side roads. Many dirt roads washed out and are not passable as of this morning. Crews were out yesterday and again this morning assessing and cleaning damage.
Related: Superior National Forest June 18 Storm Response
In the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, a tree fell on a 9-year-old boy in a tent during the storm. Cook County Search and Rescue was dispatched to find the family and medevac the boy out. No further details have been released by the Cook County Sheriff's Department.
Rainfall totals vary throughout the County. So far, preliminary reports show a range of 1.75 inches in Hovland by the Shore, 2.8 inches in Croftville, 4 inches in Grand Marais (in town), 5.63 inches at The Boulders on Rocky Wall Road in Silver Bay, and 6.8 inches on the Honeymoon Trail.
As of 5:30 am this morning, MnDOT was showing flooding on Highway 61 in both directions in Tofte, and also between the North Shore and Ely on Highway 1.
The National Weather Service has continued the flood warning until 4:00 pm this afternoon for Cook County.
There is a brief break from the rain today and for some parts of the county tomorrow, but forecasted to return on Friday.
Some incredible videos and photos have been documented by community members and shared with Boreal Community Media.
Check out this video, shared with us by Jessica Berg-Collman. The video was taken at Seagull Creek Fishing Camp last night, located up the Gunflint Trail in Grand Marais.
Connie Kirvida-Lehr captured this incredible footage of a waterspout over Lake Superior in Lutsen yesterday. You can view the video below.
Finally, Monica Wilson shared this video of flooding on Highway 61 between Silver Bay and Little Marais around 8:10 pm last night.
By Laura Durenberger-Grunow - Boreal Community Media - June 19, 2024
Severe storms rolled through the Arrowhead region of Minnesota yesterday, bringing heavy rain and high wind. The National Weather Service in Duluth issued a "life-threatening" flash flood warning (the highest level) around 6:00 pm, which sent an alert to most cell phones in the area. The Cook County Sheriff's Department issued a no-travel advisory last night through the County's Code Red alert system (for those who have signed up) due to flooding and debris on Highway 61, Sawbill Trail, the Gunflint Trail, and other side roads. Many dirt roads washed out and are not passable as of this morning. Crews were out yesterday and again this morning assessing and cleaning damage.
Related: Superior National Forest June 18 Storm Response
In the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, a tree fell on a 9-year-old boy in a tent during the storm. Cook County Search and Rescue was dispatched to find the family and medevac the boy out. No further details have been released by the Cook County Sheriff's Department.
Rainfall totals vary throughout the County. So far, preliminary reports show a range of 1.75 inches in Hovland by the Shore, 2.8 inches in Croftville, 4 inches in Grand Marais (in town), 5.63 inches at The Boulders on Rocky Wall Road in Silver Bay, and 6.8 inches on the Honeymoon Trail.
As of 5:30 am this morning, MnDOT was showing flooding on Highway 61 in both directions in Tofte, and also between the North Shore and Ely on Highway 1.
The National Weather Service has continued the flood warning until 4:00 pm this afternoon for Cook County.
There is a brief break from the rain today and for some parts of the county tomorrow, but forecasted to return on Friday.
Some incredible videos and photos have been documented by community members and shared with Boreal Community Media.
Check out this video, shared with us by Jessica Berg-Collman. The video was taken at Seagull Creek Fishing Camp last night, located up the Gunflint Trail in Grand Marais.
Connie Kirvida-Lehr captured this incredible footage of a waterspout over Lake Superior in Lutsen yesterday. You can view the video below.
Finally, Monica Wilson shared this video of flooding on Highway 61 between Silver Bay and Little Marais around 8:10 pm last night.
