Storm Events Database
- Data Access
- Search
- FTP Access
- Database Download
- Storm Data Publication
- Documentation
- Storm Data FAQ
- Storm Data Preparation
- Tornado EF Scale
- External Resources
- NOAA's SPC Reports
- NOAA's SPC WCM Page
- SHELDUS
Storm Events Database
Event Details
| Event | Flash Flood |
| -- Flood Cause | Heavy Rain |
| State | MINNESOTA |
| County/Area | HOUSTON |
| WFO | ARX |
| Begin Date | 08/18/2007 20:30:00 CST-6 |
| Begin Range | 1 |
| Begin Azimuth | SW |
| Begin Location | HOKAH |
| Begin Lat/Lon | 43.76/-91.35 |
| End Date | 08/19/2007 06:00:00 CST-6 |
| Deaths Direct/Indirect | 0/0 (fatality details below, when available...) |
| Injuries Direct/Indirect | 30/0 |
| Property Damage | 27.00M |
| Crop Damage | 750.00K |
| Episode Narrative | A warm front lifting northward into Iowa triggered round after round of thunderstorms with excessive rainfall across southeast Minnesota during the evening and overnight hours of August 18-19. This was after rain had fallen earlier in the day. Total rainfall amounts of 10 to 15 inches were common, which produced widespread and significant flash flooding. An official rainfall total of 15.1 inches near Hokah (Houston County) established an all-time 24 hour rainfall record for the state of Minnesota. Other rainfall totals, which were unofficial readings, included 17.00 and 14.00 inches respectively in Witoka and Utica (Winona County). Numerous roads and bridges were washed out, houses collapsed due to mudslides and hundreds of homes had flooded basements. Law enforcement and fire department officials reported rescuing people from their vehicles, as well as from house tops. There were seven fatalities reported, five in Winona County and two in Houston County. Damage attributed to the heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding was estimated to be in the millions of dollars. Fillmore, Houston, Olmsted, Wabasha and Winona counties were declared federal disaster areas. |
| Event Narrative | At least 50 mudslides were reported across the county with four state highways and eight county roads closed. At one point 20 roads were closed across the county. Some homes collapsed or were carried away by mudslides. Numerous railroad tracks and bridges washed out. There were numerous reports of injuries. Hardest hit communities included Houston, Hokah, La Crescent and Brownsville. A 25 foot earthen dam near Hokah, which was built in 1921, collapsed. This caused significant damage to a portion of the town, including the main park and an automobile dealership. First calls of flooding began around 9:30 p.m. Saturday August 18 to dispatch center, with flooding problems becoming exceedingly worse afterwards. 4,200 homes were reportedly damaged or destroyed. |
All events for this episode:
| Location | County/Zone | St. | Date | Time | T.Z. | Type | Mag | Dth | Inj | PrD | CrD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Totals: | 7 | 32 | 176.480M | 5.234M | |||||||
| HOKAH | HOUSTON CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Heavy Rain | 0 | 0 | 15.00K | 5.00K | |
| DODGE CENTER | DODGE CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 17:00 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 0 | 100.00K | 30.00K | |
| MONEY CREEK | HOUSTON CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 19:22 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 0 | 6.000M | 300.00K | |
| ROCHESTER | OLMSTED CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 20:15 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 0 | 35.000M | 90.00K | |
| HOKAH | HOUSTON CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 20:30 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 30 | 27.000M | 750.00K | |
| HOUSTON | HOUSTON CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 21:00 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 1 | 0 | 600.00K | 70.00K | |
| LA CRESCENT | HOUSTON CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 21:00 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 1 | 2 | 3.000M | 250.00K | |
| LEWISTON | WINONA CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 21:48 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 0 | 6.000M | 250.00K | |
| STOCKTON | WINONA CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 21:48 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 0 | 22.000M | 200.00K | |
| ELBA | WINONA CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 22:00 | CST-6 | Flood | 0 | 0 | 60.00K | 25.00K | |
| EYOTA | OLMSTED CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 22:12 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 0 | 9.600M | 7.00K | |
| LEWISTON | WINONA CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 22:25 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 5 | 0 | 300.00K | 125.00K | |
| RUSHFORD | FILLMORE CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 22:30 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 0 | 38.000M | 390.00K | |
| WINONA | WINONA CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 22:35 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 0 | 12.000M | 450.00K | |
| ELGIN | WABASHA CO. | MN | 08/18/2007 | 23:15 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 0 | 1.200M | 12.00K | |
| ROCHESTER | OLMSTED CO. | MN | 08/19/2007 | 00:00 | CST-6 | Flood | 0 | 0 | 20.00K | 10.00K | |
| KASSON | DODGE CO. | MN | 08/19/2007 | 00:30 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 0 | 30.00K | 5.00K | |
| HOUSTON | HOUSTON CO. | MN | 08/19/2007 | 02:00 | CST-6 | Flood | 0 | 0 | 750.00K | 500.00K | |
| ELGIN | WABASHA CO. | MN | 08/19/2007 | 02:25 | CST-6 | Flash Flood | 0 | 0 | 400.00K | 30.00K | |
| DODGE CENTER | DODGE CO. | MN | 08/19/2007 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Flood | 0 | 0 | 600.00K | 55.00K | |
| ROCHESTER | OLMSTED CO. | MN | 08/19/2007 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Flood | 0 | 0 | 20.00K | 10.00K | |
| ADAMS | MOWER CO. | MN | 08/19/2007 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Flood | 0 | 0 | 20.00K | 10.00K | |
| HOUSTON | HOUSTON CO. | MN | 08/19/2007 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Flood | 0 | 0 | 1.000M | 500.00K | |
| WINONA | WINONA CO. | MN | 08/19/2007 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Flood | 0 | 0 | 1.500M | 250.00K | |
| ZUMBRO FALLS | WABASHA CO. | MN | 08/19/2007 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Flood | 0 | 0 | 250.00K | 150.00K | |
| RUSHFORD | FILLMORE CO. | MN | 08/19/2007 | 06:00 | CST-6 | Flood | 0 | 0 | 11.000M | 750.00K | |
| ZUMBRO FALLS | WABASHA CO. | MN | 08/19/2007 | 11:00 | CST-6 | Flood | 0 | 0 | 15.00K | 10.00K | |
| Totals: | 7 | 32 | 176.480M | 5.234M |
