More than 100,000 people in Minnesota's Twin Cities area lost power on Monday due to a series of severe thunderstorms, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported.
State officials postponed the fair's opening on Tuesday because crews need more time to clear debris from the storm, Fox 9 News reported. ReportedMinnesota State Fair employee Tom Koch said The Minnesota Star Tribune reported that debris covered the park “from north to south,” and several attractions at the park will be closed through Tuesday due to damage from the storm, the paper said.
“Severe thunderstorms that continued overnight are causing widespread damage and major power outages in the region. Approximately 700 crews are assessing damage and working safely to restore power to approximately 150,000 customers,” energy company Xcel Energy tweeted on Tuesday.
STORM UPDATE: Multiple severe thunderstorms overnight have caused widespread damage and major power outages in the region. About 700 crews are assessing the damage and working to safely restore power to about 150,000 customers. pic.twitter.com/kDINdIFTt7
— Xcel Energy MN (@XcelEnergyMN) August 27, 2024
According to Fox 9 News, parts of the Twin Cities were already experiencing heat indexes of 110 degrees Fahrenheit when the storm hit. Wind speeds from the storm were estimated to exceed 70 miles per hour in some areas, the outlet said. The outlet noted that the storm downed power lines and trees.
Self-filmed footage shows the extreme weather that hit Minnesota leading to the felling of trees on Monday. AccuWeather said the weather was caused by “severe thunderstorms” that “brought heavy rain and high winds to the Minneapolis metropolitan area.” (Related: Video captures unusual type of fog)
Severe thunderstorms brought heavy rain and strong winds to the Minneapolis metropolitan area Monday night, downing trees and producing stunning footage of rainbows and lightning. pic.twitter.com/npszrATKZY
— AccuWeather (@accuweather) August 27, 2024
The video begins with a fallen tree with a broken trunk. Other nearby trees are shaking from high winds and rainwater. “All the trees are down. We're done for,” one person says as lightning flashes all around.
Another part of the footage shows a rainbow and a brief flash of lightning, while another shows a car's windshield wipers struggling to cope with the torrential rain, before a person is seen filming a tree falling in the middle of a violent storm from the comfort of their own home.
“Lightning, rainbows and sunsets, all rolled into one,” a person says in the video.
