NWS: Clear Storm Drains Before Big Rainmaker Arrives This Week

If you were out and about on Saturday during the rainy part of the winter storm you undoubtedly drove through ponding of water on surface streets throughout the area.

Minnesota’s minor street flooding was much worse in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where about seventh tenths of an inch of rain fell followed by 1.6 inches of snow, leading to significant urban flooding.

If storm drains on the sides of streets are covered with mountains of snow, melting snow and new rainfall has nowhere to drain. And that could mean big-time street flooding throughout Minnesota this week as another significant storm system is currently tracking to bring quite a bit of rain.

“The combination of 1-2″ of rainfall along with dew points above freezing and strong southerly winds during this system will likely lead to localized street/urban flooding and small streams as well,” the NWS Twin Cities says.

“It would be wise to clear snow and ice from storm drains prior to Wednesday if possible.”

 

The first shot of rain is forecast to be light on Tuesday followed by heavier rain much of the day Wednesday. The low-pressure system moves through on Thursday with rain possibly changing over to snow, which shouldn’t accumulate to much.