Houston storm history

A man was killed when he attempted to cross flood waters with two others in his vehicle. The car was washed away on County Road 6 near Pine Creek. His two female companions were rescued but the victim's legs were pinned under a part of the car and rescue workers could not save hi…

A 55-year old man was killed near Storer Creek when his mobile home was swept away by flash flooding. The man had been asked to evacuate twice before flood waters swept him and his home away. The normally tranquil trout stream was about 80 yards wide and 7 to 8 feet above nearby …

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 n…

A lightning strike hit a transformer in La Crescent and the resulting damage also took out a nearby substation. Around 3,400 customers were without power until the next day.

Very heavy rain caused widespread flash flooding across a good portion of Houston County. Roads around the town of Houston became covered with water and impassable. Rapidly rising water along Riceford Creek caused a campground to be evacuated. A mudslide occurred just outside of …

Widespread flooding forced the closure of virtually all roads across the county. Several civil emergency messages were sent by request of county officials for evacuations in mainly the southern half of the county. An estimated 9300 acres of corn and 5400 acres of beans were lost.…

Very heavy rain led to flash flooding through much of the county. A rainfall total of 7.18 inches was measured 3 miles southwest of Reno. The bridge over Clear Creek was reported damaged and unsafe for use. In addition, highway 26 was closed due to mudslides. County Highways 5, 2…

Tremendous flash flooding and mudslides covered many highways in the area, including Highway 76 between Money Creek and Houston. Highway bridges were completely blown out and sections of roads were quickly eroded away. Other mudslides were reported on county highways 9, 13 and 26…

This winter storm brought snow and gusty winds to Houston County with storm total snow accumulations ranging from 3 to 4 inches across the county. The highest report in the county was in Caledonia where 4 inches of snow was observed. In addition to the falling snow, wind gusts of…

This significant winter storm brought between 6 and 10 inches of snow to Houston County between November 28th and November 30th. The highest report in the county was 1 mile west of La Crescent where 9.4 inches was reported.

The public reported numerous trees down 1 mile east-southeast of Houston.

Amateur radio groups reported a utility pole down on main street in Hokah near the post office.

Quarter sized hail was reported by the public in Spring Grove, Minnesota.

This winter system brought gusty winds and intense snow to Houston County on March 19th. Snowfall totals between 5 to 10 inches across the county with the highest reported total being 10 inches in Caledonia.

Minimum wind chills on the morning of February 18th fell to between 25 to 35 degrees below zero.

Dangerously cold wind chills began on the evening of the 20th and continued through noon on the 21st in Houston County where values dropped between 25 to 40 degrees below zero.

Snowfall amounts across Houston County ranged between 4 and 7 inches as a result of this system. The highest storm total snow accumulation in the county of 7.0 was reported 3 miles west-northwest of La Crescent.

Throughout the entirety of September and through October 29th, only 2 to 2.5 inches of precipitation fell in Winona County. This 4 to 5 inch deficit for this period resulted in the development of short-lived severe drought conditions by late October. Severe drought conditions end…

Anomalously warm air temperatures and high humidity allowed the heat index to reach up to 116 degrees on August 26th across Houston County.

Significant rainfall throughout June pushed the Mississippi River at La Crescent into flood stage of 641.0 ft on June 25th. The river stage continued to rise through the end of the month while remaining in minor flood stage.

Significant rainfall later into June pushed the Root River at Houston into flood stage on June 23rd. The river stage crested during the late morning on June 24th in minor flood stage at 16.57 ft.

Law enforcement reported power lines down in Spring Grove.

The public reported a tree down in Houston.

Volunteer observers reported 2 to 4 of snow accumulation in Houston County with a maximum of 8.0 in Caledonia.

Slightly above normal monthly rainfall totals alleviated severe (D2) drought along the southwestern periphery of Houston County towards the end of April.

Volunteer observers reported 3 to 5 of snowfall across Houston County from March 23rd through March 24th with the highest amount of 5.0 in Caledonia.

Near to slightly below normal monthly total liquid precipitation of 1 to 2 resulted in recession of severe (D2) drought from most of far southern Houston County through March.

Less than 0.5 of total liquid precipitation fell in Houston County through February, up to 1.0 below normal, resulting in severe (D2) and extreme (D3) drought persisting.

An automated weather observation station reported a wind chill of 20 degrees below zero in Hokah.

A volunteer observed reported 6.8 of snowfall near the Town of Houston.

A volunteer observer reported 6.0 of snowfall in Caledonia.

Severe (D2) drought persisted for most of Houston County through January. While 1 to 1.5 of monthly total liquid precipitation were near normal, long-standing abnormally dry conditions, 6 to 12 below normal since June 1st 2023, resulted in severe (D2) drought persisting.

Severe (D2) drought persisted for parts of Houston County through December. While monthly rainfall near 1 was only slightly below normal, the long-standing abnormally dry conditions, 8 to 12 below normal since July 1st, resulted in the severe (D2) drought persisting.

Volunteer observers reported 1.1 to 1.5 inches of snowfall, highest recorded near Caledonia.

Severe (D2) to extreme (D3) drought persisted across the southern half of Houston County through November. The combination of total monthly precipitation near 0.25 inches, near 2 inches below normal, and anomalously warm temperatures for several days according resulted in 30% bel…

While volunteer observers only reported 1 to 3 inches of snowfall from late on October 30th into the morning of October 31st, the combination of snow and 40 mph wind gusts rapidly worsened road conditions. Slippery to hazardous travel conditions resulted in multiple slide offs re…

Volunteer observers reported 0.1 of rainfall from bands of rain that moved through southeast Minnesota on October 6th. During the afternoon of October 6th, a tractor and pickup truck collided along Minnesota Highway 16 and Redding Road in Houston Township resulting in an injured …

Long-standing drier than normal conditions, comprised of 13 weeks of at least severe drought (D2), slightly eased in parts of Houston County through October. While several storms provided monthly rainfall totals slightly above normal, the ongoing rainfall deficit since summer all…

Ongoing drier than normal conditions, comprised of 10 weeks of at least severe drought (D2), worsened to exceptional drought (D4) for parts of Houston County through the middle of September. By September 11th, under a quarter of an inch of rain fell, resulting in top soil moistur…

The combination of anomalously high temperatures and humidity resulted in maximum heat indices of 109 degrees on Tuesday, August 22nd and 118 degrees on Wednesday, August 23rd at an automated weather observation station near Hokah.

Ongoing drier than normal conditions, comprised of 6 consecutive weeks of at least severe drought (D2), worsened to extreme drought (D3) for nearly all of Houston County through August. During the first half of August, a half to 2 inches inches of rain fell, initially preventing …

Abnormally dry conditions with monthly rainfall totals 2 to 5 inches below normal across Houston County for June resulted in severe drought conditions realized for 84 square miles, or 15% of Houston County in the beginning of July. While slight relief was realized into the middle…

The combination of heavy rainfall and rapidly melting snow resulted in the fourth highest crest on record in La Crescent towards the end of April. Subsequent dry conditions allowed the Mississippi River to slowly recede and drop below minor flood stage in La Crescent on May 5th.

Significant upstream runoff from the combination of rainfall and rapidly melting snow pushed the Mississippi River at La Crescent into flood stage on April 17th. A crest of 644.77 ft above sea level occurred on April 26th, 3.77 ft over flood stage.