The storms also sparked nearly continuous lightning and thunder for much of the night across the metro area.
Winds gusted to 61 mph at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. As of 9:10 a.m., Xcel Energy reported more than 10,000 homes and businesses without power in the wake of the storms, mostly in the south and west metro.
The Bloomington Fire Department reported early Monday that "fire crews have been responding to numerous incidents since the storms started last evening. Many trees and limbs blocking roads throughout the city."
There were widespread reports of hailstones the size of golf balls or larger. The National Weather Service received a report of tennis-ball-size hail in Loretto in western Hennepin County.
Prolonged hailstorm in Victoria with quarter to golf ball-sized hail! #mnwx pic.twitter.com/ImoqiphEg1
โ MPR Weather (@MPRweather) August 10, 2020
I have rarely seen lightning this continuous. This is a tornado alley-level lightning show. โก #mnwx pic.twitter.com/SY1k6DLmBa
โ MPR Weather (@MPRweather) August 10, 2020
Close to baseball size hail in Loretto tonight ๐ณ @NWSTwinCities @FOX9 @kare11 @WCCO pic.twitter.com/PMHbiYg7I3
โ Alexandra Zeman (@alexandrazeman) August 10, 2020
The storm prompted flash flood warnings, as well, although the National Weather Service said recent dry weather had left soils able to absorb much of the rain. Just after 4 a.m., the Twin Cities weather service reported a 24-hour rain total of 5.52 inches at its office in Chanhassen.
It was the end of a wild weather weekend that also saw severe storms cause damage in northwestern Minnesota on Sunday afternoon, and across southern Minnesota on Saturday.
Nearly continuous lightning looking west in South St. Paul as of 1:45a #mnwx pic.twitter.com/FFiTpXQApo
โ Andrew Krueger (@akpix) August 10, 2020
Quieter weather is expected across the state later Monday. Skies clear across Minnesota through the day, and temperatures return to slightly below average. Storm chances return on Wednesday, said MPR News meteorologist Nicole Mitchell.
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