Rollicking night of damaging storms from W. Minn. to Twin Cities

Rollicking night of damaging storms from W. Minn. to Twin Cities:

 There were unconfirmed tornadoes in western and central Minnesota, much sogginess in the metro and significant damage in the Brainerd lakes area.

 

Sunrise Monday brought a better view of the damage from the previous night’s stormy weather that stretched from western Minnesota, through the Brainerd area and into the Twin Cities.

Trees were down and thousands of people were without electricity in the Brainerd lakes area, and a barn was destroyed about 6 miles southwest of Staples, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). Thunderstorms brought down power lines in several parts of Todd County, the weather service added.

The Gull Lake Dam and Recreation Site near Brainerd was evacuated of campers, and ordered closed immediately and indefinitely, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

“Hundreds of trees are down” in and around the campground, the corps said in a statement. Campers are being ordered out so crews can begin tree removal. The camp’s boat ramp is also closed, the corps added.

There also were reports of damage at Brainerd International Raceway, in particular a section of metal grandstand.

In the Twin Cities area, Lakeville was among locations reporting house fires due to lightning strikes, one of those a duplex on 170th Street.