Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - Severe weather, including tornadoes, visited southeastern Minnesota Tuesday night.

The warm and muggy air provided the fuel for storms that swept across central Minnesota in the mid-afternoon and then pounded the Rochester area and other parts of the region just before sunset. A wind gust of 75 miles per hour was reported several miles northwest of Rochester around Douglas and Genoa, while winds topping 60 miles per hour were reported in parts of Dodge County.

The high winds and possible lightning strikes were blamed for power outages throughout Rochester. There were numerous reports of downed power poles in the city, particularly in southwest Rochester and along South Broadway between Highway 52 and the Airport.

Some of the heaviest damage from the storm was reported in Wabasha County, which is where tornado warnings were posted as the storm system barreled through the region. The National Weather Service reported damage to a home and a destroyed barn at a property about 7 miles southwest of Lake City. There were also numerous reports of trees down on Highway 63 in the same area and damage to a barn near Bellechester, which was hit hard by storms last month. Trees were also reported down on Highway 61 a couple miles south of Lake City.

Tree damage was also reported in Fillmore County in the Lanesboro and Whalen areas.

The same storm system produced damage in the Twin Cities from flash flooding and high winds that left thousands of homes and businesses without power. At the peak, Xcel Energy reported that over 200,000 of its customers were affected by storm-related outages.

The Minnesota Twins game against Oakland was delayed until almost 10 p.m., which was the longest rain delay in the history of Target Field.

 

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