The Mississippi River flows through Aitkin and Crow Wing counties, historically providing a means to transport goods but also is used for outdoor recreation in more recent times. The Mighty Mississippi has also flooded in years past, causing headaches and destruction.
The majority of customers should be restored by Saturday night, said Amy Rutledge, manager of corporate communications for the power company, but some may not be restored until Sunday.
It was the first line of severe weather to move in Thursday night, expected to be followed by more stormy skies throughout the night into Friday morning. As the storm front made its way into the area, a 911 caller reported a tornado east of Pillager and a funnel cloud was reported near Nisswa.
Strong to severe storms are likely this evening, starting in southwestern Minnesota, then spreading northeast across much of central and eastern Minnesota into western Wisconsin. Damaging wind gusts and large hail are the primary threats, though a few tornadoes cannot be ruled out.
Aitkin County Fairgrounds sustains heavy damage in what appear to be straight-line winds. Another round of potentially severe storms is in the forecast for Thursday, May 12
