After an extremely dry spring, Mother Nature decided to get most of the state wet this past weekend.
Rain was off and on Saturday in the Brainerd lakes area, with the heaviest rain starting Saturday night and ending before noon Sunday.
A report of 2.9 inches of rain was tracked one mile north of Brainerd in a 24-hour period, ending at 11:26 a.m. Sunday, said Kevin Kraujalis, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service of Duluth. The NWS also reported from 7 p.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Sunday, Brainerd had 1.54 inches. During this same time period, 1.08 inches was reported seven miles northwest of Brainerd; 1.45 inches at the Brainerd Water Plant; and 1.58 inches at the Pine River Dam.
The showers soaked the grasslands and there were ditches and yards in the Brainerd area holding rainwater. The May showers helped spark the growth of flowers and plants.
Brainerd received a heavy downpour of showers, thunderstorms and strong winds around 3 p.m., which caused numerous trees to go down in the city, including one that damaged a car in the parking lot of Dairy Queen.
ADVERTISEMENT
Kraujalis said the showers were coming from South Dakota. Light rainshowers were expected Monday and Brainerd could see another tenth of an inch of rain.
"Brainerd is expected to have a dry stretch Tuesday through Friday," Kraujalis said. "Saturday there is a chance of rain with highs near 68 degrees and a chance of rain on Sunday (May 24)."
The high Monday will be near 43 degrees, almost 30 degrees colder than Sunday's high of 71. A west wind of 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph are expected. Showers are expected likely before 1 p.m. Monday, then a chance of showers after 2 p.m., the NWS reports.
Gardeners may want to cover their plants Monday night, as the expected low is 33 degrees.
Brainerd residents will begin to see a warm up Tuesday. The NWS reports a high of 54 Tuesday; 62 on Wednesday; 67 on Thursday; and 69 on Friday.
JENNIFER STOCKINGER may be reached at jennifer.stockinger@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5851. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jennewsgirl .
