BISMARCK, N.D. (AP, CSi) – A storm brought funnel clouds to south central North Dakota, downing power lines and trees.

The National Weather Service issued tornado warnings in north central Stutsman County and southern Foster County late Wednesday evening.

A funnel cloud was reported near Streeter

Other tornado warnings were issued in the LaMoure and Dickey County areas.

In the 24 hours ending at 7-a.m. today, the Jamestown weather station recorded 2.45 inches of rain, most of which fell in a two and a half hour period starting about 9:30-p.m. The CSi weather computer in downtown Jamestown recorded 2.61 inches. Valley City picked up 1.04 inches including .52 inches since midnight.

The heavy rain was accompanied by numerous training thunderstorms.

Between midnight and 7-a.m. the weather station in Jamestown picked up .22 inches of rain, and downtown Jamestown, with .24. As of 7-a.m., Thursday, the running total of precipitation at the Jamestown weather station was 4.43 inches.

A flash flood watch was posted for the Jamestown area last evening, that was cancelled overnight, early Thursday.

McIntosh County Sheriff Laurie Spitze says she spotted two funnel clouds Wednesday night and got a picture of one. She says one touched down briefly.

The National Weather Service got reports of winds estimated at 70 mph just northeast of Ashley, in McIntosh County. The report says a pole barn lost its roof and another barn was destroyed.

Wind gusts were estimated at 60 mph near Bismarck, behind a line of thunderstorms.

Hail was reported at Selfridge, Hettinger, South Heart and Golden Valley.

Meteorologist Tony Merriman says the storm seemed to weaken as it moved north later Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, Wednesday evening’s heavy rain in the Jamestown area, prompted the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to increase the Jamestown Dam release from 100 cfs to 150 cfs.

The Pipestem Dam release rate remains at 215 cfs.

Pipestem Dam Manager Bob Martin adds, the rain increased the elevation at Pipestem Reservoir 7 inches, while the Jamestown Reservoir elevation increased about 3 inches.

Martin says the elevation is not causing any concerns.

At the James River in Jamestown, Wednesday evening’s rain increased the James River level in Jamestown by two and a half feet..

A new rainfall record for June 18, at 2.22 inches with the previous rainfall record for June 18 was 2.01 inches set in 1964.

In South Dakota….

WESSINGTON SPRINGS, S.D. (AP) – The National Weather Service says a confirmed tornado has hit a small town in central South Dakota.

Meteorologist Todd Heitkamp says law enforcement in Wessington Springs reported the tornado went right “through the heart of town.” It hit just before 8 p.m.

A spokeswoman for the hospital in town says one patient in good condition is being treated as a result of the tornado.

Heitkamp says homes and businesses have been damaged.
Confirmed tornadoes also touched down nearby, outside the towns of Woonsocket and Alpena.

Wessington Springs is about 125 miles northwest of Sioux Falls and has a population of about 1,000.

Gov. Dennis Daugaard tweeted that he deployed 100 South Dakota National Guard soldiers and equipment to Wessington Springs.

The National Weather Service says the tornado that damaged two residences in Humboldt has been rated as an EF-2.

Meteorologist Todd Heitkamp says the twister was on the ground for 18 minutes Tuesday night and its winds peaked at 125 mph. No injuries were reported.

The weather service says the tornado struck one of the homes just minutes after a family had sought shelter in the basement.

Heitkamp says a silo and an animal shelter were severely damaged, and a machine shed was destroyed.

 

BELLE FOURCHE, S.D. (AP) – Authorities in western South Dakota say they are still searching for one of two Colorado women who were in a car that was caught in flood waters Tuesday night.

The car was found around 4 a.m. Wednesday in a ditch on Highway 85 north of Belle Fourche.

Butte County Sheriff Fred Lamphere says 54-year-old Roxanne Bleibaum formerly of Jamestown,was able to walk back to the highway and has been reunited with her family after being treated at a hospital in Belle Fourche. Lamphere says passenger Kristen Lakin has not been found.

Federal, state and county officials are searching for Lakin along and near Battle Creek, about 20 miles north of Belle Fourche.

South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks has a plane searching the area. The search was halted at nightfall and resumed Thursday morning.

In Minnesota, Wednesday…

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – Torrential downpours have caused flash flooding across the Twin Cities area.

The National Weather Service issued multiple flash flood warnings as 2 to 4 inches of rain fell on the metro area, with more waves of heavy precipitation on the way. One of the warnings was for south Minneapolis, where Minnehaha Creek rose nearly a foot overnight and has overflowed its banks in some places.

Authorities in Lakeville say a lightning strike hit gas meters and started fires that damaged three homes in the same block.

At one point early Thursday there was about a foot of water over Highway 77 near the Mall of America in Bloomington.

South of the metro area, Highway 169 was under water for a time in the Belle Plaine area.