Severe Storms in the Brainerd Lakes Area

Update: 5:30 pm. Doppler shows an extensive swarm of heavy/severe thunderstorms over the Brainerd Lakes region, stretching from Staples and Ft. Ripley to Nisswa, Baxter, Brainerd into Aitkin and Crosby. We've seen reports of torrential rains, minor street flooding, and quarter-size hail. The storms are moving very slowly, and will persist into the evening hours, raising the potential for flash flooding in poor drainage areas, even an isolated tornado. Some 1-3" rainfall amounts are possible, good news for lakes suffering through low water levels.