Status: ACTIVE — Flash Flood Warning until 1:00 AM CDT Saturday, September 19. A Flash Flood Warning is in effect right now for parts of south-central Minnesota — southeastern Blue Earth, northeastern Faribault, northwestern Freeborn, southwestern Steele, and southern Waseca counties — issued by the National Weather Service in Twin Cities/Chanhassen at 11:26 PM CDT Friday. Law enforcement has already reported flooding along MN Highway 30 in southern Waseca County and in the town of New Richland, with 2 to 5 inches of rain on the ground and rain still falling at a rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour.
For restoration teams, this is the shape of the year’s heaviest water-intrusion nights: overnight basement and crawl-space flooding that homeowners discover at dawn, when the calls start stacking. This is a live snapshot as of 12:25 AM CDT Saturday, September 19. Conditions change fast — always verify with the National Weather Service for your specific county or ZIP code.
Waseca and Surrounding Counties — Flash Flood Warning
Issued: 11:26 PM CDT Friday, September 18, by the National Weather Service in Twin Cities/Chanhassen (KMPX).
Expires: 1:00 AM CDT Saturday, September 19.
Counties: Southeastern Blue Earth, northeastern Faribault, northwestern Freeborn, southwestern Steele, and southern Waseca counties, Minnesota.
Severity: Severe · Certainty: Likely · Urgency: Immediate.
At 11:26 PM CDT, local law enforcement reported thunderstorms producing heavy rain in southern Waseca County along MN Highway 30 and in New Richland. The detection is observed — this is not a radar-only call; officers on the ground have confirmed it.
Rainfall totals so far, per the NWS:
- Between 2 and 5 inches of rain have fallen across the warned area.
- The expected rainfall rate is 1 to 2 inches in 1 hour.
- Additional rainfall amounts of 0.5 to 2 inches are possible before the warning expires.
- Flash flooding is already occurring.
HAZARD: Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.
SOURCE: Law enforcement reported.
IMPACT: Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas.
Locations that will experience flash flooding include: New Richland, Ellendale, Minnesota Lake, Geneva, Hartland, and Matawan.
Source links: NWS Twin Cities/Chanhassen office page · the official NWS alert (FFSMPX).
Stay safe tonight
Turn around, don’t drown. When you encounter a flooded road, do not attempt to cross it — most flood deaths occur in vehicles, and it takes only a few inches of moving water to sweep a car away. Be especially cautious tonight: it is harder to recognize the dangers of flooding after dark, and this warning runs through the early-morning hours.
If water is entering your home:
- Stay out of standing water where electricity may be present. Do not walk through a flooded basement until power is confirmed off.
- Avoid the basement until the water recedes and the electrical situation is verified safe.
- Photograph everything before cleanup begins. Documentation matters for insurance — shoot the water line, the affected rooms, and any damaged contents before anything is moved or torn out.
- Call a local restoration contractor quickly. Water left sitting starts a second wave of damage — saturated drywall, wicking into framing, and mold growth — within a day.
What this means for restoration teams
This is an observed, already-occurring flash flood event across five counties in south-central Minnesota, and it is hitting overnight — the worst possible window for damage to go unnoticed. The signature damage profile from a night like this: basement water intrusion through window wells and foundation seepage, saturated carpet and pad, wicking drywall, and crawl-space standing water that homeowners won’t find until morning.
What to expect from the call volume:
- The wave starts at dawn. Overnight flash-flood calls typically surface between 5 and 8 AM as people wake to wet basements. Staff the phones accordingly.
- Sewage backup risk is real in low-lying areas. With 2 to 5 inches of rain plus another 1 to 2 inches per hour possible, municipal systems in small towns like New Richland and Ellendale can be overwhelmed. Ask every caller whether the water smells — that determines PPE, category classification, and disposal protocol.
- Highway flooding means delayed response. With MN-30 already flooding, drive times across the warned area will stretch. Quote arrival windows honestly and triage by severity.
- Mold clock starts now. Porous materials soaked tonight reach the 24–48 hour mold window by Sunday. The contractors who win this wave are the ones with drying equipment staged and an on-call rotation already running.
The play: stage equipment now — dehumidifiers, air movers, extraction units, moisture meters. Keep an on-call rotation through Saturday morning. On the first call, capture the address, the water source (rain intrusion vs. sewage backup vs. sump failure), and every affected room. Photo-document before mitigation starts, moisture-map every affected room, and keep the homeowner’s payment responsibility clear in writing before work begins.
FEMA & federal assistance
If your home or business is damaged and a federal disaster is later declared for your county, help may be available through FEMA. The FEMA Helpline is 1-800-621-3362 (7 a.m.–10 p.m. local time, 7 days a week). You can also apply at DisasterAssistance.gov or through the FEMA app, and find recovery centers at fema.gov/drc.
Basic eligibility: U.S. citizenship or qualified status, identity verification, proof of occupancy or ownership of the damaged property, and unmet needs not covered by insurance. Apply as soon as it is safe to do so — and document your damage thoroughly before cleanup, because adjusters and FEMA inspectors both work from what you can show.
Looking ahead
When this warning expires at 1:00 AM CDT, the danger does not necessarily end with it. Creeks and streams in the warned counties can crest hours after the rain stops, and saturated ground means any additional round of storms — even a light one — can re-trigger flooding with almost no lead time. Watch for a possible extension or a new warning from NWS Twin Cities/Chanhassen if rain rates hold.
The demand window for restoration work opens as the water recedes: water-intrusion calls typically start within hours and keep coming for days as people discover damage — wet carpet that seemed fine, baseboards that wicked overnight, musty odors that surface Sunday. Contractors who follow up with Saturday-morning inspections in New Richland, Ellendale, and Minnesota Lake will find the work the overnight storm left behind.
Sources & how to verify
- NWS Flash Flood Warning FFSMPX — official alert text
- NWS Twin Cities/Chanhassen office
- weather.gov — enter your county or ZIP code for your local warnings
To verify for your own county or ZIP: go to weather.gov, enter your location, and check the alerts box at the top of your local forecast page — or visit your NWS office page directly.
This post is for informational purposes and is not an official weather warning. Always follow instructions from local authorities and the National Weather Service.
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