Twin Cities storm: 25K lost power as damaging severe thunderstorm tore through metro

ROSEVILLE, Minn. (FOX 9) - Storm damage from Wednesday morning’s severe weather has left some Twin Cities homes at risk for more trouble if rain returns soon.

Storm cleanup, roof repairs underway after overnight damage

What we know:

A 40- to 50-foot branch broke off a tree around 3:15 a.m. and crashed onto a Roseville garage, roof and fence, causing significant property damage but no injuries. The homeowner had to buy a tarp to protect against more rain and possible flooding.

Neighbors described the storm as loud and intense, with winds strong enough to shake homes and bring down large limbs.

Lily Williamson said, "Came out to look for my cat and as I was looking for her, I heard a huge bang and the sheetrock in our garage came down."

She added, "When it came down, she said she felt a rumble like almost like an earthquake because it hit so hard. But my neighbor also said the same thing and she was sleeping upstairs in her bedroom and my daughter's in the basement. So it was kind of shook, shook both of our places."

Lexington Avenue trees down

Yards along the Lexington Avenue corridor in Ramsey County were covered in downed tree limbs, with fences and power lines damaged. Crews worked throughout the day to remove debris and restore power, but repairs for some homeowners could be costly.

By the numbers:

More than 25,000 Xcel Energy customers lost power by 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. By 4 p.m., that number had dropped to about 3,500 as crews worked to restore service. Power never went out for Williamson, but her neighbors across the street experienced outages.

Williamson said, "Nobody was hurt. No pets were hurt. It's literally property damage, which we can fix."

The backstory:

The severe thunderstorm moved through the Metro area early Wednesday, bringing strong winds and heavy rain. The damage was especially noticeable in Roseville, where large branches and trees fell on homes and power lines. Residents spent the day cleaning up and making temporary repairs to prevent further problems if more rain arrives.

Many people are still dealing with the aftermath, trying to keep their homes safe until permanent repairs can be made.

What we don’t know: It is not yet clear how many homes in Roseville remain vulnerable to flooding or if more storms are expected Wednesday night. The total cost of repairs and the timeline for full power restoration have not been confirmed.

The Source: FOX 9’s Corin Hoggard reported live from Roseville and spoke with residents for this story.