During the overnight hours of Tuesday, July 3rd, a persistent line of storms, with rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour, moved very little from Marshall to Redwood Falls, Olivia, then southward to Tracy, Lamberton, and Springfield, Minnesota. The heaviest rainfall held over the Redwood, and Cottonwood river basin for several hours. Several of the flash flooding parameters, including flash flood guidance, and return period for a 6 hour rainfall event, were extreme. The suggested return period for such an event in six hours was well over 200 years.
Over 50 township and country roads were affected by the flood waters. Due to the numerous county roads and bridges that were impassable, the national guard was called in to help those who were isolated due to flood waters.
By the time the rainfall tapered off Tuesday morning, rainfall amounts ranged from a measured high of 10.50 inches near Wabasso, to several measured amounts of 5 to 9 inches from Belview and Delhi, south and southwest to Redwood Falls, Lucan, to around Walnut Grove, and Lamberton.
In addition to the flash flooding that inundated the area,  the heavy rains that fell on July 3 caused major flooding on rivers in southwest Minnesota. The Cottonwood River at New Ulm had its second highest crest of record, with 19.64 feet on July 6th. The record crest there is 20.86 feet set on April 8, 1965. The Redwood River at Marshall set a record crest of 17.41 feet on July 3, breaking the old record of 17.09 feet from September 25, 2010. There was extensive flooding in Redwood county with basements flooding and water closing roads. Tracy, Lamberton and Springfield were some of the hardest hit towns due to road closures and detours from flooded farmland.
Another unfortunate cause from the flooding was an apparent drowning. An individual's car was found completely underwater in a ditch in Hector Township. The vehicle was unoccupied when it was pulled from the water. The body from the vehicle was found two days later in a ditch upstream from the location of the car.
Governor Dayton declared an emergency for several counties hit by this storm, and storms from the previous month including; Blue Earth, Brown, Faribault, Freeborn, Martin, Mille Lacs, Nicollet, Redwood, Renville, Sibley, Stearns, Stevens, Waseca and Watonwan counties.

Flash Flood in REDWOOD, MINNESOTA
From 03-JUL-18 05:00:00 to 03-JUL-18 12:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: DELHI
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 500.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Numerous reports of flash flooding occurred across Redwood County from Belview in the far north, to Walnut Grove and Lamberton in the far south. The town of Wabasso had so much water that baseball fields were covered in a few inches of water. Over 50 township and county roads were impassable during the height of the flood waters. Once the flash flooding part of the storm abated, river flooding took over with river cresting to near or record levels.

Flash Flood in RENVILLE, MINNESOTA
From 03-JUL-18 05:00:00 to 03-JUL-18 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: BECHYN
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 250.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Several rounds of very heavy rainfall caused flash flooding to occur in Renville county. The worst areas were in the southern and central 1/3 of the county.  Over 50 township and county roads affected.  The most concentrated area was south of Highway 4, between County Road 6 and U.S. Highway 71.

Flood in REDWOOD, MINNESOTA
From 03-JUL-18 12:00:00 to 05-JUL-18 12:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: BELVIEW
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

Southwest Minnesota received significant rainfall during the morning of Tuesday, July 3rd. Runoff from the excessive rainfall caused widespread flooding throughout the county. Several roads closed for a long period of time due to the flood waters. These roads include Highway 19 at the intersection of County Road 5 and Highway 14 from Tracy to Walnut Grove and Springfield.
A 16-year-old driver in southwestern Minnesota had to climb out his car���s back window after heavy rains washed out the road and he drove into a sinkhole. The Renville County Sheriff���s Office said the sinkhole was formed after a culvert beneath the township road was washed out.

Flood in BROWN, MINNESOTA
From 03-JUL-18 12:00:00 to 05-JUL-18 12:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: SPRINGFIELD
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 385.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

The excessive rainfall across Redwood County continued to flow into Brown County, especially along the Cottonwood River. There were numerous county roads along this river that were impassable during the height of the flooding. Residents of an apartment complex in Springfield, Minnesota were evacuated because of flooding along the Cottonwood River. The same scenario occur in New Ulm, Minnesota where another apartment complex was evacuated.

Flood in RENVILLE, MINNESOTA
From 03-JUL-18 12:00:00 to 05-JUL-18 12:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: FRANKLIN
Flood cause: Heavy Rain
Property damage: 375.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Emergency Manager

Flood waters slowly receded from excessive rainfall that occurred Tuesday morning. Numerous roads were impacted by the flood waters, especially south of Highway 212. An individual was found in a water-swollen drainage ditch, two days after his car was discovered submerged a mile upstream.

Heavy Rain in REDWOOD, MINNESOTA
From 02-JUL-18 04:30:00 to 03-JUL-18 04:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: REDWOOD FALLS
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

A measured rainfall report of 5.21 inches fell west of Redwood Falls in 24 hours.

Heavy Rain in REDWOOD, MINNESOTA
From 02-JUL-18 04:45:00 to 03-JUL-18 04:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: LUCAN
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: CoCoRaHS

A measured rainfall report of 4.55 inches fell west of Lucan in 24 hours.

Heavy Rain in REDWOOD, MINNESOTA
From 02-JUL-18 06:00:00 to 03-JUL-18 06:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: REDWOOD FALLS ARPT
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

A measured rainfall report of 5.25 inches fell northwest of Redwood Falls in 24 hours.

Heavy Rain in RENVILLE, MINNESOTA
From 02-JUL-18 07:00:00 to 03-JUL-18 07:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: BECHYN
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: CoCoRaHS

A measured rainfall report of 4.32 inches fell west of Bechyn in 24 hours.

Heavy Rain in REDWOOD, MINNESOTA
From 02-JUL-18 08:00:00 to 03-JUL-18 08:00:00 (CST-6)
Location: REDWOOD FALLS ARPT
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

A measured rainfall report of 4.06 inches fell at the Redwood Falls airport in 24 hours.

Heavy Rain in REDWOOD, MINNESOTA
From 02-JUL-18 04:30:00 to 03-JUL-18 14:30:00 (CST-6)
Location: REDWOOD FALLS
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

A measured rainfall report of 8.20 inches fell west of Redwood Falls in 24 hours.

Heavy Rain in RENVILLE, MINNESOTA
From 02-JUL-18 04:45:00 to 03-JUL-18 14:45:00 (CST-6)
Location: MORTON
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

A measured rainfall report of 5.59 inches fell west of Morton in 24 hours.