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Experts: Weekend Rains Deliver Minn. From Winter Dry Spell

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Chanhassen say the weekend storms have probably eliminated the drought in many areas of the state due to an unusually dry winter, which threatened lake levels and crop irrigation.

"It is four inches of rain as of right now and other sections of the drought area picked up as many as five inches of rain since the month of May began, and this is just a tremendous amount of moisture," says meteorologist Tony Zalesky.

The heaviest downpours occurred between 1 a.m. and 2:30 a.m. Sunday morning, and Zalesky was quite surprised that there was no significant flooding, even in the flood prone southwestern portion of Minnesota.

"The only area were we expected some flooding was in the south western part of the state, Regula County but they have not given us indication of any flooding at all. We did have some minor street flooding in portions of the metro early today, (Sunday) but nothing else," Zalesky said.

Minimal flooding is very good news, since it means at least in the short term, the earth is absorbing the rainfall and it is precipitation that can really be counted on to offset the drought, with minimal run-off.

"The drought could actually be over in some places of Minnesota, since right here in Chanhassen we are now four inches above normal for the year at this time," says Zalesky.

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