Residents of several counties south of the twin cities are cleaning up late Thursday after heavy storms, including possible tornadoes, damaged structures and power lines and felled trees.

In the metropolitan area, heavy rains flooded streets and streams during the windy deluge that swept east through the metropolitan area and other parts of southern Minnesota.

Several homes and businesses were damaged in the Cannon Falls Barracks, where trees and power lines continued to block the streets and the school was closed Friday.

The school was also interrupted at Waterville-Elysian-Morristown, while classes were delayed by two hours in Medford, Faribault and Northfield due to severe storms experienced by these communities.

Four tornadoes have been reported in southern Minnesota, including near Waterville, Medford, Northfield and just south of Randolph. Tornadoes or strong winds destroyed the Red Barn Pizza Place in Northfield and caused significant damage to Stanton Airport, 4 miles south of Randolph in Goodhue County, according to storm reports from the National Weather Service.

In parts of southeastern Minnesota, up to 4 inches of rain fell in a short time, according to the Chanhassen National Weather Service, which was scheduled to check for total precipitation on Friday morning. He also announced that he would send several storm survey teams on Friday to determine the locations and strengths of the tornadoes associated with the storms.

City residents and rural residents of Rice, Dodge, Faribault and Goodhue counties have been working to assess the damage caused by searchlights and flashlights after the weather calms down after dark. night.

A teller in the Rice County Sheriff's Office said "significant" damage had been reported. "Big trees are falling, damage to propane tanks, damage to homes, minor injuries," he said.

Several small planes parked at the Faribault Municipal Airport were damaged by high winds, he added. In the small town of Morristown, a curfew was put in place until Friday 6:30 am, no one was allowed out of their homes and residents could only enter the city. .

Benjamin Percy, a writer living in Northfield, posted on his Facebook page that his neighborhood was "undermined" by an apparent tornado. "Countless trees [are] downstairs, including the one that impaled our roof, "he wrote. "No power, two days of bucking in front of us, I hope my fellow Northfielders are doing well.

In Goodhue County, first responders warned motorists to avoid the town of Cannon Falls because of the fall of power lines.

Tornadoes have been reported in Faribault and Waterville, Minnesota, and Ellsworth, Wisconsin.

Earlier in the evening, Martin County, in extreme southeastern central Minnesota, also reported significant damage from storms.

The houses were surrounded by debris in small towns like Granada, Minnesota, where all roads were closed for 24 hours, except for local traffic. A makeshift shelter in the school gym has accommodated displaced residents and the Red Cross has distributed supplies. Fairmont owners nearby have been warned to prepare for extended power outages.

The streets of the metropolitan area are flooding

In the metropolitan area, heavy rains fell throughout the afternoon and evening, slowing traffic on the streets and flooding the streets.

Residents posted social photos of families wading and paddling on the streets, including at the intersection of 39th Street and Longfellow Avenue, near Sibley Park.

In the northwest subway, highway. 100 was slow due to huge puddles and the ramp from south to south to County Road 81 was closed. Lake Drive, which runs east from west through Robbinsdale, has been heavily flooded.

Xcel Energy has reported numerous blackouts across twin cities and storm-hit cities in the south.

Heavy rains also affected the northern subway and beyond. In Chisago County, floods have closed Hwy. 95 to Chisago Street, among other roads to Taylors Falls, according to the sheriff's office and MnDOT.

Clouds and storms are expected to clear Friday, with clear skies and cool temperatures. After a windy summit of 56 degrees Friday, the sun will remain outside on Saturday with a high of 64 degrees and Sunday with a peak of almost 70 degrees.

The next chance of rain is Monday, with a high of 71 degrees, the Weather Service said.

Staff editors Aaron Lavinsky and Pamela Miller contributed to this report.