Recalling the 1987 Historic Flooding That Hit Shakopee

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Twenty-five years ago, the largest flash flood in Twin Cities history took place with nearly 10 inches of rain recorded in Shakopee.

The path of the flash flood began northwest of Lake Minnetonka extending southeast through Shakopee to near Rosemount, according to a report from the State Climatology Office. The greatest amount shown in the report was 9 inches at what is now . The area covered by 6 inches or more was 140 square miles while the area of 4 inches or more was 470 square miles, the report said.

This storm is special to local weather enthusiast Ryan Schwartz as it is one of the earliest significant events he is old enough to remember, Schwartz wrote on his blog recently.

He was 7 at the time, watching his Dad play softball that evening at Dred Scott Playfield in Bloomington. As the game progressed, the skies off to the north and west turned an eerie green, and the outdoor sirens sounded soon after.

"Seeing images on television of streets turning into rivers, and no one being able to venture out anywhere was something I will never forget," he wrote. "This was my first experience riding out a severe storm locally, and it peaked my curiosity into weather!"

Value of the damage was estimated at $27 million. This storm was voted the eighth most significant weather event in the state of Minnesota during the 20th century, Schwartz wrote.