Early Friday morning, showers and thunderstorms brought some much-needed rain to far northern Minnesota.
It was a bit of a good news, bad news situation. The rain was much needed, though it’s still unclear if it will help with firefighting efforts. Unfortunately, thunderstorms also rolled through, bringing up to 13,000 lightning strikes in the fire zones early Friday morning.
Reports mentioned that up to five trees toppled across the Echo Trail within just half an hour before the rain started early Friday morning.
Rainfall reports from Friday, July 17, 2026, ending around 10 AM
Bigfork, MN: 0.96″
International Falls, MN: 0.81″
Orr, MN: 0.74″
Cook, MN: 0.64″
Grand Marais, MN: 0.54″
Northome, MN: 0.44″
Ely, MN: 0.41″
Hibbing, MN: 0.18″
Aurora, MN: 0.18″
Eveleth, MN: 0.11″
Grand Rapids, MN: 0.02″
Note: 0.64 inches of rain fell in Buyck, Minnesota which is west of Lake Jeanette State Forest where the Sioux Fire continues to burn which is now up to 10,838 acres as of the latest report from early Friday afternoon.
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