Fri, July 17 – Sun, August 2 M O N 20 🌑 27 🌓 Farm & Fleet | 9-10:30 | Peach, Pecan & Blueberry Sale T U E 21 CVCA Heyde Center | 5-8PM | Jonah Lesky & Live Great Food Leinie’s Lodge | 5-7:30PM | Bike with Leinie’s 28 CVCA Heyde Center | 5-8PM | Parker Reed & Live Great Food Leinie’s Lodge | 5-7:30PM | Bike with Leinie’s Lilydale Dance Hall | 6:30-9PM | Country Line Dancing W E D 22 29  T H U 23 Allen Park | 12-6PM | Chippewa Falls Farmers Market Bye The Willow | 3-6PM | Charcoal Chicken Dinner 30 Allen Park | 12-6PM | Chippewa Falls Farmers Market F R I 24 🌒 CCEDC | 9-11AM $10 | Coffee Talk with ReforMedicine 31🌔 S A T 25 O’Neil Creek Campground | 7PM | Live Music by Last Open Road Autumn Harvest | 11-6PM | Customer Appreciation Day- Music by Irie Sol | Food by Consuming Fire & SmokeStream Chippewa Fairgrounds | 9PM | Encore Drive-In Night River Bend Winery | 11-4:30 Black Diamond Wine Release Niblett’s Apple Shed | 8-5 | Flea Market The Snout | Amvet Riders Fundraiser 1 Joel’s 4Corners | 6PM | Live Music by Tantric Sheeley House | 3-6PM | Live Music by Sean Jordan S U N 26 Riverfront Park | 4:30-6PM | Family Dance Party Bye The Willow | 1-3PM | Meet Local Artist Jenn Lightell River Bend Winery | 11-4:30 | Live Great Food Niblett’s Apple Shed | 8-5 | Flea Market 2 Riverfront Park | 4:30-6PM | Family Dance Party

NOAA weather radio in Chanhassen issued an alert for severe weather in Dunn County with a tornado warning for Chippewa County until 7:45PM. Northern Chippewa Falls was under partial clouds until near 8 when threatening clouds brought more precipitation to add to the 1/2″ from earlier. At 8:20 the warning was extended until 9.

Update: at 8:54PM WEAU reported a second touchdown near Lafayette moving east. Tornado warning extended until 9:45.

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At about 4AM a thunderstorm passed directly over Northside Chippewa Falls. A check of the rain gauge showed 1/2″ of rain later that morning.

After humidity upwards of 80% during the day more storms threatened in the evening without much relief from the swelter.

Weather radio out of Chanhassen, MN reported a tornado in Pierce County near Prescott at 10:07PM and warned of possible hail near the Minnesota border as well as severe thunderstorms north of Rice Lake.

Meanwhile, back in Chippewa Falls, the rain came after 11PM bringing more comfortable conditions.

Update: The next morning’s reading was 7/10″ of rain.

You might hear their whoop in the distance or read about them in Aldo Leopold’s writings, but sometimes you are lucky enough to spot sandhill cranes out in the open, like these two local residents off of County Hwy P in Lake Hallie.

Canadian National runs the Intermodal rail that passes through Chippewa Falls. It is rare to spot a train crossing the Soo Line Bridge, which was built in 1917. This one headed South across the river and turned East, perhaps towards Sault Ste Marie at the Michigan and Ontario border.

The full route map is on cn.ca. Photos Copyright 2020, Chris Spaeth. Creative Commons, BY-NC-SA.

Chippewa residents experienced heavy rain early morning, then lighter conditions until after two when another cloudburst and thunder began.

Update: Wednesday morning, the rain gauge had totaled 1 1/2″ for Tuesday.

Photos Copyright 2020, Chris Spaeth. Creative Commons BY-NC-SA.

While motor vehicles are still blocked from using Park Avenue, pedestrians are beginning to enjoy the new paved trail. A trail has connected Eau Claire to Hallie for years, but it stopped at Spickler’s Auto Salvage. Recent work has extended that trail all the way through Park Avenue, creating a connection all the way to Lake Wissota area trails and beyond.

Workers laid down cones this morning on Main Street. Expect detours if you travel in Frenchtown as roadwork proceeds.