Lightning Strike Closes Split Rock Lighthouse
TWO HARBORS, Minn. (WCCO) -- The iconic Split Rock Lighthouse Visitor Center and Historic Site is closed Tuesday after a lightning strike during Monday's storms.
Staff reported that lightning struck a tree in the parking lot. That tree then struck a light pole.
"The current traveled back to the visitor center, affecting some of our systems internally," the site reported. "No one was injured in the strike and none of the historic buildings were damaged."
Officials hope to reopen the site to visitors by Wednesday.
Storms pulled through Minnesota in two rounds Monday, bringing with them large hail and strong wind gusts.
The southern end of Chisago County was hit the hardest, with downed power lines, uprooted trees and ripped-up sheds left in the storm's wake. Straight-line winds came through the northeastern lake towns of Center City, Shafer and Lindstrom at about 10:30 a.m., uprooting giant trees across the area.
Wednesday and Thursday bring with them the chance for more severe storms, WCCO's Lisa Meadows says. The storms may bring hail to parts of the state as early as Wednesday morning.
