(FOX 9) – Some Minnesota state parks in southern Minnesota have been closed due to flooding ahead of the Fourth of July weekend.

Flooding impacts state parks, trails

What we know:

According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), two Minnesota state parks are closed after heavy rains brought flooding to the southeastern part of the state. 

Beaver Creek Valley State Park is currently closed due to floodwaters obstructing park roads and a damaged bridge. 

At Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park, the Mystery Cave Unit is closed, and cave tours are canceled. The Forestville side of the park and its campgrounds are not affected by flooding and are currently open. 

The DNR advises no travel on the Root River State Trail due to flooding causing washouts and mudslides. The damage hasn’t been fully assessed, and visitors are asked to check for posted safety signs. 

All trails in Snake Creek and Trout Valley Recreation Areas in the Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest are closed. 

For more information, click here. 

What we don’t know:

It is not known when the parks and trails will open again. 

(FOX 9) – Not much will change for Minnesota weather-wise the next couple of days as we’ll have heat, steam and some occasional thunderstorms around. 

Thursday’s forecast in Minnesota 

The forecast:

There will be plenty of heat across central Minnesota Thursday with highs on either side of 90 in most cases.

Temperatures will be a little cooler to the south and south-east with isolated storm chances that will take us through Thursday afternoon and Thursday night, and a better opportunity for some widespread thunderstorms rolling out of the Dakotas into western and central Minnesota overnight.

Storm chances overnight Thursday

What we know:

Severe weather outlook for Minnesota on Thursday, July 2, 2026. 

Clusters of storms will be found across parts of the Upper Midwest on Thursday. The main severe threat for the Twin Cities metro will be late Thursday evening and overnight.

There are several zones of storms across the region on Thursday.

One of those will be in northern Iowa and southeastern Minnesota with isolated to widely scattered storms possible throughout the day as a frontal boundary remains rooted in the area.

The overall strength of these storms will be conditional on how much of a break can occur between rounds of storms, allowing the atmosphere to “recharge”. The best chances for some isolated severe storms will still be late afternoon and the early evening.

The second batch to watch will be late Thursday evening and overnight. Storms are likely to develop in the Dakotas Thursday afternoon and roll into western Minnesota Thursday evening. These are the storms that could affect a lot of the area, including the metro. If these storms can form into a strong enough line, widespread straight-line winds will be possible.

If it’s more clustered, then isolated gusty winds and large hail will be the main threats. 

Extended Minnesota forecast

What’s next:

Thunderstorm chances will linger overnight into the first part of Friday. They will kick out on Friday afternoon and then may do it all over again late Friday night into the first part of Saturday. 

On Friday, there will be highs in the middle 80s, give or take, across the state, going for a high of 86 in the Twin Cities metro. Now there is an overnight thunderstorm chance from Friday night into early Saturday.

The rest of your Fourth of July will be quiet with maybe an isolated stray storm possible Saturday night, and then a little less humid after that. Next week, expect highs to remain in the mid to upper 80s.  

LUVERNE, Minn. (FOX 9) – There’s a new giant in town, and it’s turning heads and bringing the world to Luverne.

Luverne unveils a record-breaking nutcracker statue to attract visitors

What we know:

Towering 65 feet above a rock shop near the edge of town, Luverne’s new nutcracker statue is believed to be the tallest in the world—almost twice as tall as the current record holder. 

“We know he’s the tallest because he is almost twice as tall as the current world record holder,” said Katie Walgrave, who designed the statue.

The nutcracker was finished a couple of weeks ago and has already drawn visitors from as far as Wales and China. 

“This week we’ve had people from Wales. We had people from China last week,” said Walgrave.

The statue sits just a block from the interstate, with the goal of enticing travelers to stop and explore Luverne instead of driving past on I-90. 

“We’ve just needed something to pull people off the interstate before they get to Sioux Falls or something like that. It’s basically we’re trying to mine the interstate,” said Vance Walgrave, owner of Those Blasted Things.

Since the nutcracker’s arrival, local businesses have seen a surge in visitors. 

“The people coming in here were double and triple the amount of people. Just overnight, all of a sudden, we were going, did we create a monster?” said Vance Walgrave.

‘If you build it, they will come’

The backstory:

The idea for the giant nutcracker came after city leaders wanted a new attraction, something even more unique than the area’s previous claim to fame — a herd of bison at Blue Mounds State Park. A marketing consultant suggested something that would truly stand out.

Betty Mann, who has the second-largest collection of nutcrackers in the United States, played a big role in inspiring the project. Mann has collected over 7,000 nutcrackers since 2001, enough to fill two rooms at the Rock County Historical Society and outnumber the residents of Luverne. 

“I bought my first nutcracker in 2001, and if you’d have told me then that this was all going to happen, I would have told you, ‘You’re crazy,’ because I had no clue. This just exploded, and there was really nothing I could do to stop it,” said Mann.

Mann donated her collection to the historical society, and she hopes the new statue will bring even more people to see what Luverne has to offer. 

“It brings people to Laverne to see what we have. And then you’ll see all the good things that we have in our museum here. And that was my intent,” said Mann.

The city is planning an official ribbon cutting for the nutcracker in a couple of weeks. Anyone who donates $20 to the statue maintenance fund will get a chance to name the new resident. 

“I’ve been hearing nutty a lot, but we’ll see,” said Vance Walgrave.

For many in Luverne, the nutcracker is more than just a statue — it’s a symbol of community pride and a way to put the town on the map. 

“Anytime you see something weirdly big or weirdly small, we’re going to be interested in it. So if we can have something weirdly big that brings people off of the interstate and off of the highway and from all over the world, we are going to do it,” said Katie Walgrave.

The nutcracker joins other Minnesota record-holders, such as the largest ice maze and the tallest family, adding to the state’s reputation for quirky, oversized attractions.

Local perspective:

Residents are excited to see their town getting attention for something so unique. 

“I just love that we’re doing something big for the community that everybody can benefit from,” said Katie Walgrave.

The nutcracker has already made an impact, with local shops and museums reporting more visitors and a renewed sense of excitement around town. 

“Oh, they’re just kind of whimsical. There’s really nothing much to like about them. It just, some of them are kind of goofy looking and some of the are really a work of art,” said Mann.

‘It’s just the visual effect of it’

Why you should care:

Luverne’s giant nutcracker is not just a roadside oddity — it’s a new reason for travelers to stop, explore, and support a small Minnesota community. The project shows how creativity and a bit of whimsy can help put a town on the map and bring people together.

The upcoming ribbon cutting and naming contest offer a chance for everyone to get involved, whether they’re locals or visitors just passing through.