MINOT, N.D. (AP) - A downpour stalled vehicles and left roads and underpasses in this city flooded, forcing police to put up barricades to protect drivers.

The National Weather Service said Minot had 1.7 inches of rain at 7 p.m., Tuesday, most of it in a one-hour span at mid-afternoon.

Police had a report of youngsters water skiing behind a vehicle. They were never caught, but police said they did send six who were swimming in the deep water on their way.

Tuesday's rainstorm struck suddenly in the Garrison area. Boats that had launched from Fort Stevenson made a quick run for the boat ramp in the hopes of avoiding lightning strikes and heavy rainfall. In a matter of minutes, the sky turned so dark that vehicles had their headlights on at mid-afternoon.

The deluge, accompanied by brilliant flashes of lightning and window-rattling thunder, sent Garrison residents scurrying for shelter. Power was knocked out for a time on part of Garrison's Main Street, which was also running curb deep with water.

Debbie Reinarts, an employee at Garrison Super Value, watched the storm from her workplace. "I was told we got over three inches of rain in less than an hour," she said. "The lightning was really close at times. Our store manager said he saw a ball of fire in the parking lot."

There were no immediate reports of damage Tuesday after tornado and funnel cloud reports in the Max and Sawyer areas.

On Monday, however, residents in the Williston region reported twisters and funnel clouds, and some damage.

"This funnel cloud was just spinning … A big bunch of dirt was coming from the northeast," said Mervin Haugen, who lives near Alamo. "It looked pretty close. This roof just came up in the air. It took my neighbor's granary roof right off."

His neighbor, Loring Johnson, had taken shelter.

"I thought I saw a funnel cloud right above me. There was a bunch of dirt coming and I went into my basement," he said.

Johnson had been using the old granary for storage. No other buildings on his farm were damaged.