A second heavy wet snowstorm affected Minnesota on March 21 with lighter snows through March 23. Friday March 21 was the main event. There was a sharp dividing line from the heavy snow to lighter accumulations. Chanhassen saw 9.7 inches on the 21st with the Twin Cities International Airport only seeing 3.9 inches. This was very heavy, moisture-laden snow. There was another burst of snow during the overnight hours of Friday night into Saturday morning with lingering flurries until March 23 (Easter). This was drier and fluffier snow. One of the higher multi day snowfall totals found was at Chanhassen with 12.6 inches.
Most of the snowstorms this past season have been tracking off to the south of Minnesota, just clipping the southern parts of the state. For this event, some of the drier spots in west central Minnesota finally saw some moisture. Places in Otter Tail County saw a half foot of snow with nearly a half inch of moisture.
The fresh blanket of snow cover insured that this would be the coldest Easter Sunday in recent memory. The high temperature in the Twin Cities was 32 degrees. The last time it was so cold on Easter Sunday in the Twin Cities was on March 30, 1975 when the high was 18 degrees. There was also an inch of snow that day and ten inches on the ground. In 2009, Easter will be on April 12.
below are some snowfall totals and cold Easter facts courtesy the National Weather Service
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 246 PM CDT MON MAR 24 2008 ...COLDEST EASTER SINCE 1975 AT BOTH LA CROSSE WISCONSIN AND ROCHESTER MINNESOTA... LA CROSSE WI... ON EASTER SUNDAY MARCH 23RD...THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE AT THE LA CROSSE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT WAS 28.5 DEGREES /HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 36 DEGREES AND A LOW TEMPERATURE OF 21 DEGREES/. THIS WAS THE COLDEST EASTER SINCE 1975 /MARCH 30TH/ WHEN THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS ONLY 16.0 DEGREES. THIS YEAR WAS THE TWELFTH COLDEST EASTER EVER RECORDED. THE COLDEST EASTER OCCURRED BACK IN 1894 /MARCH 25TH/ AND 1940 /MARCH 24TH/ WHEN THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS ONLY 11.0 DEGREES. ROCHESTER MN... ON EASTER SUNDAY MARCH 23RD...THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE AT THE ROCHESTER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WAS 26.5 DEGREES /HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 32 DEGREES AND A LOW TEMPERATURE OF 21 DEGREES/. THIS WAS THE COLDEST EASTER SINCE 1975 /MARCH 30TH/ WHEN THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS ONLY 13.0 DEGREES. THIS YEAR TIED 1907 FOR THE TENTH COLDEST EASTER EVER RECORDED. THE COLDEST EASTER OCCURRED BACK IN 1894 /MARCH 25TH/ WHEN THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE WAS ONLY 4.5 DEGREES. PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 1145 AM CDT SAT MAR 22 2008 ...24-HOUR SNOWFALL AMOUNTS ENDING AT 1100 AM TODAY... THE TOTALS BELOW ARE SEPARATED INTO SNOW...AND ICE AND SLEET CATEGORIES...THEN BY AMOUNT...AND ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE FINAL AMOUNT FOR EACH LOCATION. SNOW REPORTS LISTED BY AMOUNT INCHES LOCATION ST COUNTY TIME ------ ----------------------- -- -------------- ------- 6.90 CHANHASSEN MN CARVER 0700 AM 24-HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL 6.00 LITTLE FALLS MN MORRISON 0616 AM STORM TOTAL AMOUNT. 5.50 RICHFIELD MN HENNEPIN 1030 AM 2-DAY STORM TOTAL/1.5 INCHES OVERNIGHT ENDING AT 1030 TODAY. 5.50 PLYMOUTH MN HENNEPIN 0730 AM ESTIMATED 2-DAY SNOWFALL TOTAL/1.5 INCHES OVERNIGHT ENDING AT 0730 THIS MORNING. 5.00 SAUK RAPIDS MN BENTON 0800 AM 2-DAY SNOWFALL TOTAL 5.00 WILLMAR MN KANDIYOHI 0800 AM 24-HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL 4.90 FOREST LAKE MN WASHINGTON 0700 AM 24-HOUR SNOWFALL AMOUNT 4.50 SAUK CENTRE MN STEARNS 1000 AM 2-DAY SNOWFALL TOTAL 4.50 ANNANDALE MN WRIGHT 0900 AM 2-DAY SNOWFALL TOTAL 4.50 CARLOS MN DOUGLAS 0741 AM 24-HOUR SNOWFALL 4.40 MINNEAPOLIS MN HENNEPIN 0700 AM 24-HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL AT MINNEAPOLIS-ST PAUL AIRPORT 4.00 BLOOMER WI CHIPPEWA 0800 AM 24-HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL 4.00 STILLWATER MN WASHINGTON 0800 AM 24-HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL 4.00 1 N ALBANY MN STEARNS 0700 AM 24-HOUR SNOWFALL AMOUNT 3.60 EAU CLAIRE WI EAU CLAIRE 0700 AM 24-HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL 3.50 STANLEY WI CHIPPEWA 0830 AM 24-HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL 3.50 ST JOSEPH MN STEARNS 0800 AM 24-HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL 3.30 DASSEL MN MEEKER 0800 AM 24-HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL 3.10 ST CLOUD MN STEARNS 0700 AM 24-HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL 3.10 BUFFALO MN WRIGHT 0700 AM 24-HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL 2.90 MONTICELLO MN WRIGHT 0800 AM SNOWFALL AMOUNT SINCE MIDNIGHT 2.70 9 WNW MORA MN KANABEC 1052 AM 24-HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL 2.60 JIM FALLS WI CHIPPEWA 0630 AM 24-HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL 2.50 GILMAN MN BENTON 0900 AM 24-HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL 2.50 MORA MN KANABEC 0900 AM 24-HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL 2.50 CUSHING WI POLK 0800 AM 24-HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL 2.50 SPRING VALLEY WI PIERCE 0800 AM 24-HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL 2.50 RUSH CITY MN CHISAGO 0800 AM 24-HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL 2.30 NEW ULM MN BROWN 0800 AM 2-DAY SNOWFALL TOTAL 2.30 MILACA MN MILLE LACS 0800 AM 24-HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL 2.20 HAMMOND WI ST. CROIX 0700 AM 24-HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL 2.10 ST PAUL MN RAMSEY 0800 AM HIGHLAND PARK AREA - SNOWFALL SINCE MIDNIGHT. 2-DAY SNOWFALL TOTAL IS 6.5 INCHES. 2.00 LAKEVILLE MN DAKOTA 1100 AM NEW SNOWFALL AMOUNT SINCE MIDNIGHT. SNOW DEPTH IS 9 INCHES. 2.00 ANDOVER MN ANOKA 1000 AM 24-HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL 2.00 FRIDLEY MN ANOKA 0900 AM SNOWFALL SINCE MIDNIGHT 1.60 ROBERTS WI ST. CROIX 0800 AM 24-HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL 1.50 ST PAUL MN RAMSEY 0945 AM COMO LAKE AREA - SNOWFALL AMOUNT SINCE MIDNIGHT 1.50 8 S HILLMAN MN MORRISON 0700 AM 1.50 PRIOR LAKE MN SCOTT 0600 AM 0.50 SPRINGFIELD MN BROWN 0800 AM 24-HOUR SNOWFALL TOTAL $ PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI 958 AM CDT SAT MAR 22 2008 ...24 HOUR SNOWFALL TOTALS ACROSS THE AREA... LOCATION COUNTY SNOWFALL ...MINNESOTA... READS LANDING 1W WABASHA 7.9 THEILMAN 1SSW WABASHA 5.3 LAKE CITY-COOP WABASHA 4.8 DODGE CENTER DODGE 4.5 WINONA DAM 5A WINONA 4.0 MANTORVILLE DODGE 3.9 WABASHA WABASHA 3.7 ZUMBRO FALLS WABASHA 3.1 CALEDONIA HOUSTON 2.1 ROCHESTER INTL AP OLMSTED 2.1 ELGIN 2SSW OLMSTED 2.0 PRESTON FILLMORE 1.5 LANESBORO FILLMORE 1.3 ...WISCONSIN... MONROE CENTER ADAMS 7.5 WARRENS 5WSW MONROE 7.4 RICHLAND CENTER RICHLAND 6.9 FRIENDSHIP 10NE ADAMS 6.5 FRIENDSHIP ADAMS 6.3 MATHER 3NW JACKSON 6.1 BLAIR TREMPEALEAU 6.0 WEST SALEM 1NW LA CROSSE 6.0 NECEDAH 2SE JUNEAU 5.7 NEILLSVILLE 3SW CLARK 5.0 HOLMEN 2S LA CROSSE 5.5 LA CROSSE AP LA CROSSE 5.0 RICHLAND CENTER RICHLAND 5.0 WESTBY 3ENE VERNON 4.5 LA CROSSE WFO LA CROSSE 4.2 GALESVILLE 1S TREMPEALEAU 4.1 FOUR CORNERS MONROE 4.0 LA FARGE VERNON 3.5 SPARTA MONROE 3.5 BLACK RIVER FALLS JACKSON 3.1 VIROQUA VERNON 2.2 GAYS MILLS CRAWFORD 2.0 HILLSBORO VERNON 2.0 OWEN 2N CLARK 1.3 MEDFORD TAYLOR 1.0 STEUBEN 4SE CRAWFORD 1.0 CUBA CITY 2NW GRANT 0.1 OBSERVATIONS ARE COLLECTED FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES WITH VARYING EQUIPMENT AND EXPOSURE. NOT ALL DATA LISTED IS CONSIDERED OFFICIAL. PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND 300 PM CDT SAT MAR 22 2008 ...2-DAY SNOW FALL TOTALS... THE FOLLOWING ARE SNOW FALL TOTALS FOR THE PREVIOUS 2 DAYS AS MEASURED IN THE MORNING BY NWS COOPERATIVE OBSERVERS. OBSERVATIONS ARE USUALLY TAKEN AT 7 AM. SNOW FALL TOTALS... FROM 7 AM THURSDAY (03/20/08) TO 7 AM SATURDAY (03/22/08) SNOW LOCATION (COUNTY): FALL BIG PINE LAKE (OTTER TAIL)....................8.8 DALTON 3S (OTTER TAIL)........................6.6 EDMORE (RAMSEY)...............................1.0 FARGO AIRPORT (CASS)......................... 8.8 FORMAN (SARGENT)..............................6.5 GRAND FORKS AP (GRAND FORKS)..................3.0 GRAND FORKS NWS (GRAND FORKS).................2.4 HALSTAD (NORMAN)..............................4.5 HANSBORO (TOWNER).............................1.5 HAVANA (SARGENT)..............................3.7 LIDGERWOOD (RICHLAND).........................7.5 LANKIN 9SW (WALSH)............................1.0 LONG LOST LAKE (CLEARWATER)...................3.0 LANGDON EXP FARM (CAVALIER)...................1.4 MAYVILLE (TRAILL).............................2.5 NEW YORK MILLS (OTTER TAIL)...................6.5 PELICAN RAPIDS (OTTER TAIL)...................5.3 PHELPS MILL (OTTER TAIL)......................7.0 RED LAKE FALLS (RED LAKE).....................0.5 ROTHSAY (WILKIN)..............................4.5 SABIN (CLAY)..................................7.9 SEBEKA (WADENA)...............................5.5 STARKWEATHER (RAMSEY).........................0.5 WADENA (WADENA)...............................7.5 THE FOLLOWING ARE SNOW AMOUNTS FOR THE PREVIOUS 24-HOURS AS MEASURED IN THE MORNING BY NWS COOPERATIVE OBSERVERS. OBSERVATIONS ARE USUALLY TAKEN AT 7 AM. 24-HOUR SNOWFALL REPORTS: ***************** SATURDAY (03/22/08) ************** NORTH DAKOTA SNOW LOCATION (COUNTY): FALL (IN) FARGO AIRPORT (CASS)..........................4.4 GRAND FORKS AP (GRAND FORKS)..................2.8 GRAND FORKS NWS (GRAND FORKS).................2.1 COOPERSTOWN (GRIGGS)..........................1.8 MAYVILLE (TRAILL).............................1.6 LANGDON EXP FARM (CAVALIER)...................1.2 EDMORE (RAMSEY)...............................1.0 LANKIN 9SW (WALSH)............................1.0 CAVALIER (PEMBINA)............................0.5 FORMAN (SARGENT)..............................0.5 HANSBORO (TOWNER).............................0.5 LIDGERWOOD (RICHLAND).........................0.5 STARKWEATHER (RAMSEY).........................0.5 HAVANA (SARGENT)..............................0.2 PEMBINA (PEMBINA)...........................TRACE MINNESOTA SNOW LOCATION (COUNTY): FALL (IN) WADENA (WADENA)...............................5.5 NEW YORK MILLS (OTTER TAIL)...................5.0 SEBEKA (WADENA)...............................4.0 PHELPS MILL (OTTER TAIL)......................4.0 SABIN (CLAY)..................................3.7 PELICAN RAPIDS (OTTER TAIL)...................3.5 BIG PINE LAKE (OTTER TAIL)....................3.5 HALSTAD (NORMAN)..............................3.0 LONG LOST LAKE (CLEARWATER)...................3.0 ROTHSAY (WILKIN)..............................2.5 DALTON 3S (OTTER TAIL)........................2.3 VIKING (MARSHALL).............................2.0 ARGYLE (MARSHALL).............................1.5 BEMIDJI (BELTRAMI)............................0.5 RED LAKE FALLS (RED LAKE).....................0.5 ***************** FRIDAY (03/21/08) ************** NORTH DAKOTA SNOW LOCATION (COUNTY): FALL (IN) LIDGERWOOD (RICHLAND).........................7.0 FARGO DOWNTOWN (CASS).........................6.0 FORMAN (SARGENT)..............................6.0 LISBON (RANSOM)...............................6.0 MANTADOR W-W (RICHLAND).......................5.0 FARGO AIRPORT (CASS)..........................4.4 VALLEY CITY (BARNES)..........................4.0 COLGATE (STEELE)..............................3.7 HAVANA (SARGENT)..............................3.5 HANSBORO (TOWNER).............................1.0 MAYVILLE (TRAILL).............................0.9 GRAND FORKS NWS (GRAND FORKS).................0.3 GRAND FORKS AP (GRAND FORKS)..................0.2 LANGDON EXP FARM (CAVALIER)...................0.2 EDMORE (RAMSEY).............................TRACE LANKIN 9SW (WALSH)..........................TRACE STARKWEATHER (RAMSEY).......................TRACE MINNESOTA SNOW LOCATION (COUNTY): FALL (IN) BIG PINE LAKE (OTTER TAIL)....................5.0 DALTON 3S (OTTER TAIL)........................4.3 SABIN (CLAY)..................................4.2 PHELPS MILL (OTTER TAIL)......................3.0 ROTHSAY (WILKIN)..............................2.0 WADENA (WADENA)...............................2.0 PELICAN RAPIDS (OTTER TAIL)...................1.8 HALSTAD (NORMAN)..............................1.5 NEW YORK MILLS (OTTER TAIL)...................1.5 SEBEKA (WADENA)...............................1.5 LONG LOST LAKE (CLEARWATER).................TRACE RED LAKE FALLS (RED LAKE)...................TRACE && ...ALSO REMOVED SOME DUPLICATED DATA... $ EWENS PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN THE TOTALS BELOW ARE SEPARATED INTO SNOW...AND ICE AND SLEET CATEGORIES...THEN BY AMOUNT...AND ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE FINAL AMOUNT FOR EACH LOCATION. SNOW REPORTS LISTED BY AMOUNT INCHES LOCATION ST COUNTY TIME ------ ----------------------- -- -------------- ------- 3.30 WRENSHALL MN CARLTON 0900 AM 3.00 2 N DULUTH MN ST. LOUIS 1000 AM 2.50 5 N KNIFE RIVER MN LAKE 0900 AM 2.00 MOOSE LAKE MN CARLTON 1000 AM 2.00 WEST DULUTH MN ST. LOUIS 0830 AM 1.50 PALISADE MN AITKIN 1000 AM 1.50 1 W LUTSEN MN COOK 0700 AM 1.30 SILVER BAY MN LAKE 0800 AM 1.00 BEAVER BAY MN LAKE 0930 AM 0.80 DULUTH MN ST. LOUIS 0700 AM 0.50 5 S HERBSTER WI BAYFIELD 0800 AM PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN 119 PM CDT TUE MAR 18 2008 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. THE TOTALS BELOW ARE SEPARATED INTO SNOW...AND ICE AND SLEET CATEGORIES...THEN BY AMOUNT...AND ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE FINAL AMOUNT FOR EACH LOCATION. SNOW REPORTS LISTED BY AMOUNT INCHES LOCATION ST COUNTY TIME ------ ----------------------- -- -------------- ------- 6.00 EXELAND WI SAWYER 0700 AM 4.80 8 SW CLAM LAKE WI SAWYER 0700 AM 4.60 HAYWARD WI SAWYER 0600 AM 4.50 WRENSHALL MN CARLTON 0100 PM 4.50 PARK FALLS WI PRICE 0100 PM 4.50 20 NE PARK FALLS WI IRON 0900 AM 4.50 8 S HAYWARD WI SAWYER 0800 AM 4.50 GURNEY WI IRON 0600 AM SNOW DEPTH 4.5 4.30 4 S BRUNO MN PINE 0700 AM 4.30 SARONA WI WASHBURN 0600 AM SNOW DEPTH 12 INCHES 4.20 OULU WI BAYFIELD 0900 AM 4.00 2 N GRAND MARAIS MN COOK 0100 PM 4.00 TRADE LAKE WI BURNETT 0100 PM 4.00 MAPLE WI DOUGLAS 0900 AM 4.00 12 NNE DULUTH MN ST. LOUIS 0900 AM 4.00 GLIDDEN WI ASHLAND 0700 AM 3.80 5 NW WASHBURN WI BAYFIELD 0900 AM 3.70 DULUTH MN ST. LOUIS 0700 AM 3.50 4 N GRANTSBURG WI BURNETT 0800 AM 3.50 5 NW KNIFE RIVER MN ST. LOUIS 0800 AM 3.50 3 N PINE CITY MN PINE 0700 AM 3.50 3 W BUTTERNUT WI ASHLAND 0700 AM 3.20 1 W LUTSEN MN COOK 0600 AM 3.20 12 N ISLE MN AITKIN 0600 AM 3.00 5 WSW SOLON SPRINGS WI DOUGLAS 0100 PM 3.00 5 WSW SOLON SPRINGS WI DOUGLAS 0900 AM 3.00 SAGINAW MN ST. LOUIS 0900 AM 3.00 BEAVER BAY MN LAKE 0900 AM 3.00 10 S SUPERIOR WI DOUGLAS 0900 AM 3.00 MOOSE LAKE MN CARLTON 0800 AM 2.70 SILVER BAY MN LAKE 0600 AM 2.70 KERRICK MN PINE 0500 AM 2.50 4 SE FINLAND MN LAKE 0700 AM 2.50 3 W GRAND MARAIS MN COOK 0700 AM 2.50 5 S HERBSTER WI BAYFIELD 0600 AM 2.50 LITTLE MARAIS MN LAKE 0600 AM 2.00 ISLAND LAKE MN ST. LOUIS 0100 PM .21 SNOW WATER EQUIVALENT. SNOW DEPTH 19 IN. 1.90 7 NW TWO HARBORS MN LAKE 0700 AM SNOW DEPTH 20 INCHES 1.50 4 W WENTWORTH WI DOUGLAS 0900 AM 1.50 GILE WI IRON 0600 AM AT 0500 AM MODERATE SNOW STILL FALLING 1.30 15 N GRAND RAPIDS MN ITASCA 0700 AM 1.10 INTERNATIONAL FALLS MN KOOCHICHING 0100 PM 1.00 3 NE NISSWA MN CROW WING 0800 AM 1.00 EMBARRASS MN ST. LOUIS 0700 AM