A large, elongated area of low pressure developed over Wyoming on Saturday, December 13. The storm continued to develop and moved to Nebraska, and then to Rochester by the morning of December 14. By evening, the center of the low was over the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Widespread snow fell over the Dakotas, northern and central Minnesota. Blizzard warnings were posted from west central to northern to northeast Minnesota. I-94 was closed for a time from Alexandria to the North Dakota border, but was reopened at 8am December 15. Many places in central and northern Minnesota north of Mille Lacs had from 6 to 12 inches of snow. Some multi-day totals include Duluth with 9.9 inches, International Falls with 14.6 and Finland in Lake County reporting 15 inches. The Duluth National Weather Service posted a recap of the December 13-15 storm.
Temperatures took a steep plunge during the day on Sunday, December 14th. At the Twin Cities Airport, the thermometer read 38 degrees at 1pm, then took a nose dive and fell to 10 degrees six hours later, and to -3 by 1 am... a 41 degree drop in 12 hours. The largest one hour temperature drop in Minnesota found on December 14 was 23 degrees at Albert Lea. The temperature fell from 39 degrees at 11:13am to 16 degrees at 12:13pm. A quick burst of moderate to heavy snow moved through the Twin Cities between 9:00 and 11pm on December 14th and brought most of the snow measured at the Twin Cities Airport from this system.
Wind Chill Warnings were posted on Monday, December 15 for western and northern Minnesota and a Wind Chill Advisory for east central and southeast Minnesota. The most frigid windchill found on December 15 was -43 degrees at Thief River Falls at 1am. The coldest wind chill temperature in the Twin Cities was -33 at 4am December 15.
Below are Local Storm Reports and Public Information Statements courtesy the Chanhassen National Weather Service.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
947 AM CST MON DEC 15 2008
...TOTAL REPORTED SNOWFALL FOR DECEMBER 14TH - AM 15TH SNOWSTORM...
SNOW REPORTS LISTED BY AMOUNT
INCHES LOCATION ST COUNTY TIME
------ ----------------------- -- -------------- -------
14.00 HEWITT MN TODD 0630 PM
11.00 LITTLE FALLS MN MORRISON 0630 AM
9.40 7 S HILLMAN MN MORRISON 0647 AM
8.50 LITTLE FALLS MN MORRISON 0308 PM
7.00 STAPLES MN TODD 0508 PM
7.00 7 NNW OGILVIE MN KANABEC 0336 PM
5.00 GLENWOOD MN POPE 0837 PM
4.20 ST CLOUD MN STEARNS 0640 AM
3.80 MURDOCK MN SWIFT 0402 PM
GROUND BLIZZARD CONDITIONS
3.70 RUSH CITY MN CHISAGO 0543 AM
3.20 5 NW RICE LAKE MN WRIGHT 0519 AM
3.10 CHANHASSEN MN CARVER 0640 AM
RECORDED AT THE NWS FORECAST OFFICE.
3.00 RUSH CITY MN CHISAGO 0558 PM
2.60 WOODBURY MN WASHINGTON 0930 AM
2.50 ST PAUL MN RAMSEY 0711 AM
OCCURRED AT COMO PARK.
2.50 KIMBALL MN STEARNS 0635 AM
2.50 PRIOR LAKE MN SCOTT 0100 AM
2.50 BLOOMINGTON MN HENNEPIN 1105 PM
2.40 MINNEAPOLIS MN HENNEPIN 0640 AM
1.90 WACONIA MN CARVER 0812 AM
1.90 ST PAUL MN RAMSEY 0735 AM
OCCURRED IN HIGHLAND PARK.
1.50 WINTHROP MN SIBLEY 0527 AM
1.00 MORGAN MN REDWOOD 0812 AM
1.00 LITCHFIELD MN MEEKER 0543 AM
0.70 CLAYTON WI POLK 0702 PM
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
1251 PM CST MON DEC 15 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0930 AM NON-TSTM WND GST DULUTH 46.78N 92.12W
12/14/2008 M52.00 MPH ST. LOUIS MN AWOS
SKY HARBOR AIRPORT. SUSTAINED WINDS OVER 40 MPH FOR OVER
5 HOURS...GUSTS OVER 47 MPH FOR 6 HOURS FROM 930 AM TO
400 PM.
0950 AM NON-TSTM WND GST DULUTH 46.78N 92.12W
12/14/2008 M58.00 MPH ST. LOUIS MN TRAINED SPOTTER
MEASURED AT DULUTH AERIAL LIFT BRIDGE
1200 PM NON-TSTM WND GST DULUTH 46.78N 92.12W
12/14/2008 M53.00 MPH ST. LOUIS MN C-MAN STATION
DULM5 MEASURED GUST AT CANAL PARK.
0805 PM SNOW HACKENSACK 46.93N 94.52W
12/14/2008 M9.0 INCH CASS MN TRAINED SPOTTER
1200 AM SNOW BENNETT 46.45N 91.85W
12/15/2008 M8.0 INCH DOUGLAS WI TRAINED SPOTTER
1226 AM SNOW PROCTOR 46.74N 92.23W
12/15/2008 M11.0 INCH ST. LOUIS MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0100 AM SNOW 15 SSE MCGREGOR 46.41N 93.19W
12/15/2008 M10.0 INCH AITKIN MN TRAINED SPOTTER
STORM TOTAL
0442 AM SNOW 4 E PAYNE 47.09N 92.52W
12/15/2008 M10.0 INCH ST. LOUIS MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0450 AM SNOW GILE 46.43N 90.23W
12/15/2008 M10.0 INCH IRON WI TRAINED SPOTTER
4 INCHES FELL OVERNIGHT...10 INCHES TOTAL
0500 AM SNOW BRAINERD 46.35N 94.19W
12/15/2008 M8.0 INCH CROW WING MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0600 AM SNOW PEQUOT LAKES 46.60N 94.32W
12/15/2008 M8.0 INCH CROW WING MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0600 AM SNOW INTERNATIONAL FALLS 48.59N 93.41W
12/15/2008 M13.9 INCH KOOCHICHING MN OFFICIAL NWS OBS
0600 AM SNOW DULUTH 46.78N 92.12W
12/15/2008 M8.5 INCH ST. LOUIS MN NWS EMPLOYEE
WOODLAND
0600 AM SNOW DULUTH 46.78N 92.12W
12/15/2008 M9.3 INCH ST. LOUIS MN OFFICIAL NWS OBS
0605 AM SNOW 6 NE CLOVERLAND 46.74N 91.60W
12/15/2008 M6.0 INCH DOUGLAS WI TRAINED SPOTTER
0610 AM SNOW COOK 47.85N 92.69W
12/15/2008 M8.0 INCH ST. LOUIS MN CO-OP OBSERVER
0610 AM SNOW EMBARRASS 47.66N 92.20W
12/15/2008 M14.0 INCH ST. LOUIS MN CO-OP OBSERVER
3 INCHES EARLY SUNDAY MORNING...11 INCHES 6 AM SUNDAY TO
6 AM MONDAY
0630 AM SNOW SARONA 45.71N 91.81W
12/15/2008 M6.2 INCH WASHBURN WI TRAINED SPOTTER
0630 AM SNOW 4 N GRANTSBURG 45.84N 92.68W
12/15/2008 M6.5 INCH BURNETT WI TRAINED SPOTTER
0630 AM SNOW 3 SE ESKO 46.68N 92.32W
12/15/2008 M11.0 INCH CARLTON MN NWS EMPLOYEE
0700 AM SNOW LUTSEN 47.64N 90.71W
12/15/2008 M7.4 INCH COOK MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0700 AM SNOW CHISHOLM 47.49N 92.88W
12/15/2008 M11.5 INCH ST. LOUIS MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0700 AM SNOW UPSON 46.37N 90.41W
12/15/2008 M7.8 INCH IRON WI CO-OP OBSERVER
0700 AM SNOW HAYWARD 46.01N 91.48W
12/15/2008 E7.5 INCH SAWYER WI TRAINED SPOTTER
0700 AM SNOW MERCER 46.17N 90.06W
12/15/2008 M4.0 INCH IRON WI TRAINED SPOTTER
0700 AM SNOW MOOSE LAKE 46.45N 92.77W
12/15/2008 M8.0 INCH CARLTON MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0700 AM SNOW NORTHOME 47.87N 94.27W
12/15/2008 M8.2 INCH KOOCHICHING MN CO-OP OBSERVER
0700 AM SNOW 4 W WASHBURN 46.67N 90.98W
12/15/2008 M10.9 INCH BAYFIELD WI TRAINED SPOTTER
0700 AM SNOW 27 NNW GRAND MARAIS 48.12N 90.57W
12/15/2008 E9.5 INCH COOK MN TRAINED SPOTTER
LOON LAKE
0700 AM SNOW 3 E ORR 48.06N 92.76W
12/15/2008 M14.1 INCH ST. LOUIS MN CO-OP OBSERVER
0705 AM SNOW 15 N GRAND RAPIDS 47.45N 93.52W
12/15/2008 M12.0 INCH ITASCA MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0800 AM SNOW REMER 47.06N 93.91W
12/15/2008 M10.0 INCH CASS MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0800 AM SNOW SILVER BAY 47.29N 91.28W
12/15/2008 M7.8 INCH LAKE MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0800 AM SNOW GRAND RAPIDS 47.23N 93.52W
12/15/2008 M9.0 INCH ITASCA MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0800 AM SNOW 3 W FLOODWOOD 46.93N 92.98W
12/15/2008 M12.5 INCH ST. LOUIS MN CO-OP OBSERVER
0800 AM SNOW MAPLE 46.59N 91.72W
12/15/2008 M6.0 INCH DOUGLAS WI TRAINED SPOTTER
0800 AM SNOW GURNEY 46.47N 90.51W
12/15/2008 M8.0 INCH IRON WI CO-OP OBSERVER
0800 AM SNOW NISSWA 46.50N 94.30W
12/15/2008 M5.0 INCH CROW WING MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0800 AM SNOW WRENSHALL 46.62N 92.38W
12/15/2008 M8.5 INCH CARLTON MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0800 AM SNOW 1 E ISLAND LAKE 47.01N 92.17W
12/15/2008 M9.5 INCH ST. LOUIS MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0800 AM SNOW SAGINAW 46.86N 92.44W
12/15/2008 M9.7 INCH ST. LOUIS MN TRAINED SPOTTER
STORM TOTAL
0800 AM SNOW 8 N BAYFIELD 46.93N 90.82W
12/15/2008 M6.9 INCH BAYFIELD WI CO-OP OBSERVER
0800 AM SNOW MCKINLEY 47.51N 92.41W
12/15/2008 M15.0 INCH ST. LOUIS MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0800 AM SNOW 12 N ISLE 46.32N 93.46W
12/15/2008 M6.6 INCH AITKIN MN CO-OP OBSERVER
0804 AM SNOW 4 NNE ASKOV 46.24N 92.74W
12/15/2008 M15.5 INCH PINE MN TRAINED SPOTTER
STORM TOTAL.
0900 AM SNOW HERTEL 45.81N 92.18W
12/15/2008 M5.3 INCH BURNETT WI TRAINED SPOTTER
0900 AM SNOW 4 N WEBSTER 45.39N 97.52W
12/15/2008 M7.0 INCH DAY SD TRAINED SPOTTER
OAKLAND
0900 AM SNOW COZY CORNER 46.16N 92.24W
12/15/2008 M9.0 INCH DOUGLAS WI TRAINED SPOTTER
MIX OF SNOW...AND FREEZING RAIN
0900 AM SNOW 3 SE FINLAND 47.38N 91.20W
12/15/2008 M6.0 INCH LAKE MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0900 AM SNOW OULU 46.63N 91.53W
12/15/2008 E6.5 INCH BAYFIELD WI TRAINED SPOTTER
0900 AM SNOW 21 N GRAND MARAIS 48.06N 90.34W
12/15/2008 E11.0 INCH COOK MN TRAINED SPOTTER
GOLDEN EAGLE LODGE ON THE GUNFLINT TRAIL
0900 AM SNOW ISABELLA 47.62N 91.36W
12/15/2008 M15.0 INCH LAKE MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0900 AM SNOW 1 SW HINCKLEY 47.39N 92.96W
12/15/2008 M6.3 INCH ST. LOUIS MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0915 AM SNOW PALISADE 46.71N 93.49W
12/15/2008 M8.0 INCH AITKIN MN TRAINED SPOTTER
1000 AM SNOW 1 E RADISSON 45.77N 91.20W
12/15/2008 M8.0 INCH SAWYER WI TRAINED SPOTTER
SNOW THEN FREEZING RAIN THEN SNOW FOR THE EVENT
1000 AM SNOW ASKOV 46.19N 92.78W
12/15/2008 M11.6 INCH PINE MN TRAINED SPOTTER
1000 AM SNOW 7 S BIGFORK 47.65N 93.65W
12/15/2008 M14.0 INCH ITASCA MN TRAINED SPOTTER
1000 AM SNOW LORETTA 45.89N 90.85W
12/15/2008 M6.0 INCH SAWYER WI TRAINED SPOTTER
1000 AM SNOW BABBITT 47.65N 91.94W
12/15/2008 M14.5 INCH ST. LOUIS MN TRAINED SPOTTER
1000 AM SNOW 23 N TOFTE 47.89N 90.88W
12/15/2008 M12.0 INCH COOK MN TRAINED SPOTTER