A potent winter storm brought snow and cold across Minnesota in a west to east fashion on Saturday, December 20. The main accumulating snow event lasted about 12 hours, with blowing and drifting snow lasting until December 21. This storm dropped a wide swath of snow across much of Minnesota, with many places reporting 2 to 5 inches of snow. Visibility was reduced to about a half a mile in falling snow, with visibilities lower in open terrain. The highest snowfall reported was 7.6 inches at Preston in Fillmore County. Fairmont in Martin County and Red Wing in Goodhue County both reported 7 inches. The total amount at the Twin Cities International Airport was 3.6 inches. Maplewood had 4.8 inches. This is the third snow event in a row in the Twin Cities where the snow was comprised of mostly relatively small flakes.
A sharp cold front associated with this storm swept across the state during the day on Saturday. This front reached the Twin Cities between 3 and 4 in the afternoon. The temperature dropped 11 degrees in an hour from 20 degrees at 3pm to 9 degrees at 4pm and the winds switched from calm at 3pm to westerly at 17mph with gusts to 26mph an hour later. There was also a small burst of heavier snow with this frontal passage, dropping visibilities briefly to a half mile. By midnight the temperature was -10 at the Twin Cities International Airport.
Some blowing and drifting snow, along with bitterly cold windchills dominated the state on Sunday, December 22. Much of Minnesota now has a significant snow cover, much deeper than historical averages for the third week of December.
Below are Public Information Statements on the storm from the National Weather Service.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
349 PM CST SUN DEC 21 2008
...STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL FROM SATURDAYS WINTER STORM...
SNOW REPORTS LISTED BY AMOUNT
INCHES LOCATION ST COUNTY TIME
------ ----------------------- -- -------------- -------
7.00 FAIRMONT MN MARTIN 0707 AM
7.00 RED WING MN GOODHUE 0658 AM
6.80 2 SE NEW ULM MN BROWN 0800 AM
6.40 WOODBURY MN WASHINGTON 0900 AM
6.40 CHASKA MN CARVER 0800 AM
6.10 LESTER PRAIRIE MN MCLEOD 0900 AM
6.00 MELROSE MN STEARNS 0816 AM
6.00 BALDWIN WI ST. CROIX 0739 AM
6.00 4 E ELLSWORTH WI PIERCE 0708 AM
6.00 MORGAN MN REDWOOD 0658 AM
6.00 LITTLE FALLS MN MORRISON 0658 AM
5.50 7 NNW OGILVIE MN KANABEC 1250 PM
5.50 REDWOOD FALLS MN REDWOOD 0800 AM
5.50 WACONIA MN CARVER 0739 AM
5.50 MANKATO MN BLUE EARTH 0708 AM
5.40 HAMBURG MN CARVER 0800 AM
5.30 LONG PRAIRIE MN TODD 0658 AM
5.00 DURAND WI PEPIN 0100 PM
5.00 BROWNTON MN MCLEOD 1100 AM
5.00 4 E OWATONNA MN STEELE 0816 AM
5.00 1 SSE COLD SPRING MN STEARNS 0800 AM
4.80 HAMMOND WI ST. CROIX 0800 AM
4.80 2 S RICE LAKE WI BARRON 0708 AM
4.80 3 SW EAU CLAIRE WI EAU CLAIRE 0658 AM
4.80 CONNORSVILLE WI DUNN 0640 AM
4.70 STANLEY WI CHIPPEWA 0837 AM
4.70 CHANHASSEN MN CARVER 0658 AM
4.70 NEW HOPE MN HENNEPIN 0658 AM
4.50 CAMBRIDGE MN ISANTI 0853 AM
4.50 ST CLOUD MN STEARNS 0658 AM
4.40 EAU CLAIRE WI EAU CLAIRE 0658 AM
4.30 3 N KIMBALL MN STEARNS 0658 AM
4.20 1 ESE MILROY MN REDWOOD 0816 AM
4.10 RICE MN BENTON 0739 AM
4.00 HAUGEN WI BARRON 1121 AM
4.00 CLEAR LAKE WI POLK 1000 AM
4.00 CHIPPEWA FALLS WI CHIPPEWA 0837 AM
4.00 LAKE ELMO MN WASHINGTON 0800 AM
4.00 ZUMBROTA MN GOODHUE 0800 AM
4.00 MILACA MN MILLE LACS 0800 AM
4.00 WILLMAR MN KANDIYOHI 0739 AM
4.00 3 NW LAKE ELMO MN WASHINGTON 0739 AM
4.00 1 SSE COLD SPRING MN STEARNS 0739 AM
4.00 5 NE FOREST LAKE MN CHISAGO 0708 AM
4.00 6 WNW RICE LAKE WI BARRON 0633 AM
3.80 RIDGELAND WI DUNN 1226 PM
3.80 JIM FALLS WI CHIPPEWA 0739 AM
3.60 MINNEAPOLIS MN HENNEPIN 0658 AM
3.50 WINNEBAGO MN FARIBAULT 0816 AM
3.50 2 E JORDAN MN SCOTT 0800 AM
3.20 ROBERTS WI ST. CROIX 0800 AM
3.00 NEW LONDON MN KANDIYOHI 0800 AM
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
140 PM CST SUN DEC 21 2008
...MINIMUM WIND CHILLS IN THE PAST 24 HOURS...
STATION COUNTY TIME WIND CHILL
GRAND MEADOW - KIMT MOWER 715 AM -47 F
CENTURY HIGH SCHOOL AWS OLMSTED 344 AM -43 F
MONONA HS AWS CLAYTON 614 AM -43 F
WEST UNION AWS FAYETTE 814 AM -41 F
WEST CONCORD - KIMT DODGE 635 AM -41 F
ROCHESTER ASOS OLMSTED 554 AM -40 F
PRESTON KIMT FILLMORE 234 AM -40 F
FENNIMORE ELEMENTARY AWS GRANT 830 AM -39 F
MOUNT STERLING 1S RWIS CRAWFORD 508 AM -39 F
NEW HAMPTON RWIS CHICKASAW 502 AM -39 F
CANTON RWIS FILLMORE 344 AM -39 F
DODGE CENTER AWOS DODGE 1235 AM -39 F
KELLOGG RWIS WABASHA 224 AM -39 F
ROCHESTER KELLOGG - KIMT OLMSTED 635 AM -39 F
DECORAH 2SE RWIS WINNESHIEK 205 AM -38 F
AUSTIN AWOS MOWER 155 AM -38 F
ARCADIA HILL RWIS TREMPEALEAU 509 AM -38 F
CRESCO KIMT HOWARD 755 AM -38 F
NEW HAMPTON AWS CHICKASAW 729 AM -38 F
WILLOW CREEK - KIMT OLMSTED 814 AM -38 F
NWS LA CROSSE LA CROSSE 634 AM -37 F
FRIENDSHIP AWS ADAMS 714 AM -37 F
JOHN ADAMS - KIMT OLMSTED 535 AM -37 F
WSU CAMPUS AWS WINONA 529 AM -37 F
VOLK FIELD JUNEAU 733 AM -37 F
RICHLAND CENTER AWS RICHLAND 814 AM -37 F
PRESTON AWOS FILLMORE 559 AM -37 F
DIAMOND LAKE RAWS TAYLOR 714 AM -36 F
LOYAL SCHOOL AWS CLARK 859 AM -36 F
STANLEY 1 SE RWIS CHIPPEWA 823 AM -36 F
OELWEIN AWOS FAYETTE 455 AM -35 F
SOUTH WINNESHIEK SCHOOL WINNESHIEK 729 AM -35 F
CHARLES CITY AWOS FLOYD 115 AM -35 F
ALMA AWS BUFFALO 744 AM -35 F
MEDFORD AWOS TAYLOR 715 AM -35 F
PLAINFIELD AWS CHICKASAW 659 AM -34 F
OSAGE - KIMT MITCHELL 1255 AM -34 F
PRAIRIE DU CHIEN AWOS CRAWFORD 755 AM -34 F
WISC DELLS AWOS SAUK 915 AM -34 F
LA CROSSE ASOS LA CROSSE 353 AM -34 F
BUFFALO LUTHERAN AWS BUFFALO 359 AM -34 F
NECEDAH RAWS JUNEAU 948 AM -34 F
BLACK RIVER FALLS RWIS JACKSON 808 AM -33 F
I-90 AT I-94 RWIS JUNEAU 805 AM -33 F
TOMAH 4N RWIS MONROE 706 AM -33 F
5W TOMAH RWIS MONROE 708 AM -32 F
CRESTWOOD AWS HOWARD 427 AM -32 F
MAUSTON APRS JUNEAU 748 AM -31 F
DECORAH AWOS WINNESHIEK 615 AM -31 F
WINONA AWOS WINONA 354 AM -31 F
EASTERN ALLAMAKEE SCHOOL ALLAMAKEE 114 AM -30 F
PLAINVIEW AWS WABASHA 529 AM -30 F
SPARTA AWOS MONROE 455 AM -30 F
DICKEYVILLE RWIS GRANT 902 AM -30 F
ALBERT LEA - KIMT FREEBORN 415 AM -29 F
BLACK RIVER FALLS RAWS JACKSON 415 AM -29 F
CALEDONIA RWIS HOUSTON 516 AM -29 F
MCGREGOR MS AWS CLAYTON 544 AM -28 F
LA CROSSE 1S APRS LA CROSSE 726 AM -28 F
BOSCOBEL ASOS GRANT 848 AM -27 F
PRAIRIE DU CHIEN RWIS CRAWFORD 207 AM -27 F
RICEVILLE - KIMT HOWARD 916 AM -26 F
3N LA CRESCENT APRS HOUSTON 749 AM -25 F
KEY TO OBSERVATION TYPES
AWS - SENSORS FROM AWS INCORPORATED. OFTEN LOCATED AT SCHOOLS.
RWIS - ROAD WEATHER INFORMATION SYSTEMS. LOCATED ON MAJOR ROADS AND BRIDGES.
RAWS - FIRE WEATHER OBSERVATIONS. OFTEN LOCATED IN FORESTS.
ASOS/AWOS - AVIATION WEATHER OBSERVATIONS. LOCATED AT AIRPORTS.
OBSERVATIONS ARE COLLECTED FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES WITH VARYING EQUIPMENT
AND EXPOSURE. NOT ALL DATA LISTED IS CONSIDERED OFFICIAL.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
1040 AM CST SUN DEC 21 2008
...RECENT REPORTED SNOWFALL TOTALS...
LOCATION SNOWFALL TIME LAT/LON
SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA
...DODGE COUNTY...
DODGE CENTER 5.5 0700 AM 44.04N 92.88W
...FILLMORE COUNTY...
PRESTON 7.6 0700 AM 43.67N 92.07W
LANESBORO 5.3 0700 AM 43.72N 91.97W
PETERSON 1S 4.0 0639 AM 43.78N 91.82W
...HOUSTON COUNTY...
CALEDONIA 6S 5.0 0700 AM 43.55N 91.51W
CALEDONIA 4.6 0700 AM 43.63N 91.50W
...MOWER COUNTY...
GRAND MEADOW 6.3 0700 AM 43.71N 92.56W
...OLMSTED COUNTY...
ROCHESTER AP 2NE 7.0 0700 AM 43.93N 92.48W
ELGIN 2SSW 4.9 0700 AM 44.10N 92.27W
...WABASHA COUNTY...
THEILMAN 1SSW 5.9 0700 AM 44.28N 92.19W
ZUMBRO FALLS 5.1 0700 AM 44.29N 92.42W
WABASHA 3.0 0700 AM 44.39N 92.05W
...WINONA COUNTY...
WINONA 4S 4.5 0833 AM 44.01N 91.66W
WINONA DAM 5A 3.0 0700 AM 44.09N 91.67W
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
139 PM CST SUN DEC 21 2008
...DECEMBER 2008 NOW TOP 5 FOR MOST SNOW...
SO FAR DECEMBER 2008 RANKS IN THE TOP 10 SNOWIEST DECEMBERS ON RECORD AT ROCHESTER MINNESOTA AND
LA CROSSE WISCONSIN. THROUGH DECEMBER 20TH...ROCHESTER HAS RECEIVED 24.9 INCHES OF SNOW IN
DECEMBER WHICH RANKS 3RD. LA CROSSE HAS RECEIVED 25.2 INCHES OF SNOW IN DECEMBER WHICH RANKS
5TH. BELOW IS THE TOP 10 SNOWIEST DECEMBER ON RECORD AT BOTH ROCHESTER MINNESOTA AND LA CROSSE WISCONSIN.
ROCHESTER MINNESOTA:
RANK VALUE YEAR
1 35.3 2000
2 30.6 1969
3 24.9 2008
4 21.4 1950
5 20.8 1990
6 20.7 1968
7 19.6 1996
8 18.8 1977
9 18.3 1961
1940
LA CROSSE WISCONSIN:
RANK VALUE YEAR
1 30.4 1990
2 26.6 1968
3 25.5 2000
1927
5 25.2 2008
6 24.2 2007
7 21.9 1911
8 19.8 1969
9 19.5 1950
10 18.8 1977
Last modified: January 10, 2017
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