For most Spring seasons, a hard freeze in the first half of April is hardly worth noting, but this isn't like most springs. For the first time in about a month, the mercury fell well below freezing across central and southern Minnesota as cool Canadian air settled over the region. The Twin Cities had a low temperature of 28 degrees during the morning of April 10. The average minimum for April 10 in the Twin Cities is 35. Some of the colder temperatures found in Minnesota were 18 degrees at International Falls, 19 degrees at Long Prairie in Todd County and 21 degrees at Waseca.
The chilly air was not just confined to Minnesota, Freeze warnings and watches were posted across the midwest as far south as St. Louis Missouri. Most of Iowa had temperatures at or below freezing during the morning of April 10 including 23 degrees at Ames.
April 11 was a touch cooler with a minimum temperature of 27 at the Twin Cities International Airport. Some of the colder temperatures found were 17 degrees at Rice and Wadena in central Minnesota and 19 degrees at Ft. Ridgely State Park in southern Minnesota. In northern Minnesota, Embarrass was one of the coldest spots with 14 degrees.