It wasn't the snow, it was the wind with the snow that made the 2020 "Holiday Lights Howler" such a spectacular storm.
One of the most intense winter storms in recent years brought blistering waves of heavy, wind-driven snow to much of Minnesota on December 23rd, creating widespread whiteout conditions, shutting down highways, and damaging holiday light displays across the state.
Early on Wednesday December 23rd, a low pressure system in South Dakota began interacting with three separate and potent air flows: one carrying cold air from central Canada, one providing strong winds aloft, and one carrying copious moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. Each air flow reinforced the others, resulting in a rapidly intensifying and highly energetic storm that was unusually cold, windy, and moist.
Temperatures fell out of the 40s, through the 30s, 20s, and into the 10s, as drizzle gave way to rain, then sleet, and then snow. The storm reached peak intensity between 1 PM and 9PM, as a wall of powerful winds and blinding snow marched eastward across the state. Many areas experienced six hours or more of moderate or heavy snowfall, wind gusts in excess of 45 mph, and visibility below a quarter-mile.
Whiteout conditions dominated open areas, and even spread into the urban areas during the afternoon and evening, prompting the National Weather Service to cover 70 of Minnesota's 87 counties with Blizzard Warnings, possibly the greatest coverage of such warnings on record. These Blizzard Warnings included the core of the Twin Cities for just the third time in the past 30 years. The other two instances were both locally infamous: the Halloween Blizzard of 1991, and the "Thunder Blizzard" of April 2018.
The wind, snow, and falling temperatures produced dangerous travel conditions, closing thousands of miles of roads in western, central, southwestern, and southern parts of the state. The National Guard was deployed to assist stranded travelers in Martin and also Renville County, where Emergency Management had reported closed roads, stranded drivers, and hotels already full. The Minnesota State Patrol reported over 1000 accidents and spinouts, and around 40 jack-knifed semi trucks during the storm.
The drizzle and light rain earlier in the day "flash-froze" in the cold air, creating problems for power lines once the snow and strong winds began. Power utilities reported thousands of outages on Wednesday evening.
The storm was especially damaging to outdoor holiday decorations across the state, as residential and commercial displays were blown from their mountings, and plastic yard figurines proved no match for the tropical storm-force winds. The Bentleyville USA Tour of Lights in Duluth suffered extensive damage across its entire complex. The damage to these displays is somewhat ironic, given that many Minnesotans had been waiting for snow to complete the holiday scene across the state.
The storm was basically a "half-footer," with reports of 4-8 inches reported from Worthington, Mankato and Owatonna, up through the Twin Cities, and northward towards Duluth. Reports of 8-9 inches were common in the northwestern half of Twin Cities, with local maximum values of 9.5 inches reported by a CoCoRaHS observers near East Bethel and Coon Rapids, and 8.8 inches reported officially at the Twin Cities International Airport. South of Duluth, near the border with Wisconsin, a CoCoRaHS observer near Wrenshall reported 12.3 inches, and the public reported 13 near Holyoke.
By far, however, the biggest story with the storm was the winds, and especially the strongest winds blowing while the heaviest snow was falling. Strong winds are common in Minnesota, especially in the west and far south, and near Lake Superior. Heavy snow is also common in Minnesota. It takes a powerful and unusual storm, however, to bring the two together simultaneously. Gusts of over 55 mph lashed all but the far north and northwestern parts of the state, with most areas recording their strongest winds while also receiving their heaviest snow. The Bay of Grand Marais station recorded 70 and 66 mph gusts during the afternoon, Redwood Falls recorded 68 and 63 mph gusts, and dozens of stations, including the Twin Cities airport, recorded wind gusts of 58 mph or greater, which is the threshold for severe thunderstorm warnings during the warm season. In other words, this system produced multiple hours of severe thunderstorm-like winds over the majority of Minnesota.
The storm was notable not just for the brutal winter conditions, but also for the warm and humid air that preceded them. The dew point temperature at MSP climbed to 39 F, a record high value for December 23. Morning temperatures across southern Minnesota were in the middle and upper 40s F. By the the final observations of the day, those temperatures had tumbled by 35-45 degrees, with many areas finishing the day at or below zero.
The storm also ended a 6-week snow-drought that had left most of the state facing the very real prospects of a dreaded "brown Christmas." After the storm transformed the landscape, however, NOAA's National Operational Hydrologic Remote Sensing Center showed over 95% of the state having at least an inch of snow on the ground as of December 24. The Twin Cities had been on track for one the least snowy Decembers on record, but then received nearly month's-worth of snow in one day.
The following statements from National Weather Service offices summarize the peak wind speeds and snowfall totals recorded in Minnesota during this storm.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 1137 PM CST WED DEC 23 2020 ..HIGHEST WIND REPORTS FROM DECEMBER 23RD LOCATION SPEED TIME/DATE REDWOOD FALLS AP 68 MPH 0653 PM 12/23 CRYSTAL AP 66 MPH 0353 PM 12/23 MADISON AP 63 MPH 1255 PM 12/23 MONTEVIDEO AP 62 MPH 0615 PM 12/23 MARIETTA 5SSW 62 MPH 1110 AM 12/23 FAIRMONT AP 61 MPH 0556 PM 12/23 CLARA CITY 2WSW 61 MPH 0600 PM 12/23 APPLETON AP 60 MPH 1053 AM 12/23 MORRIS AP 60 MPH 0215 PM 12/23 WINSTED 58 MPH 0422 PM 12/23 BENSON AP 58 MPH 0735 PM 12/23 GRANITE FALLS AP 58 MPH 0415 PM 12/23 MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL AP 58 MPH 0653 PM 12/23 HANSKA 57 MPH 0700 PM 12/23 HANLEY FALLS MN-23 MILE POST 57 MPH 0200 PM 12/23 COON RAPIDS 56 MPH 0430 PM 12/23 SPRINGFIELD 55 MPH 0731 PM 12/23 WILLMAR AP 55 MPH 0635 PM 12/23 EDEN PRAIRIE AP 54 MPH 0253 PM 12/23 OLIVIA AP 54 MPH 0555 PM 12/23 MANKATO AP 53 MPH 0556 PM 12/23 ST. PAUL DWTN AP 53 MPH 0353 PM 12/23 NEW ULM AP 53 MPH 0715 PM 12/23 MAYER 1NE 53 MPH 0405 PM 12/23 STARBUCK 8SSW 53 MPH 0650 PM 12/23 ST. CLOUD AP 52 MPH 0453 PM 12/23 BELGRADE 3ESE 52 MPH 1220 PM 12/23 HILLMAN 51 MPH 0328 PM 12/23 ALEXANDRIA MN ASOS 51 MPH 0253 PM 12/23 HUTCHINSON AP 51 MPH 0315 PM 12/23 LITCHFIELD AP 51 MPH 0255 PM 12/23 ALEXANDRIA 2SSE 50 MPH 1202 PM 12/23 NEW GERMANY 1NW 50 MPH 0300 PM 12/23 RED WING 4W 50 MPH 0605 PM 12/23 EDINA 49 MPH 0301 PM 12/23 SAUK CENTRE AP 49 MPH 0535 PM 12/23 WASECA 1SSE 49 MPH 0735 PM 12/23 CANNON FALLS 7SSE 49 MPH 1140 PM 12/22 LYDIA 48 MPH 0348 PM 12/23 LITCHFIELD 3S 48 MPH 0711 PM 12/23 SAUK RAPIDS 47 MPH 0243 PM 12/23 VICTORIA 47 MPH 0330 PM 12/23 SILVER LAKE 3E 47 MPH 0250 PM 12/23 OWATONNA AP 46 MPH 0553 PM 12/23 GANOE HILL 46 MPH 0807 PM 12/23 SKYLINE 2E 45 MPH 0356 PM 12/23 COON RAPIDS 45 MPH 0150 PM 12/23 MONTICELLO 45 MPH 0430 PM 12/23 GLENWOOD AP 45 MPH 0155 PM 12/23 MENOMONIE AP 45 MPH 0815 PM 12/23 MAPLE LAKE AP 45 MPH 0235 PM 12/23 PAYNESVILLE AP 45 MPH 0515 PM 12/23 TWIN LAKES 5SE 45 MPH 0920 PM 12/23 SAUK CENTRE 2SE 45 MPH 0555 PM 12/23 BURNSVILLE 2NNW 45 MPH 0545 PM 12/23 ELLENDALE 5NNE 45 MPH 0906 PM 12/23 --- PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 132 AM CST THU DEC 24 2020 ..PRELIMINARY SNOWFALL REPORTS FROM DECEMBER 23RD, 2020 LOCATION AMOUNT TIME/DATE ..MINNESOTA ..CARVER COUNTY 1 SW CHANHASSEN 8.2 IN 1200 AM 12/24 3 SW CARVER 7.5 IN 0430 PM 12/23 ..DAKOTA COUNTY 5 SE HASTINGS 7.0 IN 1150 PM 12/23 4 NNE MIESVILLE 5.9 IN 0700 PM 12/23 4 SW LAKEVILLE 5.5 IN 0710 PM 12/23 LAKEVILLE 5.0 IN 1100 PM 12/23 ..HENNEPIN COUNTY 3 E RICHFIELD 8.7 IN 1200 AM 12/24 2 NNE MINNEAPOLIS 4.7 IN 0700 PM 12/23 1 ENE PLYMOUTH 4.0 IN 0430 PM 12/23 ..ISANTI COUNTY SPRING LAKE 6.8 IN 0853 PM 12/23 ..NICOLLET COUNTY NORTH MANKATO 5.0 IN 0750 PM 12/23 ..SIBLEY COUNTY WINTHROP 5.0 IN 0850 PM 12/23 ..STEARNS COUNTY 7 SE PLEASANT LAKE 3.2 IN 0555 PM 12/23 ..STEELE COUNTY 1 NNW OWATONNA 6.0 IN 0755 PM 12/23 ..WASECA COUNTY 1 NE WASECA 4.0 IN 0500 PM 12/23 --- PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN 1113 AM CST THU DEC 24 2020 ..HIGHEST WIND REPORTS OVER LAST 24 HOURS LOCATION SPEED TIME/DATE PROVIDER GRAND MARAIS 70 MPH 0656 PM 12/23 NDBC 1 SSE SILVER BAY 66 MPH 0540 PM 12/23 NDBC DULUTH HARBOR 60 MPH 0536 PM 12/23 NOS-NWLON CLOQUET AIRPORT 58 MPH 0535 PM 12/23 AWOS BRAINERD AIRPORT 56 MPH 0653 PM 12/23 ASOS DULUTH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 55 MPH 0655 PM 12/23 ASOS DULUTH SKY HARBOR AIRPORT 54 MPH 0415 PM 12/23 AWOS BLATNIK BRIDGE SOUTH ABUTMEN 53 MPH 0619 PM 12/23 MNDOT DEVILS ISLAND 53 MPH 0500 PM 12/23 NDBC BLATNIK BRIDGE 52 MPH 0551 PM 12/23 MNDOT ATKINSON BRIDGE I-35 MILE PO 47 MPH 0510 PM 12/23 MNDOT CHISHOLM-HIBBING AIRPORT 47 MPH 0749 PM 12/23 ASOS DULUTH I-35 AND GARFIELD RWI 45 MPH 0228 PM 12/23 MNDOT GRAND MARAIS AIRPORT 45 MPH 0855 PM 12/23 AWOS GRAND RAPIDS AIRPORT 45 MPH 0656 PM 12/23 AWOS MCGREGOR AIRPORT 45 MPH 0635 PM 12/23 AWOS CASS LAKE US-2 MILE POST 131 44 MPH 0220 PM 12/23 MNDOT MOOSE LAKE AIRPORT 44 MPH 0555 PM 12/23 AWOS DULUTH 1.8 NE 43 MPH 0616 PM 12/23 CWOP 1 WSW VIRGINIA 42 MPH 0521 PM 12/23 MNDOT ANDERSON ROAD RWIS 41 MPH 0435 PM 12/23 MNDOT INTERNATIONAL FALLS AIRPORT 40 MPH 0354 PM 12/23 ASOS HIBBING RAWS 39 MPH 0907 PM 12/23 RAWS PLINY MN-65 MILE POST 98 39 MPH 0135 PM 12/23 MNDOT 1 N PORT WING 39 MPH 0240 AM 12/24 NDBC WALKER MN AWOS 39 MPH 1155 AM 12/23 AWOS BRAINERD RAWS 38 MPH 1206 PM 12/23 RAWS HINCKLEY AIRPORT 38 MPH 0455 PM 12/23 AWOS NORTHOME 38 MPH 1015 PM 12/23 CWOP ST. CROIX RAWS 38 MPH 0515 PM 12/23 RAWS 4 NE DULUTH 37 MPH 0533 PM 12/23 CWOP MITCHELL BRIDGE MN-169 MILE 37 MPH 0720 PM 12/23 MNDOT AITKIN AIRPORT 36 MPH 0215 PM 12/23 AWOS EVELETH-VIRGINIA AIRPORT 36 MPH 1255 AM 12/24 AWOS ISABELLA RAWS 36 MPH 0804 PM 12/23 RAWS LA POINTE AIRPORT 36 MPH 0535 PM 12/23 AWOS LIND RAWS 36 MPH 0706 PM 12/23 RAWS PINE RIVER AIRPORT 36 MPH 0119 PM 12/23 AWOS COTTON US-53 MILE POST 41 35 MPH 0126 PM 12/23 MNDOT HILL CITY RAWS 35 MPH 0607 PM 12/23 RAWS SUPERIOR AIRPORT 35 MPH 0335 PM 12/23 AWOS TWIG MN-53 MILE POST 21 35 MPH 0220 PM 12/23 MNDOT OBSERVATIONS ARE COLLECTED FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES WITH VARYING EQUIPMENT AND EXPOSURES. WE THANK ALL VOLUNTEER WEATHER OBSERVERS FOR THEIR DEDICATION. NOT ALL DATA LISTED ARE CONSIDERED OFFICIAL.
Last modified December 20, 2022.