Snowy December: 2008

Much to the delight of snow enthusiasts and snow removal companies (and to the chagrin of those who have to pay those snow removal bills), the winter of 2008-09 had a snowy start. Multiple snow storms moved through Minnesota in December, with seven separate snow events giving Rochester an inch of snow or more per storm. December 2008 ranked as the snowiest December on record in some locations. Fargo, Grand Forks and La Crosse all had their snowiest Decembers on record, and in the case of Fargo, the snowiest month ever!

The Twin Cities had 17.4 inches for the month of December and failed to break into the top ten.

December 2008 snowfall ranking as of December 31

City                Amount  Rank  Period of Record      
---------------------------------------------------
Duluth              37.1    5th   (1948-2008)
Fargo               33.5    1st   (1927-2008)
Grand Forks         30.1    1st   (1893-2008)
International Falls 35.9    2nd   (1924-2008)
La Crosse           32.7    1st   (1908-2008)
Rochester           28.6    3rd   (1908-2008)
St. Cloud           23.0    4th   (1899-2008)


Below are statements regarding December 2008 snow from the National Weather Service.

RECORD EVENT REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA/GRAND FORKS
100 PM CST SUN DEC 28 2008

...ALL TIME SNOWFALL RECORD FOR ANY MONTH SET IN FARGO/MOORHEAD...

AS OF NOON TODAY...THE MONTHLY SNOWFALL FOR THE FARGO/MOORHEAD AREA
REACHED 33.5 INCHES. THIS MAKES DECEMBER 2008 THE SNOWIEST MONTH
EVER FOR FARGO/MOORHEAD. THE PREVIOUS RECORD WAS JANUARY 1989 WHEN
31.5 INCHES OF SNOW FELL IN THAT MONTH. ANY ADDITIONAL SNOWFALL
SINCE NOON WILL ADD TO THE NEW RECORD.


Last modified: January 10, 2017
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