Image credit: NOAA/NOHRSC and MN State Climatology Office
After a brief respite, the snowy February resumed, as the sixth heavy snow of February 2019 broke a slew of weather records across the state.
A surface low pressure system, supported by very strong winds aloft, tracked from Texas into the Upper Mississippi River Valley on Wednesday February 20th. The main ingredients working in favor of heavy snowfall production were 1) cold air already in place, and 2) a strong surge of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. As the moisture surged into the region ahead of the low pressure system, heavy snow developed rapidly, advancing from south to north within a period of about 18 hours.
The snow began in southern Minnesota around midnight, reaching Twin Cities and St. Cloud between 3 and 5 AM, Brainerd by 6 AM, and Duluth and northeastern Minnesota after 8 AM. The snow became heavy very quickly, with dozens of reports of visibility reduced to 1/4 mile or less during the day.
The entire state saw accumulating snows, with totals greater than 6 inches across the southeastern half of the state, and also extending along the shore of Lake Superior. A swath of 8-10 inches, with some higher totals, extended from the southwest corner of Minnesota, through Marshall, Mankato, and the Twin Cities. Totals observed around the state included a high mark of 14.6 inches at New Ulm, 10.9 inches at Bird Island, 9.1 inches at the Twin Cities International Airport, and 6.8 inches at Silver Bay.
The storm solidified this as the snowiest February on record at many stations across Minnesota (and additional snows after this one only added to the new records). Four of Minnesota's five "first-order" weather stations broke February snowfall records. Interestingly, the storm itself had stiff competition from major winter storms on February 20th of 2011 and 2014, and as a result did not break many daily snowfall records for the date.
| Station Name | Snowfall, Feb. 2019 | Old Feb. Snowfall Record | Year | Feb 2019 distance from snowfall record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duluth | 36.4" | 33.9" | 1939 | +2.5" |
| International Falls | 25.4" | 32.3" | 1992 | -6.9" |
| Rochester | 40.0" | 20.1" | 2007 | +19.9" |
| St. Cloud | 27.6" | 21.6" | 1971 | +6.0" |
| Twin Cities | 39.0" | 26.5" | 1962 | +12.5" |
The following summary of snowfall reports was provided by the National Weather Service in Chanhassen. These reports are only from that office's jurisdiction, and do not represent the entirety of the state.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN LOCATION AMOUNT TIME/DATE PROVIDER NEW ULM 3SE 14.6 IN 0524 AM 02/21 COOP BELLE PLAINE 12.8 IN 0549 PM 02/20 PUBLIC MANKATO 1ESE 11.5 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COCORAHS 2 S ANDOVER 11.0 IN 0440 PM 02/20 PUBLIC DALLAS 11.0 IN 0530 PM 02/20 PUBLIC 6 N HENDERSON 11.0 IN 0635 PM 02/20 TRAINED SPOTTER 2 W NEW PRAGUE 11.0 IN 0815 PM 02/20 TRAINED SPOTTER WATERTOWN 11.0 IN 0415 AM 02/21 COCORAHS BIRD ISLAND 7SSE 10.9 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COOP WACONIA 10.7 IN 0600 AM 02/21 UCOOP INVER GROVE HGTS 1ENE 10.4 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COCORAHS 2 WSW VICTORIA 10.1 IN 0627 PM 02/20 TRAINED SPOTTER BLOOMINGTON 10.0 IN 0635 PM 02/20 TRAINED SPOTTER FARIBAULT 10.0 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COOP 1 WSW GRANITE FALLS 10.0 IN 0414 PM 02/20 TRAINED SPOTTER LE SUEUR 10.0 IN 0415 PM 02/20 PUBLIC 1 WSW OSSEO 10.0 IN 0623 PM 02/20 PUBLIC RICE LAKE 10.0 IN 0800 AM 02/21 COOP 1 SW ST. PETER 10.0 IN 0630 PM 02/20 PUBLIC 2 NE MONTROSE 9.8 IN 0645 PM 02/20 TRAINED SPOTTER WILLMAR 5N 9.6 IN 0600 AM 02/21 COOP RUSH CITY 3NE 9.5 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COCORAHS ST. CROIX FALLS 9.5 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COCORAHS CHANHASSEN (NWS) 9.3 IN 0600 AM 02/21 COOP 5 S ST. CLOUD 9.3 IN 0843 AM 02/21 PUBLIC 2 SE OTSEGO 9.2 IN 0500 PM 02/20 COCORAHS MINNEAPOLIS ST. PAUL AIRPORT 9.1 IN 0600 PM 02/20 OFFICIAL NWS OBS RICHFIELD 9.1 IN 0755 PM 02/20 PUBLIC BURNSVILLE 9.0 IN 0548 PM 02/20 PUBLIC DELANO 9.0 IN 0500 PM 02/20 PUBLIC EAST BETHEL 4ENE 9.0 IN 0315 AM 02/21 COCORAHS ELK RIVER 9.0 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COOP 1 S GOLDEN VALLEY 9.0 IN 0530 PM 02/20 PUBLIC MADISON LAKE 9.0 IN 0715 AM 02/21 COCORAHS MENDOTA HEIGHTS 9.0 IN 0440 PM 02/20 PUBLIC 5 SSW NYE 9.0 IN 0602 PM 02/20 TRAINED SPOTTER PRESCOTT 9.0 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COCORAHS PRIOR LAKE 9.0 IN 0525 PM 02/20 TRAINED SPOTTER PRIOR LAKE 1WSW 9.0 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COCORAHS ST. PETER 9.0 IN 0534 PM 02/20 PUBLIC WYOMING 9.0 IN 0627 PM 02/20 PUBLIC ZIMMERMAN 9.0 IN 0730 PM 02/20 PUBLIC NORTH ST. PAUL 1NNW 8.9 IN 0630 AM 02/21 COCORAHS 1 NW SAUK RAPIDS 8.6 IN 0530 PM 02/20 TRAINED SPOTTER CHETEK 2SE 8.5 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COCORAHS 7 W CLEARWATER 8.5 IN 0703 PM 02/20 PUBLIC DARWIN 8.5 IN 0623 PM 02/20 TRAINED SPOTTER 2 SW EAST BETHEL 8.5 IN 0905 PM 02/20 PUBLIC EDINA 1SE 8.5 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COCORAHS 1 ENE MAPLE PLAIN 8.5 IN 0625 PM 02/20 TRAINED SPOTTER 3 S MINNEAPOLIS 8.5 IN 0430 PM 02/20 PUBLIC MINNEAPOLIS DWTN 8.5 IN 0600 AM 02/21 COOP 3 S MINNETONKA 8.5 IN 0541 PM 02/20 PUBLIC NORTH BRANCH 8.5 IN 0520 PM 02/20 PUBLIC NORTH ST. PAUL 1WNW 8.5 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COCORAHS 7 SE PLEASANT LAKE 8.5 IN 0549 PM 02/20 PUBLIC ALBANY 3SSE 8.4 IN 0650 AM 02/21 COCORAHS APPLE VALLEY 3ESE 8.4 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COCORAHS LADYSMITH 2WNW 8.3 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COCORAHS 2 N SOUTH HAVEN 8.3 IN 0511 PM 02/20 PUBLIC ELLSWORTH 1E 8.2 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COOP MILACA 8.2 IN 0730 AM 02/21 COOP 1 S PLYMOUTH 8.2 IN 0930 PM 02/20 PUBLIC ROBBINSDALE 8.2 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COCORAHS ANDOVER 8.0 IN 0500 PM 02/20 PUBLIC DAWSON 8.0 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COOP MELROSE 8.0 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COOP MINNEAPOLIS 8.0 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COCORAHS RED WING 8.0 IN 0830 AM 02/21 COOP 5 SSE ST. CLOUD 8.0 IN 0430 PM 02/20 TRAINED SPOTTER VICTORIA 2ENE 8.0 IN 0800 AM 02/21 COCORAHS 2 NW FORESTON 7.9 IN 1019 PM 02/20 TRAINED SPOTTER BROOKLYN CENTER 7.8 IN 0450 PM 02/20 PUBLIC 1 W HASTINGS 7.8 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COCORAHS HASTINGS 7.7 IN 0827 PM 02/20 PUBLIC BALDWIN 7.5 IN 0730 AM 02/21 COOP CAMBRIDGE 7.5 IN 0426 PM 02/20 TRAINED SPOTTER MONTEVIDEO 7.5 IN 0548 PM 02/20 PUBLIC CAMP RIPLEY 4E 7.4 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COCORAHS CLAYTON 3ENE 7.4 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COCORAHS ELK MOUND 1ENE 7.4 IN 0715 AM 02/21 COCORAHS ST. CLOUD AIRPORT 7.4 IN 0600 AM 02/21 OFFICIAL NWS OBS NORTH BRANCH 1NNW 7.3 IN 0600 AM 02/21 COCORAHS BRICELYN 7.2 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COOP ORROCK 2SE 7.2 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COCORAHS ST. PAUL PARK 7.2 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COCORAHS CARLOS 7.0 IN 0559 AM 02/21 CO-OP OBSERVER 1 WNW CEDAR FALLS 7.0 IN 0650 PM 02/20 TRAINED SPOTTER 2 WNW DAYTON 7.0 IN 0515 PM 02/20 COCORAHS 6 SW FOLEY 7.0 IN 0531 PM 02/20 PUBLIC KIMBALL 3N 7.0 IN 0600 AM 02/21 COOP 1 E MENOMONIE 7.0 IN 0430 PM 02/20 TRAINED SPOTTER 1 WNW ROGERS 7.0 IN 0703 PM 02/20 TRAINED SPOTTER 2 W UPSALA 7.0 IN 0524 PM 02/20 TRAINED SPOTTER VESELI 1W 7.0 IN 0500 AM 02/21 COCORAHS NORTHFIELD 2NE 6.9 IN 0605 AM 02/21 COCORAHS ROBERTS 6.9 IN 0800 AM 02/21 COOP 5 N WILLMAR 6.7 IN 0645 PM 02/20 CO-OP OBSERVER RIVER FALLS 1SW 6.5 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COCORAHS 1 NNW MINNESOTA LAKE 6.4 IN 0506 PM 02/20 PUBLIC RICE 6.4 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COOP ROSEVILLE 2WNW 6.3 IN 0600 AM 02/21 COCORAHS 4 NE CHIPPEWA FALLS 6.2 IN 0800 AM 02/21 COCORAHS CANNON FALLS 6.1 IN 0800 AM 02/21 COCORAHS 1 NNW ZUMBROTA 6.0 IN 0644 PM 02/20 PUBLIC OWATONNA 5.8 IN 0630 AM 02/21 COCORAHS CHIPPEWA FALLS 5.5 IN 0800 AM 02/21 COOP COLD SPRING 5.5 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COCORAHS JIM FALLS 3NW 5.3 IN 0630 AM 02/21 COOP 7 SSW ALTOONA 5.0 IN 0430 PM 02/20 TRAINED SPOTTER BLOOMER 5.0 IN 0800 AM 02/21 COOP EAU CLAIRE 5.0 IN 0600 AM 02/21 OFFICIAL NWS OBS STARBUCK 5.0 IN 0821 PM 02/20 PUBLIC DURAND 4.8 IN 0800 AM 02/21 COOP 3 WNW DURAND 4.6 IN 0430 PM 02/20 PUBLIC LONG PRAIRIE 4.6 IN 0600 AM 02/21 COOP NYE 2E 4.5 IN 0800 AM 02/21 COCORAHS DONNELLY 2WNW 3.3 IN 0700 AM 02/21 COCORAHS