Light to moderate snow with waves of intense blowing snow restricted visibilities across Minnesota, with whiteout conditions in many open parts of the state.
A strong low-pressure system arriving from prairies of Canada brought with it a surge of warm air, followed by a quick plunge into Arctic conditions. This "clipper"-style storm (often called an "Alberta Clipper") first produced strong winds from the south and southeast on Wednesday December 17th as it approached the region. The strong winds were followed by waves of light rain, light sleet, and freezing drizzle on Wednesday with temperatures eventually rising above freezing across virtually all of Minnesota.
As the system raced east-southeastward early on Thursday December 18th, snow developed over far northern Minnesota, while a powerful cold front plowed into the state from the northwest. This cold front was accompanied by light to occasionally moderate snow, and was followed by 12 hours or more of wind gusts of 35-50 mph, with open areas of the Red River valley, far western, and southern Minnesota seeing gusts to 60 mph or higher. Temperatures fell from the 30s and low 40s F earlier in the day, to the single digits above or below zero F just 12 hours later.
In protected areas of the state with varying terrain and buildings, the snow and blowing snow reduced visibility to a half-mile or less at times, but in flat, open areas, the raging winds caused extreme blowing and drifting, resulting in near-zero visibility.
Technically, a "blizzard" is defined as three hours or more of winds sustained or frequently gusting to at least 35 mph with visibility reduced to a quarter-mile or less in falling or blowing snow. Fergus Falls clocked eight straight hours at those thresholds, with gusts at or above 45 mph the entire time and a maximum gust of 62 mph at 1:35 PM. Other intense wind gusts included 60 mph at Tracy, 59 mph at Crookston, and 58 mph at Rochester. The strong winds snapped road closure barricades near Grand Forks, and whiteout conditions forced road closures across western and southern Minnesota.
Snowfall was generally light, with most areas of Minnesota receiving less than two inches. All of the highest totals were near the Canadian border, with 5.3 inches at Warroad, 4.0 inches at Indus, and 3.9 inches at International Falls. The low snow and fierce winds qualified this as a classic "ground blizzard," because heavy snow was not required to make travel impossible. Ground blizzards are common but dangerous creatures of winter on the northern prairies.
Last updated December 22, 2025
KAB