Heavy Snow, April 12, 2020

On Easter Sunday, 2020, southern Minnesota bore the brunt of a heavy snowfall, making it the third year in a row with a mid-April winter storm in many areas.

A strong and complicated low pressure system moved into the Central Great Plains and towards the middle Mississippi River valley on Saturday April 11th and into Sunday April 12th.

Temperatures in the 50s and 60s across Minnesota on Saturday gave way to easterly, and eventually northerly winds on Sunday, as the storm system moved to the south of the state. Light rain overspread southern Minnesota on Saturday night, turning to snow as temperatures fell through the 30s on Sunday morning. Bands of moderate and heavy snow developed over the southeastern 1/3 of the state, with some areas reporting visibility under a quarter-mile at times.

Snowfall totals of 4-8 inches were common roughly south and east of a line from Marshall to the northern Twin Cities. Olmsted and Wabasha Counties saw the highest totals, with many reports of 7-9 inches, and a 10 inches reported by the National Weather Service cooperative observer at Elgin. Other official snowfall totals included 7.8 inches at Wabasha, 7.5 inches at Rochester, 6.6 inches at the Twin Cities International Airport, 6.4 inches in New Ulm, and 4 inches at Marshall. 

This snow marked the third straight year with a mid-April winter storm in southern Minnesota. By nearly any metric, the events in 2018 and 2019 were more significant than this one, but those storms were exceptional. This storm, while not historic, was a bit unusual for this time of the year and this part of the state. Historically, a typical southern Minnesota location only sees a daily snowfall accumulation of at least four inches between the 10th and 20th of April about 5-10% of the time. This is the only time on record (back to the 1870s) that the Twin Cities area has observed such an event three years in a row.

The following reports from southeastern Minnesota were gathered and shared by the National Weather Service Forecast Offices in La Crosse, Wisconsin, and Chanhassen, Minnesota.

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI  
946 AM CDT MON APR 13 2020  
   
..APRIL 12-13 SNOWFALL REPORTS  
  
LOCATION                     AMOUNT    TIME/DATE       LAT/LON                
       
	   
..MINNESOTA  
  
   
..DODGE COUNTY  
  
MANTORVILLE                  9.0 IN    0640 PM 04/12   44.07N/92.76W          
BERNE                        9.0 IN    0508 PM 04/12   44.16N/92.78W          
1 NE KASSON                  8.6 IN    0600 PM 04/12   44.04N/92.75W          
1 W MANTORVILLE              8.0 IN    0656 AM 04/13   44.07N/92.78W          
MANTORVILLE 1.9 ESE          7.0 IN    0800 AM 04/13   44.05N/92.72W          
   
..FILLMORE COUNTY  
  
CHATFIELD 9.0 ESE            2.8 IN    0800 AM 04/13   43.79N/92.03W          
WYKOFF 3.1 NW                2.0 IN    0800 AM 04/13   43.74N/92.31W          
2 WSW FILLMORE               2.0 IN    0831 PM 04/12   43.74N/92.31W          
MABEL                        0.4 IN    0600 AM 04/13   43.52N/91.76W          
   
..HOUSTON COUNTY  
  
CALEDONIA 5.4 S              2.0 IN    0900 AM 04/13   43.56N/91.51W          
LA CRESCENT 0.7 N            1.3 IN    0830 AM 04/13   43.84N/91.30W          
1 NE MOUND PRAIRIE           1.3 IN    0950 PM 04/12   43.79N/91.43W          
CALEDONIA                    1.1 IN    0700 AM 04/13   43.63N/91.50W          
   
..MOWER COUNTY  
  
2 NE LANSING                 6.0 IN    0815 AM 04/13   43.76N/92.95W          
4 WSW AUSTIN                 5.5 IN    0857 PM 04/12   43.64N/93.05W          
AUSTIN 2.4 W                 5.0 IN    0800 AM 04/13   43.67N/93.02W          
AUSTIN                       5.0 IN    0513 PM 04/12   43.67N/92.97W          
   
..OLMSTED COUNTY  
  
ELGIN 2SSW                   10.0 IN   0700 AM 04/13   44.10N/92.27W          
1 SSW ORONOCO                9.7 IN    0554 PM 04/12   44.15N/92.54W          
6 E DOUGLAS                  9.3 IN    0622 PM 04/12   44.10N/92.46W          
2 NW MARION                  9.1 IN    0721 PM 04/12   43.97N/92.38W          
EYOTA                        9.0 IN    0730 PM 04/12   43.99N/92.23W          
ROCHESTER                    9.0 IN    0727 PM 04/12   44.02N/92.47W          
4 SE DOUGLAS                 9.0 IN    0320 PM 04/12   44.07N/92.52W          
2 NE ROCHESTER               8.5 IN    0700 AM 04/13   44.04N/92.44W          
ROCHESTER 4.7 N              8.3 IN    0800 AM 04/13   44.08N/92.48W          
2 NNW ROCHESTER              8.0 IN    0800 AM 04/13   44.05N/92.49W          
4 ESE DOUGLAS                8.0 IN    0530 AM 04/13   44.08N/92.51W          
3 NE ROCHESTER               8.0 IN    0830 PM 04/12   44.04N/92.44W          
1 SSW ROCHESTER              8.0 IN    0746 PM 04/12   44.00N/92.48W          
ROCHESTER INTERNATIONAL AIRP 7.7 IN    0654 AM 04/13   43.90N/92.50W          
3 NNW ROCHESTER              7.5 IN    0637 PM 04/12   44.06N/92.49W          
BYRON                        7.5 IN    0530 PM 04/12   44.03N/92.65W          
3 WNW ROCHESTER              7.4 IN    0530 PM 04/12   44.03N/92.53W          
DOUGLAS                      7.0 IN    0546 PM 04/12   44.11N/92.58W          
5 SW ELBA                    6.5 IN    0730 PM 04/12   44.05N/92.09W          
4 NNW ROCHESTER              6.5 IN    0526 PM 04/12   44.06N/92.51W          
1 ESE ROCHESTER              6.3 IN    0530 PM 04/12   44.00N/92.45W          
2 S PREDMORE                 6.0 IN    0637 AM 04/13   43.90N/92.34W          
2 SE ROCHESTER               6.0 IN    0508 PM 04/12   44.00N/92.44W          
ELBA 4.7 SW                  4.1 IN    0630 PM 04/12   44.04N/92.09W          
1 S ROCHESTER                4.0 IN    0603 PM 04/12   44.00N/92.48W          
   
..WABASHA COUNTY  
  
ELGIN                        10.8 IN   0746 PM 04/12   44.13N/92.25W          
3 NW WABASHA                 10.0 IN   1010 PM 04/12   44.40N/92.08W          
WABASHA                      10.0 IN   0615 PM 04/12   44.37N/92.05W          
THEILMAN 1 SSW               9.6 IN    0730 AM 04/13   44.28N/92.19W          
PLAINVIEW                    8.9 IN    0730 PM 04/12   44.17N/92.17W          
1 N WABASHA                  8.5 IN    0934 PM 04/12   44.38N/92.04W          
THEILMAN                     8.0 IN    0656 PM 04/12   44.29N/92.19W          
ZUMBRO FALLS                 7.5 IN    0639 PM 04/12   44.28N/92.42W          
1 NE WABASHA                 6.5 IN    0746 PM 04/12   44.38N/92.03W          
ZUMBRO FALLS 3.5 SSW         5.0 IN    0811 AM 04/13   44.24N/92.46W          
   
..WINONA COUNTY  
  
4.2 N ROLLINGSTONE           7.0 IN    0800 AM 04/13   44.16N/91.81W          
MINNESOTA CITY               6.7 IN    0841 PM 04/12   44.09N/91.75W          
ELBA                         6.5 IN    0457 PM 04/12   44.09N/92.02W          
ALTURA 5W                    5.0 IN    0700 AM 04/13   44.06N/92.04W          
WINONA DAM 5A                4.0 IN    0800 AM 04/13   44.09N/91.67W          
MINNESOTA CITY               4.0 IN    0642 PM 04/12   44.09N/91.75W          
UTICA                        4.0 IN    0624 PM 04/12   43.98N/91.96W          
3 S WINONA                   2.0 IN    0645 PM 04/12   44.00N/91.66W



PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN  
1157 AM CDT MON APR 13 2020  
   
..SNOWFALL REPORTS FROM SUNDAY SNOWSTORM  
  
THANK YOU TO OUR VOLUNTEER COOP AND COCORAHS OBSERVERS AND PARTNERS FOR  
THE SNOWFALL MEASUREMENTS.    
  
LOCATION                     AMOUNT    TIME/DATE       PROVIDER               
   
..MINNESOTA  
  
   
..ANOKA COUNTY  
  
3 N BLAINE                   4.1 IN    0417 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                
LINO LAKES 2.5 W             4.0 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
ANDOVER                      3.8 IN    0425 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
ANOKA 1SE                    3.5 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
ANDOVER 1.9 W                3.1 IN    0700 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
   
..BLUE EARTH COUNTY  
  
MANKATO                      7.0 IN    0700 PM 04/12   BROADCAST MEDIA        
PEMBERTON                    5.5 IN    0644 AM 04/13   PUBLIC                
LAKE CRYSTAL 4.9 N           5.0 IN    0700 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
   
..BROWN COUNTY  
  
NEW ULM                      6.4 IN    0300 PM 04/12   TRAINED SPOTTER        
   
..CARVER COUNTY  
  
2 WSW VICTORIA               6.5 IN    0415 PM 04/12   TRAINED SPOTTER       
CHANHASSEN NWS               6.4 IN    0700 PM 04/12   OFFICIAL NWS OBS       
VICTORIA 1WSW                6.0 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
EXCELSIOR 0.8 S              6.0 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
CARVER 1W                    5.8 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
CHASKA 1.1 WSW               5.6 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
WACONIA                      4.7 IN    0700 AM 04/13   UCOOP                  
WATERTOWN 0.5 NNW            4.0 IN    0600 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
   
..DAKOTA COUNTY  
  
2 NE LAKEVILLE               7.5 IN    0615 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
HASTINGS 1.6 NW              7.0 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
APPLE VALLEY 3ESE            7.0 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
FARMINGTON                   7.0 IN    0700 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
LAKEVILLE                    7.0 IN    0700 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
3 NNW LAKEVILLE              7.0 IN    0621 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                
BURNSVILLE                   7.0 IN    0500 PM 04/12   BROADCAST MEDIA        
2 SSW APPLE VALLEY           7.0 IN    0445 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
EAGAN                        7.0 IN    0415 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
1 N APPLE VALLEY             7.0 IN    0415 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
4 N APPLE VALLEY             6.5 IN    0400 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
LAKEVILLE 2.7 NNW            6.2 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
NORTHFIELD 1NNW              6.0 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
INVER GROVE HEIGHTS          6.0 IN    0600 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
2 N BURNSVILLE               6.0 IN    0445 PM 04/12   TRAINED SPOTTER        
RANDOLPH                     6.0 IN    0400 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
EAGAN                        6.0 IN    0350 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
BURNSVILLE                   6.0 IN    0345 PM 04/12   BROADCAST MEDIA        
APPLE VALLEY 3SSE            5.9 IN    0830 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
5 NNE MIESVILLE              5.8 IN    0600 PM 04/12   COCORAHS               
HASTINGS 5.8 W               5.2 IN    0805 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
NORTHFIELD 2NE               5.1 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
6 SE HASTINGS                5.1 IN    0400 PM 04/12   COCORAHS               
   
..FARIBAULT COUNTY  
  
2 NNE BRICELYN               7.5 IN    0355 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                
BLUE EARTH 0.6 ESE           7.0 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
   
..FREEBORN COUNTY  
  
ALBERT LEA 1WSW              7.5 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
ALBERT LEA                   7.0 IN    0230 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
ALBERT LEA 3SE               5.5 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COOP                   
8 NE MYRTLE                  5.0 IN    0300 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
   
..GOODHUE COUNTY  
  
GOODHUE 0.2 S                7.3 IN    1057 PM 04/12   COCORAHS               
PINE ISLAND                  7.0 IN    0530 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
NERSTRAND 4E                 6.9 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
DENNISON 2.0 NNE             6.5 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
ZUMBROTA                     6.0 IN    0545 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
RED WING                     6.0 IN    0515 PM 04/12   TRAINED SPOTTER        
CANNON FALLS                 6.0 IN    0300 PM 04/12   COCORAHS               
   
..HENNEPIN COUNTY  
  
2 ESE EDEN PRAIRIE           7.0 IN    0800 PM 04/12   PUBLIC  
MINNEAPOLIS ST. PAUL AIRPORT 6.6 IN    0100 AM 04/13   OFFICIAL NWS OBS                  
2 NE RICHFIELD               6.5 IN    0830 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
EDINA 1SE                    6.0 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
RICHFIELD                    6.0 IN    0453 PM 04/12   TRAINED SPOTTER        
BLOOMINGTON                  6.0 IN    0300 PM 04/12   TRAINED SPOTTER        
2 NE MINNEAPOLIS             5.8 IN    0900 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
3 ESE LONG LAKE              5.0 IN    0415 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
MINNEAPOLIS 4.7 SSW          4.7 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
1 N PLYMOUTH                 4.2 IN    0715 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
LONG LAKE 4SW                4.0 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
LONG LAKE 0.2 WSW            4.0 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
1 SE MAPLE GROVE             3.8 IN    0300 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
MAPLE GROVE 1.2 NE           3.2 IN    0830 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
BROOKLYN CENTER 1E           3.0 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
   
..LE SUEUR COUNTY  
  
MONTGOMERY 3E                6.7 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
LE SUEUR                     6.0 IN    0715 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
NEW PRAGUE 1.0 S             5.0 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
   
..MARTIN COUNTY  
  
FAIRMONT                     7.2 IN    0825 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
FAIRMONT 0.7 E               6.5 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
   
..NICOLLET COUNTY  
  
ST. PETER                    6.0 IN    0330 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
NEW ULM 3SE                  5.9 IN    0529 AM 04/13   COOP                   
   
..RAMSEY COUNTY  
  
NORTH ST. PAUL 1NNW          6.1 IN    0730 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
NORTH ST. PAUL 1WNW          5.9 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
1 NNW NORTH ST. PAUL         5.6 IN    0410 PM 04/12   COCORAHS               
FALCON HEIGHTS 0.4 NNW       5.5 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
MENDOTA HGTS 2WNW            5.2 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
1 NNW ST. PAUL               5.0 IN    0600 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
ROSEVILLE 0.7 SSE            4.5 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
   
..REDWOOD COUNTY  
  
WALNUT GROVE                 5.0 IN    0500 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
   
..RICE COUNTY  
  
FARIBAULT 1.6 S              6.5 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
MONTGOMERY 3ENE              6.0 IN    0620 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
NORTHFIELD                   6.0 IN    0425 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
NORTHFIELD 1.2 ESE           5.3 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
   
..SCOTT COUNTY  
  
PRIOR LAKE 1WSW              7.3 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
1 NE PRIOR LAKE              7.3 IN    0700 PM 04/12   TRAINED SPOTTER        
BELLE PLAINE                 7.0 IN    0300 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
3 WNW SAVAGE                 6.8 IN    0600 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
1 NE PRIOR LAKE              6.8 IN    0345 PM 04/12   TRAINED SPOTTER        
SAVAGE                       6.5 IN    0545 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
JORDAN 1SSW                  6.3 IN    0530 AM 04/13   COOP                   
SHAKOPEE                     6.0 IN    0345 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
   
..SIBLEY COUNTY  
  
6 N HENDERSON                7.0 IN    0530 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
   
..STEELE COUNTY  
  
OWATONNA 0.8 E               8.7 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
OWATONNA 1.8 SSE             8.3 IN    0700 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
ELLENDALE 0.3 SW             5.6 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
   
..WASHINGTON COUNTY  
  
WOODBURY                     6.0 IN    0500 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
2 ENE WOODBURY               5.7 IN    0645 PM 04/12   TRAINED SPOTTER        
1 NE WOODBURY                5.5 IN    0530 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
HUGO                         4.7 IN    0715 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
STILLWATER 4.2 NNE           4.5 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
WOODBURY 1.7 N               4.5 IN    0800 AM 04/13   COCORAHS               
OAKDALE                      4.5 IN    0330 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
FOREST LAKE                  3.5 IN    0400 PM 04/12   PUBLIC                 
   
..WRIGHT COUNTY  
  
ROCKFORD                     3.3 IN    0700 AM 04/13   COOP                   
2 NE MONTROSE                3.3 IN    0400 PM 04/12   TRAINED SPOTTER        
1 SW DELANO                  3.0 IN    0130 PM 04/12   TRAINED SPOTTER            
   
  
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.

Modified April 14, 2020