Heavy snow accumulations near Karlstad from winter storm, April 1-3, 2020.
Image courtesy of D. Pietruszewski, Strandquist, MN
April fooled much of Minnesota with a strong cold front that dropped temperatures from the 50s and 60s into the teens and 20s. The air mass transition produced heavy wintry precipitation in northwestern parts of the state, with light precipitation elsewhere.
A mild air mass was in place on Wednesday April 1st, as a strong cold front associated approached Minnesota slowly from the Dakotas. Moisture streaming into the state allowed pockets of light precipitation to break out across western Minnesota by afternoon and evening.
The most consequential precipitation developed during the early morning of Thursday April 2, as moderate rain changed to freezing rain and snow. Snow fell heavily throughout much of the day north of Detroit Lakes and west of Red Lake and Lake of the Woods. Freezing rain and some sleet covered a much larger area to the east, with ice accumulating to around 1/4 inch near Bemidji, Park Rapids, and Alexandria. By Thursday afternoon, a razor-sharp temperature boundary cut through the western third of Minnesota, with temperatures dropping from the high 50s F into the mid and upper 20s over distances of just 50 miles.
Light freezing rain and sleet eventually spread over the rest of Minnesota on Thursday afternoon and evening, with additional waves of sleet and snow falling into Friday afternoon, amid stiff northwesterly winds. Over 80 Minnesota counties were covered by Winter Weather Advisories or Winter Storm Warnings at some point during the storm.
The heaviest snowfall totals were reported near Karlstad in Roseau County, where the National Weather Service received public reports of up to 16 inches of snow. The northwestern corner of the state, generally west of a line from Rothsay to Roseau, received six inches of snow or more.
The following reports were received and shared by the National Weather Service forecast office in Grand Forks, ND.
000 NWUS53 KFGF 031803 LSRFGF PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND 103 PM CDT FRI APR 3 2020 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 1247 PM HEAVY SNOW 5 W GREENBUSH 48.70N 96.29W 04/03/2020 M16.0 INCH ROSEAU MN PUBLIC AVERAGE OF MULTIPLE MEASUREMENTS. VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 1110 AM HEAVY SNOW 4 W MIDDLE RIVER 48.44N 96.25W 04/03/2020 E16.0 INCH MARSHALL MN PUBLIC VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 1037 AM HEAVY SNOW 10 E KARLSTAD 48.58N 96.30W 04/03/2020 M16.0 INCH ROSEAU MN PUBLIC MEASURED AVERAGE OF MULTIPLE LOCATIONS. VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 1038 AM HEAVY SNOW 5 W NEWFOLDEN 48.36N 96.44W 04/03/2020 M14.0 INCH MARSHALL MN PUBLIC VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 1059 AM HEAVY SNOW 2 N HOLT 48.32N 96.19W 04/03/2020 M12.5 INCH MARSHALL MN PUBLIC VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 1157 AM HEAVY SNOW 2 N HOLT 48.32N 96.19W 04/03/2020 M12.3 INCH MARSHALL MN PUBLIC VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 0700 AM HEAVY SNOW BUXTON 47.60N 97.10W 04/03/2020 E12.0 INCH TRAILL ND PUBLIC PHOTO POSTED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 1108 AM HEAVY SNOW HATTON 47.64N 97.46W 04/03/2020 M11.5 INCH TRAILL ND PUBLIC VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 0820 AM HEAVY SNOW KARLSTAD 48.58N 96.52W 04/03/2020 M11.0 INCH KITTSON MN COCORAHS COCORAHS STATION MN-KT-2 KARLSTAD MN 0.2 SSW. 0700 AM HEAVY SNOW GREENBUSH 48.70N 96.18W 04/03/2020 M11.0 INCH ROSEAU MN CO-OP OBSERVER EVENT AND 24 HOUR TOTAL THROUGH 7AM. 0405 AM HEAVY SNOW 1 NE GREENBUSH 48.71N 96.17W 04/03/2020 E11.0 INCH ROSEAU MN DEPT OF HIGHWAYS ESTIMATED 10 TO 12 INCHES OF SNOW FROM BADGER TO GREENBUST ALONG HWY 11. 0800 AM HEAVY SNOW 3 SSE GRAND FORKS 47.87N 97.03W 04/03/2020 M10.5 INCH GRAND FORKS ND COCORAHS COCORAHS STATION ND-GF-14 GRAND FORKS ND 3.4 SSE. 0958 AM HEAVY SNOW VOSS 48.30N 97.45W 04/03/2020 E10.0 INCH WALSH ND PUBLIC ICE AND SLEET UNDERNEATH SNOW. VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 0954 AM HEAVY SNOW 5 SE STEPHEN 48.40N 96.80W 04/03/2020 E10.0 INCH MARSHALL MN PUBLIC THIN LAYER OF ICE UNDERNEATH SNOW. VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. STORM TOTAL. 0951 AM HEAVY SNOW KARLSTAD 48.58N 96.52W 04/03/2020 E10.0 INCH KITTSON MN PUBLIC POWER OUTAGES. VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 0700 AM HEAVY SNOW 2 W GRAND FORKS 47.92N 97.12W 04/03/2020 M10.0 INCH GRAND FORKS ND OFFICIAL NWS OBS A 24 HOUR SNOWFALL THROUGH 7AM AT NWS GRAND FORKS OFFICE. 0645 AM HEAVY SNOW 4 S WARREN 48.14N 96.77W 04/03/2020 M9.8 INCH POLK MN PUBLIC VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 1001 AM HEAVY SNOW RED LAKE FALLS 47.89N 96.27W 04/03/2020 E9.5 INCH RED LAKE MN PUBLIC VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 0953 AM HEAVY SNOW 9 NE SHARON 47.69N 97.76W 04/03/2020 M9.5 INCH GRAND FORKS ND PUBLIC VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 1109 AM HEAVY SNOW 6 SE MAYVILLE 47.44N 97.24W 04/03/2020 M9.2 INCH TRAILL ND PUBLIC VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 0900 AM HEAVY SNOW 3 NE FARGO 46.91N 96.78W 04/03/2020 M9.2 INCH CASS ND COCORAHS COCORAHS STATION ND-CS-25 FARGO ND 2.1 N. 1221 PM HEAVY SNOW THOMPSON 47.77N 97.11W 04/03/2020 M9.0 INCH GRAND FORKS ND PUBLIC VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 0800 AM HEAVY SNOW 7 ENE GRANDIN 47.27N 96.86W 04/03/2020 M9.0 INCH TRAILL ND COCORAHS COCORAHS STATION ND-TR-3 GRANDIN ND 7.1 ENE. 0730 AM HEAVY SNOW 1 ENE CROOKSTON 47.78N 96.59W 04/03/2020 M9.0 INCH POLK MN COCORAHS COCORAHS STATION MN-PK-13 CROOKSTON MN 0.6 ENE. 1152 AM HEAVY SNOW 2 NW THIEF RIVER FALLS 48.13N 96.21W 04/03/2020 M8.5 INCH PENNINGTON MN PUBLIC VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 0959 AM HEAVY SNOW ALVARADO 48.19N 97.00W 04/03/2020 M8.5 INCH MARSHALL MN PUBLIC VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 0700 AM HEAVY SNOW HARWOOD 46.98N 96.88W 04/03/2020 M8.5 INCH CASS ND PUBLIC PHOTO AND REPORT POSTED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 1155 AM HEAVY SNOW FISHER 47.80N 96.80W 04/03/2020 M8.3 INCH POLK MN PUBLIC VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 1058 AM HEAVY SNOW VIKING 48.22N 96.41W 04/03/2020 E8.0 INCH MARSHALL MN PUBLIC VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 1041 AM HEAVY SNOW 5 SW THIEF RIVER FALLS 48.06N 96.25W 04/03/2020 E8.0 INCH PENNINGTON MN PUBLIC VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 0800 AM HEAVY SNOW 2 SSE NORTH RIVER 46.93N 96.79W 04/03/2020 M8.0 INCH CLAY MN COCORAHS COCORAHS STATION ND-CS-45 FARGO ND 3.6 NNE. 0800 AM HEAVY SNOW 1 E FERTILE 47.53N 96.28W 04/03/2020 M8.0 INCH POLK MN COCORAHS COCORAHS STATION MN-PK-11 FERTILE MN 0.6 E. 0800 AM HEAVY SNOW 4 SSE GRAND FORKS 47.87N 97.05W 04/03/2020 M8.0 INCH GRAND FORKS ND COCORAHS COCORAHS STATION ND-GF-13 GRAND FORKS ND 3.7 SSE. 0800 AM HEAVY SNOW 2 SSW MENTOR 47.67N 96.17W 04/03/2020 M8.0 INCH POLK MN COCORAHS COCORAHS STATION MN-PK-15 MENTOR MN 2.5 SSW. 0700 AM HEAVY SNOW HALLOCK 48.77N 96.94W 04/03/2020 M8.0 INCH KITTSON MN DEPT OF HIGHWAYS STORM TOTAL TO 7AM. 0700 AM HEAVY SNOW 3 SSE GRAND FORKS 47.88N 97.05W 04/03/2020 M8.0 INCH GRAND FORKS ND BROADCAST MEDIA EVENT TOTAL THROUGH 7AM. 0600 AM HEAVY SNOW 2 SE GRAND FORKS 47.89N 97.03W 04/03/2020 M8.0 INCH GRAND FORKS ND COCORAHS COCORAHS STATION ND-GF-8 GRAND FORKS ND 2.5 SE. 0617 PM HEAVY SNOW 1 S HATTON 47.62N 97.46W 04/02/2020 M8.0 INCH TRAILL ND BROADCAST MEDIA VIEWER PHOTO OF RULER MEASUREMENT. 0800 AM HEAVY SNOW 2 NNE MOORHEAD 46.89N 96.75W 04/03/2020 M7.6 INCH CLAY MN COCORAHS COCORAHS STATION MN-CY-1 MOORHEAD MN 2.0 N. 0700 AM HEAVY SNOW 3 N MOORHEAD 46.91N 96.76W 04/03/2020 M7.6 INCH CLAY MN TRAINED SPOTTER 24 HOUR STORM TOTAL SNOW THROUGH 7AM. 1040 AM HEAVY SNOW 2 NW ROSEAU 48.87N 95.79W 04/03/2020 E7.5 INCH ROSEAU MN PUBLIC VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 1222 PM HEAVY SNOW 3 E HARWOOD 46.98N 96.82W 04/03/2020 M7.0 INCH CLAY MN PUBLIC VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 0956 AM HEAVY SNOW 3 WNW BACKOO 48.85N 97.78W 04/03/2020 M7.0 INCH PEMBINA ND COCORAHS COCORAHS STATION ND-PM-1 CAVALIER ND 7.9 WNW. 0700 AM HEAVY SNOW 4 WNW PISEK 48.33N 97.80W 04/03/2020 M7.0 INCH WALSH ND CO-OP OBSERVER CO-OP OBSERVER STATION LNKN8 LANKIN ND 6 E. 0700 AM HEAVY SNOW WALCOTT 46.55N 96.94W 04/03/2020 E7.0 INCH RICHLAND ND PUBLIC REPORT POSTED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 0700 AM HEAVY SNOW HORACE 46.76N 96.90W 04/03/2020 E7.0 INCH CASS ND TRAINED SPOTTER REPORT AND PHOTO POSTED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 1110 AM HEAVY SNOW 5 S CANDO 48.42N 99.20W 04/03/2020 E6.5 INCH TOWNER ND PUBLIC VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 1056 AM HEAVY SNOW 6 W KINDRED 46.65N 97.15W 04/03/2020 M6.5 INCH CASS ND PUBLIC AVERAGE OF MULTIPLE MEASUREMENTS. VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 0900 AM HEAVY SNOW COMSTOCK 46.66N 96.75W 04/03/2020 M6.5 INCH CLAY MN COCORAHS COCORAHS STATION MN-CY-22 COMSTOCK 0.1 E. 0800 AM HEAVY SNOW 2 SSW HICKSON 46.64N 96.82W 04/03/2020 M6.5 INCH CASS ND COCORAHS COCORAHS STATION ND-CS-29 HORACE ND 9.3 SSE. 0700 AM HEAVY SNOW 1 NE PEMBINA 48.97N 97.24W 04/03/2020 M6.5 INCH PEMBINA ND CO-OP OBSERVER CO-OP OBSERVER STATION PBAN8 PEMBINA ND. 0930 AM HEAVY SNOW 3 ENE MCLEOD 46.40N 97.24W 04/03/2020 M6.3 INCH RICHLAND ND CO-OP OBSERVER CO-OP OBSERVER STATION MCLN8 MCLEOD ND 3 E. 0800 AM HEAVY SNOW SABIN 46.78N 96.66W 04/03/2020 M6.2 INCH CLAY MN CO-OP OBSERVER CO-OP OBSERVER STATION SBNM5 SABIN MN. 0800 AM HEAVY SNOW 1 ENE WOLVERTON 46.57N 96.72W 04/03/2020 M6.0 INCH WILKIN MN COCORAHS COCORAHS STATION MN-WK-5 WOLVERTON MN 1.1 ENE. 0700 AM HEAVY SNOW GOLDEN LAKE 47.58N 97.63W 04/03/2020 M6.0 INCH STEELE ND COCORAHS COCORAHS STATION ND-ST-1 HATTON ND 9.1 WSW. 0700 AM HEAVY SNOW ARGUSVILLE 47.05N 96.94W 04/03/2020 E6.0 INCH CASS ND PUBLIC REPORT POSTED VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 0400 AM HEAVY SNOW ROSEAU 48.85N 95.76W 04/03/2020 M6.0 INCH ROSEAU MN BROADCAST MEDIA CORRECTS PREVIOUS SNOW REPORT FROM ROSEAU. EVENT TOTAL AS OF 4AM. REPORT OF 5 TO 6 INCHES AT RADIO STATION. 0700 AM SNOW 3 S MOORHEAD 46.82N 96.76W 04/03/2020 M5.8 INCH CLAY MN BROADCAST MEDIA CORRECTS PREVIOUS HEAVY SNOW REPORT FROM 3 S MOORHEAD. EVENT TOTAL THROUGH 7AM. 0845 PM SNOW SHELLY 47.46N 96.82W 04/02/2020 M5.8 INCH NORMAN MN BROADCAST MEDIA VIEWER MEASUREMENT RELAYED BY BROADCAST MEDIA. 1100 AM SNOW 7 W REYNOLDS 47.67N 97.26W 04/03/2020 E5.5 INCH TRAILL ND PUBLIC VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 0700 AM SNOW 4 SSE WALHALLA 48.87N 97.89W 04/03/2020 M5.5 INCH PEMBINA ND COCORAHS COCORAHS STATION ND-PM-3 WALHALLA 3.6 SSE. 0800 AM SNOW 1 NW PRAIRIE ROSE 46.83N 96.85W 04/03/2020 M5.3 INCH CASS ND COCORAHS COCORAHS STATION ND-CS-1 WEST FARGO ND 3.8 SSE. 0800 AM SNOW 5 S MAVIE 48.07N 95.92W 04/03/2020 M5.1 INCH PENNINGTON MN COCORAHS COCORAHS STATION MN-PG-3 GOODRIDGE MN 7.4 SW. 0915 AM SNOW 1 ESE LANGDON 48.76N 98.34W 04/03/2020 M5.0 INCH CAVALIER ND COCORAHS COCORAHS STATION ND-CV-4 LANGDON 1.4 ESE. 0900 AM SNOW LISBON 46.44N 97.67W 04/03/2020 M5.0 INCH RANSOM ND COCORAHS COCORAHS STATION ND-RS-2 LISBON ND 0.5 ENE. 0800 AM SNOW 5 SSW BLABON 47.34N 97.83W 04/03/2020 M5.0 INCH STEELE ND COCORAHS COCORAHS STATION ND-ST-3 HOPE ND 5.4 WNW. 0616 PM SNOW FINLEY 47.51N 97.84W 04/02/2020 E5.0 INCH STEELE ND BROADCAST MEDIA CORRECTS PREVIOUS HEAVY SNOW REPORT FROM FINLEY. VIEWER REPROT RELAYED BY BROADCAST MEDIA. 0200 PM SNOW VALLEY CITY 46.92N 98.01W 04/02/2020 E5.0 INCH BARNES ND PUBLIC STORM TOTAL SNOW AND STILL SNOWING. 1115 AM SNOW LISBON 46.44N 97.68W 04/03/2020 M4.8 INCH RANSOM ND PUBLIC 0.12 INCHES OF ICE ACCUMULATION IN ADDITION TO SNOW. VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 0700 AM SNOW LISBON 46.43N 97.68W 04/03/2020 M4.8 INCH RANSOM ND CO-OP OBSERVER CO-OP OBSERVER STATION LISN8 LISBON ND. 0700 AM SNOW 1 WSW LIDGERWOOD 46.07N 97.17W 04/03/2020 M4.5 INCH RICHLAND ND CO-OP OBSERVER CO-OP OBSERVER STATION LGRN8 LIDGERWOOD ND. 0745 AM SNOW 2 SW FILLMORE 48.16N 99.83W 04/03/2020 M4.2 INCH BENSON ND CO-OP OBSERVER CO-OP OBSERVER STATION ESMN8 ESMOND ND 9 NNW. 0700 AM SNOW ABERCROMBIE 46.45N 96.73W 04/03/2020 M4.0 INCH RICHLAND ND COCORAHS COCORAHS STATION ND-RC-8 ABERCROMBIE ND 0.2 NW. 0700 AM SNOW 2 NNE BACKOO 48.86N 97.70W 04/03/2020 M4.0 INCH PEMBINA ND CO-OP OBSERVER CO-OP OBSERVER STATION CVLN8 CAVALIER ND 7 NW. 0900 AM SNOW TWIN VALLEY 47.26N 96.26W 04/03/2020 M3.6 INCH NORMAN MN COCORAHS COCORAHS STATION MN-NR-1 TWIN VALLEY MN 0.1 NE. 1033 AM SNOW 2 SE ROSEAU 48.83N 95.73W 04/03/2020 M3.0 INCH ROSEAU MN PUBLIC VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 0815 AM SNOW 4 N MUSKODA 46.92N 96.41W 04/03/2020 M3.0 INCH CLAY MN COCORAHS COCORAHS STATION MN-CY-20 HAWLEY 5.2 WNW. 0700 AM SNOW WAHPETON 46.27N 96.61W 04/03/2020 E2.0 INCH RICHLAND ND PUBLIC CORRECTS PREVIOUS HEAVY SNOW REPORT FROM WAHPETON. SLEET AND SNOW MIX. 0700 AM SNOW 4 NE BRECKENRIDGE 46.30N 96.52W 04/03/2020 M1.7 INCH WILKIN MN CO-OP OBSERVER CO-OP OBSERVER STATION BKEM5 BRECKENRIDGE MN 3 E. 0800 AM SNOW FERGUS FALLS 46.29N 96.07W 04/03/2020 M1.5 INCH OTTER TAIL MN COCORAHS COCORAHS STATION MN-OT-5 FERGUS FALLS MN 0.5 E. 0800 AM SNOW 5 NNW CORMORANT 46.80N 96.12W 04/03/2020 M1.3 INCH BECKER MN COCORAHS COCORAHS STATION MN-BK-6 LAKE PARK MN 6.0 S. 1241 PM ICE STORM 2 N MENAHGA 46.78N 95.10W 04/03/2020 WADENA MN PUBLIC QUARTER INCH OF ICE REPORTED 2 MILES NORTH OF MENAHGA. VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 1002 AM ICE STORM 5 S PERHAM 46.53N 95.57W 04/03/2020 OTTER TAIL MN PUBLIC ICE AND WIND CAUSED GALLOPING POWER LINES. AROUND ONE INCH OF SNOW. VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 1002 AM ICE STORM 5 S PERHAM 46.53N 95.57W 04/03/2020 OTTER TAIL MN PUBLIC ICE AND WIND CAUSED GALLOPING POWER LINES. AROUND ONE INCH OF SNOW. VIA SOCIAL MEDIA. 0700 AM ICE STORM 2 NE NEW YORK MILLS 46.54N 95.34W 04/03/2020 OTTER TAIL MN CO-OP OBSERVER TOTAL PRECIP OF 0.37 INCHES, 0.30 INCHES OF ICE.
Modified April 6, 2020