Courtesy: Chanhassen National Weather Service
An extreme, late-season winter storm struck Minnesota from April 13-16, 2018, producing everything from thunderstorm wind damage to prolonged blizzard and whiteout conditions. The storm came in three distinct rounds, each separated by anywhere between four and eight hours.
The first round began on the morning of Friday April 13th, as severe thunderstorms tore into far southwestern Minnesota from South Dakota, knocking over power poles, damaging farm equipment, and producing a wind gust of 78 mph near Rushmore in Nobles County. Precipitation accompanied by 45 mph wind gusts then spread across the southern half of the state, with a mix of rain, sleet, freezing rain, and eventually snow, resulting in 1-4 inches of accumulation from the Twin Cities northward, and up to 8 inches near the Minnesota River in western Minnesota, before ending just after midnight.
The next round began with a vengeance Saturday morning as a wave of even heavier precipitation and strong winds worked into southern Minnesota from Iowa. This round was the “main event” of the storm for all but northeastern Minnesota, with lightning, thunder, multiple consecutive hours of heavy snow, and winds gusting again above 40 mph, creating whiteout conditions throughout southern Minnesota, including in urban areas. The severity of the storm prompted the National Weather Service to expand Blizzard Warnings through the entire Twin Cities Metropolitan Area for the first time since the infamous Halloween Blizzard of 1991. After producing 8-14 inches of snow on top of what had already fallen on Friday, the snow from this round began to wind down from south to north on Saturday evening.
The final round on Sunday produced an additional 2-6 inches of snow across southern and eastern Minnesota, but was much more ferocious in the Duluth area, where over a foot of snow accumulated as winds gusted to near 50 mph in the harbor, and to 40 mph on the hills around town.
When all was said and done, an unusually large area of Minnesota, covering about 20 percent of the state, had over a foot of snow. Roughly half of the state had six inches or more, and numerous NWS cooperative observers reported three-day totals in excess of 15 inches. The largest “official” reports included 26.5 inches at Canby in Yellow Medicine County, 21.4 inches at Madison, 19.6 inches at Lake Wilson, and 19.5 inches at Milan. Numerous observers with the CoCoRaHS network similarly recorded amounts between 19 and 21 inches.
The blizzard made travel nearly impossible. It grounded flights at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport for over seven hours and caused over 600 accidents, nearly 1200 spin-outs, and approximately 20 jackknifed semi trailers. The storm also collapsed the 77-foot-high dome of the Vadnais Sports Center, and forced three consecutive Minnesota Twins home games to be postponed for the first time since Target Field opened.
In the Twin Cities, the snowfall total of 15.8 inches was the largest to occur so late in the season, broke the storm-total accumulation record for April, and made April of 2018 the snowiest April on record. Additionally, by holding temperatures to the 20s or very low 30s during Saturday and Sunday, the storm enabled St. Cloud, Duluth, Rochester, and the Twin Cities to break records for the lowest high temperature of the day.
Snowfall Total and Wind Gust Reports from the National Weather Service
Public Information Statement National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 1238 PM CDT Mon Apr 16 2018 ...Storm Totals Snowfall Reports From April 13-16, 2018... Location Amount Time/Date Provider ...Minnesota... ...Anoka County... Blaine 2NNW 18.4 in 0600 AM 04/16 COCORAHS Andover 1n 17.0 in 0600 AM 04/16 COOP ...Benton County... Rice 4.3 in 0700 AM 04/16 COOP ...Brown County... Sleepy Eye 14.6 in 0800 AM 04/16 COCORAHS Sveadahl 5NNW 8.6 in 0708 AM 04/16 COCORAHS ...Carver County... Victoria 1WSW 20.5 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS Carver 1W 18.8 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS Watertown 18.8 in 0415 AM 04/16 COCORAHS Chanhassen (NWS) 16.7 in 0700 AM 04/16 OFFICIAL NWS OB Waconia 16.7 in 0600 AM 04/16 UCOOP ...Chippewa County... Montevideo 20.5 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS Milan 1NW 19.0 in 0600 PM 04/15 COOP Montevideo 17.5 in 0700 AM 04/16 COOP ...Chisago County... Stacy 1W 9.8 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS North Branch 1NNW 8.8 in 0600 AM 04/16 COCORAHS Rush City 3NE 7.5 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS ...Dakota County... Eagan 1NW 17.2 in 0850 AM 04/16 COCORAHS ...Douglas County... Nelson 2WSW 2.9 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS Farwell 5N 2.5 in 0815 AM 04/16 COCORAHS Carlos 3WSW 2.0 in 0530 AM 04/16 COOP ...Faribault County... Winnebago 14.0 in 0800 AM 04/16 COOP Blue Earth 1S 11.4 in 0800 AM 04/16 COOP Bricelyn 10.4 in 0700 AM 04/16 COOP ...Freeborn County... Albert Lea 3SE 8.0 in 0800 AM 04/16 COOP ...Goodhue County... Vasa 5NNE 13.4 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS Red Wing 12.6 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS Nerstrand 4E 11.1 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS ...Hennepin County... St. Bonifacius 2ENE 19.6 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS Plymouth 2ENE 18.5 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS Long Lake 4SW 18.0 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS Edina 1SE 17.9 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS Chanhassen 2SE 17.5 in 0800 AM 04/16 COCORAHS Minneapolis Dwtn 17.0 in 0600 AM 04/16 COOP Minneapolis-St. Paul AP-MSP 15.8 in 0653 AM 04/16 OFFICIAL NWS OB ...Lac qui Parle County... Dawson 20.0 in 0700 AM 04/16 COOP Montevideo 1SW 17.5 in 0700 AM 04/16 COOP ...Le Sueur County... New Prague 12.5 in 0800 AM 04/16 COCORAHS ...Martin County... Fairmont 15.0 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS ...McLeod County... Brownton 19.0 in 0700 AM 04/16 COOP Silver Lake 1NNW 15.7 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS Glencoe 15.5 in 0700 AM 04/16 COOP ...Meeker County... Dassel 17.1 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS ...Mille Lacs County... Princeton 1NE 15.9 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS Milaca 7.0 in 0730 AM 04/16 COOP ...Morrison County... Little Falls 6.5 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS ...Nicollet County... New Ulm 3SE 13.9 in 0553 AM 04/16 COOP ...Ramsey County... North St. Paul 1WNW 20.2 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS Maplewood 17.0 in 0700 AM 04/16 COOP Mendota Hgts 2WNW 13.2 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS ...Scott County... Prior Lake 1WSW 17.0 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS Savage 3W 16.5 in 0700 AM 04/16 MNDOT Jordan 1SW 14.0 in 0530 AM 04/16 COOP ...Sherburne County... Orrock 2SE 13.2 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS Becker 2NNW 12.0 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS St. Cloud AP 6.0 in 0653 AM 04/16 OFFICIAL NWS OB ...Stearns County... Kimball 3N 12.0 in 0600 AM 04/16 COOP Paynesville 1SSW 10.0 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS Melrose 6.5 in 0700 AM 04/16 COOP St. Cloud (SCSU) 6.4 in 0700 AM 04/16 UCOOP ...Steele County... Owatonna 10.2 in 0630 AM 04/16 COCORAHS Owatonna 10.0 in 0800 AM 04/16 COOP ...Stevens County... Morris 1SSE 8.6 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS Morris (AG Exp Frm) 4.4 in 0800 AM 04/16 COOP Donnelly 2WNW 1.3 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS ...Washington County... Woodbury 15.3 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS ...Wright County... Rockford 14.0 in 0700 AM 04/16 COOP St. Michael 2ENE 12.6 in 0630 AM 04/16 COCORAHS ...Wisconsin... ...Barron County... Chetek 2SE 10.5 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS ...Chippewa County... Chippewa Falls 13.0 in 0800 AM 04/16 COOP Jim Falls 3NW 10.1 in 0630 AM 04/16 COOP Cornell 4W 9.0 in 0800 AM 04/16 COCORAHS ...Dunn County... Boyceville 3NNE 13.8 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS Menomonie 10.7 in 0800 AM 04/16 COCORAHS ...Eau Claire county... Eau Claire 3SW 13.0 in 0700 AM 04/16 COOP Eau Claire 11.5 in 0700 AM 04/16 OFFICIAL NWS OB ...Pepin County... Stockholm 2NE 11.5 in 0800 AM 04/16 COCORAHS ...Pierce County... Spring Valley 1WSW 15.0 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS River Falls 1SW 11.0 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS River Falls 1S 10.0 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS ...Polk County... St. Croix Falls 12.0 in 0700 AM 04/16 COOP ...Rusk County... 1 NW Ladysmith 13.0 in 0600 AM 04/16 COCORAHS Ladysmith 2WNW 11.4 in 0700 AM 04/16 COCORAHS ...St. Croix County... Roberts 13.2 in 0800 AM 04/16 COOP Clear Lake 4S 11.9 in 0840 AM 04/16 COCORAHS 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. Public Information Statement...CORRECTED National Weather Service Duluth MN 1239 PM CDT Mon Apr 16 2018 ...STORM SNOWFALL TOTALS FROM PAST 48 HOURS... INCHES LOCATION ST COUNTY TIME ------ ----------------------- -- -------------- ------- 21.9 1 WSW MAPLE WI DOUGLAS 0700 AM 18.0 3 N BUTTERNUT WI ASHLAND 0559 AM 16.5 1 S PHILLIPS WI PRICE 0700 AM 16.0 SAXON 1WSW WI IRON 0700 AM 16.0 LAKE NEBAGAMON WI DOUGLAS 0930 AM 15.7 ASHLAND WI ASHLAND 0700 AM 14.8 1 NW MANITOWISH WI IRON 0730 AM 14.2 MADELINE ISLAND WI ASHLAND 0737 AM 14.0 5 WSW BUTTERNUT WI PRICE 0630 AM 14.0 2 NW WASHBURN WI BAYFIELD 0731 AM 14.0 MCKINLEY MN ST. LOUIS 0815 AM 14.0 4 N FLOODWOOD MN ST. LOUIS 0830 AM 13.6 PHILLIPS WI PRICE 0700 AM 13.4 DULUTH NWS MN ST. LOUIS 0700 AM 13.0 4.1 ENE CORNUCOPIA WI BAYFIELD 0700 AM 13.0 1 SW BAYFIELD WI BAYFIELD 0700 AM 13.0 SPRINGBROOK WI WASHBURN 0842 AM 12.9 PENCE WI IRON 0700 AM 12.6 1 N MOQUAH WI BAYFIELD 0600 AM 12.5 BAYFIELD 9N WI BAYFIELD 0600 AM 12.3 3 E WRIGHT MN CARLTON 0600 AM 12.0 3 W CLAM LAKE WI BAYFIELD 0655 AM 12.0 4 S EARL WI WASHBURN 0700 AM 12.0 2 NW GARY NEW DULUTH MN ST. LOUIS 0900 AM 11.8 3 W PHILLIPS WI PRICE 0830 AM 11.5 4 WSW SEELEY WI SAWYER 0630 AM 11.4 2 N SHAW MN ST. LOUIS 0800 AM 11.0 MELRUDE MN ST. LOUIS 0600 AM 11.0 5 NE BUTTERNUT WI ASHLAND 0752 AM 11.0 1 S FLOODWOOD MN ST. LOUIS 0755 AM 11.0 14 W ISABELLA MN LAKE 0900 AM 10.8 ISLAND LAKE MN ST. LOUIS 0900 AM 10.5 3 E PAYNE MN ST. LOUIS 0502 AM 10.5 2 W HAYWARD WI SAWYER 0632 AM 10.4 6 NE HERTEL WI BURNETT 0700 AM 10.3 SARONA WI WASHBURN 0700 AM 10.0 HURLEY WI IRON 0800 AM 10.0 WRENSHALL MN CARLTON 0800 AM 9.7 UPSON WI IRON 0600 PM 9.7 CHISHOLM MN ST. LOUIS 0630 AM 9.7 3 NW NORTHWOODS BEACH WI SAWYER 0700 AM 9.6 7 W COUDERAY WI SAWYER 0400 PM 9.0 BABBITT MN ST. LOUIS 0515 AM 9.0 2 E LITTLE SWAN MN ST. LOUIS 0700 AM 9.0 HOVLAND MN COOK 0700 AM 8.8 2 S SIREN WI BURNETT 0700 AM 8.8 1 NNE DULUTH MN ST. LOUIS 0800 AM 8.7 1 NE ESKO MN CARLTON 0700 PM 8.7 WINTON MN ST. LOUIS 0700 AM 8.3 BABBIT MN ST. LOUIS 0643 AM 8.3 5 NE ARNOLD MN ST. LOUIS 0710 AM 8.3 GORDON WI DOUGLAS 0800 AM 8.0 EMBARRASS MN ST. LOUIS 0600 AM 8.0 2 WNW STONE LAKE WI WASHBURN 0700 AM 8.0 ELY MN ST. LOUIS 0829 AM 8.0 1 SSE AURORA MN ST. LOUIS 1000 AM 7.1 1 NNW FORT RIPLEY MN CROW WING 0700 AM 7.0 SPIRIT WI PRICE 0400 AM 7.0 1 S COTTON MN ST. LOUIS 0754 AM 7.0 7 NW CHISHOLM MN ST. LOUIS 0755 AM 7.0 2 W LEONIDAS MN ST. LOUIS 0800 AM 7.0 1 ENE HOYT LAKES MN ST. LOUIS 1146 AM 6.9 12 N ISLE MN AITKIN 0800 AM 6.8 1 WSW TAMARACK MN AITKIN 0630 AM 6.7 7 N MCGREGOR MN AITKIN 0700 AM 6.5 1 NW TWO HARBORS MN LAKE 0745 AM 6.2 WOLF RIDGE MN LAKE 0700 AM 6.0 WRENSHALL MN CARLTON 0500 PM 6.0 SUPERIOR, WI WI CARLTON 1200 AM 6.0 3E ORR MN ST. LOUIS 0600 AM 6.0 ORR MN ST. LOUIS 0700 AM 6.0 11 N NASHWAUK MN ITASCA 0700 AM 6.0 2 WNW HOVLAND MN COOK 0700 AM 6.0 CELINA 2E MN ST. LOUIS 0700 AM 6.0 25 E ELY MN LAKE 0800 AM 6.0 LIBBY MN AITKIN 0800 AM 6.0 7 SE SEA GULL LAKE MN COOK 0806 AM 5.8 SILVER BAY MN LAKE 0700 AM 5.5 BRAINERD MN CROW WING 0700 AM 5.4 BIGFORK 8S MN ITASCA 0800 AM 5.1 6 SSW GRAND RAPIDS MN ITASCA 0600 AM 5.0 7 W HOVLAND MN COOK 0740 AM 5.0 PENGILLY MN ITASCA 0800 AM 5.0 3 S COHASSET MN ITASCA 0804 AM 5.0 BRIMSON MN ST. LOUIS 1000 AM 4.5 4 NE COHASSET MN ITASCA 0700 AM 4.3 5 SSE GUNN MN ITASCA 0814 AM 4.1 KELLY LAKE MN ST. LOUIS 0750 AM 4.0 2 SW LESTER PARK MN ST. LOUIS 0700 AM 4.0 1 WNW KABETOGAMA MN ST. LOUIS 0800 AM 3.9 USDA FORESTRY SCIENCE L MN ITASCA 1200 AM 3.7 4 ESE CASINO MN CASS 0645 AM 3.6 1 SSW COLERAINE MN ITASCA 0900 AM 3.0 GUNFLINT LAKE MN COOK 0700 AM 3.0 POKEGAMA LK DAM MN ITASCA 0800 AM 3.0 LAKE WINNIBIGOSHISH MN ITASCA 0800 AM 3.0 WALKER COMMUNITY CENTER MN CASS 0931 AM 2.6 BRIMSON 2S MN ST. LOUIS 0700 PM 1.9 INTERNATIONAL FALLS MN KOOCHICHING 0655 AM 0.9 TWO HARBORS MN LAKE 0200 PM 0.9 CASS LAKE MN CASS 0800 AM Public Information Statement National Weather Service Duluth MN 954 AM CDT Mon Apr 16 2018 ...STRONGEST WINDS FROM THIS PAST WEEKEND... Location Speed Time/Date Lat/Lon --------------------------- ------ ------------- ------------- Devils Island 59 MPH 0400 PM 04/15 47.08N/90.73W Sky Harbor Airport 54 MPH 0815 AM 04/14 46.72N/92.04W 2 SW Proctor 54 MPH 0915 AM 04/14 46.72N/92.25W 1 E Duluth 51 MPH 0654 AM 04/14 46.78N/92.09W 1 NE Duluth 51 MPH 0500 PM 04/14 46.80N/92.10W Bayfield 50 MPH 1010 AM 04/15 46.81N/90.81W 4 ENE Two Harbors 49 MPH 0541 AM 04/15 47.07N/91.59W Ashland Airport 49 MPH 0452 AM 04/14 46.55N/90.92W Silver Bay Marine 48 MPH 0340 AM 04/15 47.28N/91.26W Duluth RWIS 48 MPH 0330 AM 04/15 46.77N/92.11W Duluth Airport 48 MPH 0124 PM 04/14 46.84N/92.21W Superior Airport 47 MPH 0435 PM 04/14 46.69N/92.09W Cloquet Airport 47 MPH 0255 PM 04/14 46.70N/92.50W 7 WNW Minong 47 MPH 0403 PM 04/14 46.14N/91.98W Two Harbors 44 MPH 0235 AM 04/15 47.05N/91.75W 10 NW Loretta 43 MPH 1000 PM 04/15 46.00N/91.00W 1 W Bayfield 42 MPH 0523 PM 04/15 46.81N/90.85W 2 WNW Duluth 41 MPH 0235 AM 04/14 46.79N/92.16W 2 SW Moose Lake 41 MPH 0208 PM 04/14 46.42N/92.80W Hinckley Airport 41 MPH 0255 PM 04/15 46.02N/92.89W Hayward Airport 41 MPH 0105 PM 04/14 46.03N/91.44W Brainerd Airport 41 MPH 0103 PM 04/14 46.40N/94.13W Silver Bay 40 MPH 0335 AM 04/15 47.25N/91.42W Moose Lake Airport 40 MPH 0235 PM 04/14 46.42N/92.81W Siren 39 MPH 0255 PM 04/14 45.82N/92.37W 2 W Woodrow 39 MPH 0106 PM 04/14 46.40N/94.13W 3 WNW Twig 39 MPH 1011 AM 04/14 46.92N/92.41W 1 E Odanah 39 MPH 0944 AM 04/15 46.60N/90.66W Aitkin Airport 38 MPH 0455 AM 04/14 46.55N/93.68W Bay Of Grand Marais 38 MPH 1058 AM 04/15 47.75N/90.34W Phillips 38 MPH 0355 PM 04/14 45.71N/90.42W Rice Lake N.W.R. 37 MPH 0852 AM 04/14 46.54N/93.29W 1 ENE La Pointe 37 MPH 0235 PM 04/15 46.79N/90.76W 1 ESE Esko 37 MPH 0330 PM 04/14 46.70N/92.34W 2 SE Bayfield 37 MPH 0744 AM 04/14 46.78N/90.79W 3 NE Randall 36 MPH 0206 PM 04/14 45.74N/92.80W 6 ESE Cloverdale 36 MPH 0715 AM 04/14 45.97N/92.62W 5 NW Sand Bay 36 MPH 1121 AM 04/15 47.00N/90.94W McGregor Airport 35 MPH 0117 PM 04/14 46.62N/93.31W 3 ENE South Range 35 MPH 0544 AM 04/15 46.64N/91.92W 1 SW Saginaw 35 MPH 1108 AM 04/14 46.84N/92.46W 11 SSE Brule 33 MPH 0406 PM 04/14 46.40N/91.50W Grand Marais Airport 33 MPH 1055 AM 04/15 47.75N/90.34W 5 E Hibbing 33 MPH 0507 PM 04/15 47.39N/92.83W Eveleth-Virginia Airport 33 MPH 0155 PM 04/14 47.42N/92.50W 12 ENE Fifield 32 MPH 0847 AM 04/14 45.93N/90.18W 2 S Chisholm 32 MPH 0430 PM 04/15 47.45N/92.89W Fernberg RAWS 32 MPH 0213 PM 04/14 47.95N/91.50W 5 WSW Spirit 32 MPH 1245 PM 04/14 45.40N/90.20W 2 ENE Duluth 32 MPH 0352 PM 04/14 46.80N/92.07W Pine River Airport 31 MPH 0245 PM 04/14 46.73N/94.38W 5 SE Breezy Point 31 MPH 0203 PM 04/14 46.55N/94.17W 2 NNW Cotton 31 MPH 0345 PM 04/14 47.21N/92.49W Dads Corner 31 MPH 1205 PM 04/14 46.34N/93.26W Chisholm-Hibbing Airport 31 MPH 0433 PM 04/15 47.39N/92.84W 1 SW Breezy Point 31 MPH 0307 PM 04/14 46.58N/94.24W Ashland 30 MPH 1149 AM 04/14 46.58N/90.88W 4 S Emily 30 MPH 0140 PM 04/14 46.69N/93.95W Robinson 30 MPH 1115 AM 04/15 47.85N/92.05W Glidden RAWS 30 MPH 0400 PM 04/14 46.14N/90.59W 2 NE Duluth 30 MPH 0313 AM 04/15 46.81N/92.08W 3 E Namekagon 29 MPH 0502 AM 04/15 46.20N/90.97W 2 W Schley 29 MPH 0335 PM 04/14 47.37N/94.48W 4 W Grand Portage 29 MPH 0144 AM 04/15 47.95N/89.78W 5 S Ely 29 MPH 0104 PM 04/14 47.83N/91.84W Makinen 29 MPH 0358 PM 04/15 47.36N/92.36W Grand Portage 29 MPH 1159 PM 04/14 47.97N/89.69W 1 SSW Jacobson 29 MPH 0331 PM 04/14 46.98N/93.27W Ely Airport 29 MPH 0635 PM 04/14 47.82N/91.83W 1 W Superior 28 MPH 0900 AM 04/13 46.70N/92.10W Hayward RAWS 27 MPH 0403 PM 04/14 46.02N/91.45W Northome RWIS 27 MPH 0600 PM 04/15 47.60N/94.13W 3 ENE Margie 27 MPH 0603 PM 04/15 48.13N/93.88W 1 W Isabella 26 MPH 0104 PM 04/14 47.62N/91.38W International Falls 26 MPH 0455 PM 04/14 48.57N/93.40W Cook 26 MPH 0415 PM 04/15 47.82N/92.69W Grand Rapids Airport 26 MPH 0556 PM 04/15 47.22N/93.52W Bigfork 26 MPH 0453 PM 04/14 47.78N/93.65W 8 S Castle Danger 25 MPH 1000 AM 04/13 47.00N/91.50W 5 E Seagull Lake 25 MPH 0504 PM 04/15 48.12N/90.84W Grand Portage RWIS 25 MPH 0240 PM 04/15 47.98N/89.68W 1 WSW Maple 25 MPH 0433 PM 04/15 46.58N/91.75W 1 S Hill City 25 MPH 0407 PM 04/14 46.96N/93.60W Walker Airport 25 MPH 0335 PM 04/14 47.16N/94.65W Skibo RAWS 25 MPH 0422 PM 04/14 47.49N/91.99W Sites with maximum wind speeds of less than 25 miles per hour have been removed from this listing. 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.