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Scarcity of Winter Snow in the Twin Cities
STATE CLIMATOLOGY OFFICE - DNR WATERS --- FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 22, 2003
Subject: Scarcity of Winter Snow in the Twin Cities
The cancellation of the Winter Carnival Giant Snow Slide is a reflection of how
sparse Twin Cities snowfall has been this winter. As of midnight last evening
(Tuesday, January 21), the official Twin Cities seasonal snowfall total was a
meager 6.7 inches. Official Twin Cities snowfall observations are made by the
National Weather Service at their Chanhassen office.
The 6.7 inches total to date represents the fifth lowest seasonal snowfall total
(through January 21) of the modern Twin Cities record. The modern Twin Cities
snowfall data base covers 112 winters (1891-1892 through present), and includes
data gathered at the downtown Minneapolis office of the U.S. Weather Bureau, the
Twin Cities International Airport office of the U.S. Weather Bureau (later to be
named the National Weather Service), and the Chanhassen office of the National
Weather Service.
Here are the other snow-scarce winters through this point in the winter season:
Seasonal Snowfall total
Rank Season through January 21
1 1980-1981 6.0 inches (entire winter total = 21.1 inches)
2t 1958-1959 6.3 inches (entire winter total = 19.1 inches)
2t 1930-1931 6.3 inches (entire winter total = 14.2 inches)
4 1960-1961 6.5 inches (entire winter total = 40.2 inches)
5 2002-2003 * 6.7 inches (entire winter total = ? inches)
last season (2001-2002) 25.4 inches (entire winter total = 66.0 inches)
largest total to date 63.1 inches (entire winter total = 84.1 inches)
(1991-1992)
The record low seasonal snowfall total through the end of January is 6.9 inches (1897-1898).
Here are the lowest seasonal snowfall totals for an entire winter:
Seasonal Snowfall total
Rank Season for entire winter
1 1930-1931 14.2 inches
2 1894-1895 16.2 inches
3 1986-1987 17.4 inches
4 1967-1968 17.5 inches
5 1958-1959 19.1 inches
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