Blizzard: January 29, 2008
MNDOT Traffic Camera on I-90 in Dodge County During the Blizzard
Courtesy Minnesota Department of Transportation
A very small, but intense upper level low pressure over Iowa brought a blizzard over sections of southeast Minnesota on January 29th. There was a sharp cutoff from heavy snow over Rochester and Owatonna, to barely a few flakes in the Twin Cities. The National Weather Service issued a Blizzard Warning over parts of southeast Minnesota for the afternoon of Tuesday, January 29. I-35 was closed from Owatonna to Albert Lea with visibilities less than 100 feet at times. The snow moved out of southeast Minnesota by late in the afternoon. Air temperatures continued to plummet across the state and fell to below zero in eastern Minnesota by the afternoon. Windchills were as cold as -40 in western Minnesota during the day.
Below are Local Storm Reports and Public Information Satements Courtesy the National Weather Service.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
313 PM CST WED JAN 30 2008
...LOWEST OBSERVED WIND CHILLS ON TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY
MORNING...
THE FOLLOWING TABLE DISPLAYS THE LOWEST OBSERVED HOURLY WIND
CHILLS FROM TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY MORNING AT SEVERAL
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA AND WESTERN WISCONSIN AIRPORTS.
ONLY ROUTINE OBSERVATIONS TAKEN AT THE TOP OF THE HOUR WERE USED
FOR THIS COMPILATION. THEREFORE...LOWER WIND CHILLS MAY HAVE
OCCURRED.
LOCATION LOWEST OBSERVED WIND CHILL TIME
--------------------------------------------------------------
ALBERT LEA MN.....................-38....................11 PM
ALEXANDRIA MN.....................-46....................10 AM
ANNANDALE MN......................-39.....................8 PM
APPLETON MN.......................-38....................10 AM
BENSON MN.........................-43....................10 AM
BLAINE MN.........................-41....................11 PM
BUFFALO MN........................-39.....................5 AM
CAMBRIDGE MN......................-39.....................1 AM
CRYSTAL MN........................-41....................11 PM
EAU CLAIRE WI.....................-42.....................4 AM
EDEN PRAIRIE MN...................-36.....................5 AM
FARIBAULT MN......................-37.....................8 PM
GLENCOE MN........................-35....................12 AM
GLENWOOD MN.......................-46.....................9 PM
HUTCHINSON MN.....................-40.....................8 PM
LADYSMITH WI......................-41.....................6 AM
LAKEVILLE MN......................-40.....................3 AM
LITCHFIELD MN.....................-42....................11 PM
LITTLE FALLS MN...................-43.....................9 PM
MENOMONIE WI......................-41.....................3 AM
MINNEAPOLIS ST. PAUL INTL AIRPORT MN...................-39.10 PM
MORA MN...........................-40.....................1 AM
MORRIS MN.........................-41.....................5 AM
NEW ULM MN........................-35.....................4 AM
NEW RICHMOND WI...................-39.....................4 AM
OLIVIA MN.........................-35.....................7 AM
OSCEOLA WI........................-38....................10 PM
OWATONNA MN.......................-39....................10 PM
PAYNESVILLE MN....................-41....................12 AM
PRINCETON MN......................-44....................11 PM
REDWOOD FALLS MN..................-34.....................9 AM
RICE LAKE WI......................-44.....................5 AM
RUSH CITY MN......................-38.....................1 AM
ST CLOUD MN.......................-46....................11 PM
ST PAUL MN........................-39....................10 PM
STANTON MN........................-37.....................9 PM
STAPLES MN........................-44.....................8 PM
WASECA MN.........................-33.....................8 PM
WILLMAR MN........................-40.....................5 PM
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
925 AM CST WED JAN 30 2008
...SNOWFALL TOTALS FROM THE TUESDAY SNOW EVENT IN SOUTH CENTRAL
MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN...
AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVED NORTHEAST FROM IOWA INTO WISCONSIN
DURING THE DAY TUESDAY PRODUCING ACCUMULATING SNOW IN SOUTH CENTRAL
AND SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA INTO WESTERN WISCONSIN. IN ADDITION...
STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS HELPED CREATE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS AT TIMES.
THE TOTALS BELOW ARE SEPARATED INTO SNOW...AND ICE AND SLEET
CATEGORIES...THEN BY AMOUNT...AND ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE
FINAL AMOUNT FOR EACH LOCATION.
SNOW REPORTS LISTED BY AMOUNT
INCHES LOCATION ST COUNTY TIME
------ ----------------------- -- -------------- -------
4.00 6 S EAU CLAIRE WI EAU CLAIRE 0245 PM
3.90 EAU CLAIRE WI EAU CLAIRE 1200 AM
2.50 WANAMINGO MN GOODHUE 1215 PM
2.00 5 S GENEVA MN FREEBORN 0245 PM
2.00 12 SE MENOMONIE WI DUNN 0120 PM
2.00 PINE ISLAND MN GOODHUE 0100 PM
1.00 ALBERT LEA MN FREEBORN 0215 PM
1.00 OWATONNA MN STEELE 1235 PM
1.00 GENEVA MN FREEBORN 1205 PM
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
919 AM CST WED JAN 30 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1205 PM SNOW GENEVA 43.82N 93.27W
01/29/2008 E1.0 INCH FREEBORN MN TRAINED SPOTTER
SNOWFALL ESTIMATED DUE TO DIFFICULTY OF MEASURING SNOW IN
SUCH STRONG WIND. VISIBILITY LESS THAN 1/8 MILE IN
SHELTERED AREA WHERE SPOTTER LIVES. DEPUTY SHERIFF
REPORTS TERRIBLE CONDITIONS IN FREEBORN COUNTY WITH
VISIBILITY IN OPEN AREAS SOMETIMES NOT EVEN 20 FEET.
1215 PM SNOW WANAMINGO 44.31N 92.79W
01/29/2008 M2.5 INCH GOODHUE MN TRAINED SPOTTER
1235 PM SNOW OWATONNA 44.09N 93.22W
01/29/2008 E1.0 INCH STEELE MN LAW ENFORCEMENT
VISIBILITY SOMETIMES ONLY 100 FEET IN BLOWING SNOW
OUTSIDE OF OWATONNA. SOUTHBOUND INTERSTATE 35 CLOSED FROM
OWATONNA TO ALBERT LEA PER MNDOT WEB SITE.
0100 PM SNOW PINE ISLAND 44.20N 92.65W
01/29/2008 E2.0 INCH GOODHUE MN COUNTY OFFICIAL
ZERO VISIBILITY OUTSIDE TOWN.
0120 PM SNOW 12 SE MENOMONIE 44.76N 91.74W
01/29/2008 E2.0 INCH DUNN WI TRAINED SPOTTER
AT MERIDEAN.
0215 PM SNOW ALBERT LEA 43.66N 93.37W
01/29/2008 E1.0 INCH FREEBORN MN TRAINED SPOTTER
SNOW HAS TAPERED TO FLURRIES. VISIBILITY IN OPEN AREAS
STILL OCCASIONALLY BELOW 1/4 MILE DUE TO BLOWING SNOW.
0245 PM SNOW 5 S GENEVA 43.75N 93.27W
01/29/2008 E2.0 INCH FREEBORN MN TRAINED SPOTTER
VISIBILITY 1/8 MILE
0245 PM SNOW 6 S EAU CLAIRE 44.73N 91.49W
01/29/2008 M4.0 INCH EAU CLAIRE WI TRAINED SPOTTER
1200 AM SNOW EAU CLAIRE 44.82N 91.49W
01/30/2008 M3.9 INCH EAU CLAIRE WI OFFICIAL NWS OBS
&&
THE TOTALS BELOW ARE SEPARATED INTO SNOW...AND ICE AND SLEET
CATEGORIES...THEN BY AMOUNT...AND ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE
FINAL AMOUNT FOR EACH LOCATION.
SNOW REPORTS LISTED BY AMOUNT
INCHES LOCATION ST COUNTY TIME
------ ----------------------- -- -------------- -------
4.00 6 S EAU CLAIRE WI EAU CLAIRE 0245 PM
3.90 EAU CLAIRE WI EAU CLAIRE 1200 AM
2.50 WANAMINGO MN GOODHUE 1215 PM
2.00 5 S GENEVA MN FREEBORN 0245 PM
VISIBILITY 1/8 MILE
2.00 12 SE MENOMONIE WI DUNN 0120 PM
AT MERIDEAN.
2.00 PINE ISLAND MN GOODHUE 0100 PM
ZERO VISIBILITY OUTSIDE TOWN.
1.00 ALBERT LEA MN FREEBORN 0215 PM
SNOW HAS TAPERED TO FLURRIES. VISIBILITY IN
OPEN AREAS STILL OCCASIONALLY BELOW 1/4 MILE
DUE TO BLOWING SNOW.
1.00 OWATONNA MN STEELE 1235 PM
VISIBILITY SOMETIMES ONLY 100 FEET IN BLOWING
SNOW OUTSIDE OF OWATONNA. SOUTHBOUND
INTERSTATE 35 CLOSED FROM OWATONNA TO ALBERT
LEA PER MNDOT WEB SITE.
1.00 GENEVA MN FREEBORN 1205 PM
SNOWFALL ESTIMATED DUE TO DIFFICULTY OF
MEASURING SNOW IN SUCH STRONG WIND.
VISIBILITY LESS THAN 1/8 MILE IN SHELTERED
AREA WHERE SPOTTER LIVES. DEPUTY SHERIFF
REPORTS TERRIBLE CONDITIONS IN FREEBORN
COUNTY WITH VISIBILITY IN OPEN AREAS
SOMETIMES NOT EVEN 20 FEET.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
932 PM CST TUE JAN 29 2008
...SNOWFALL TOTALS FOR TODAY ACROSS THE AREA...
LOCATION SNOWFALL TIME LAT/LON
NORTHEAST IOWA
...FLOYD COUNTY...
CHARLES CITY 1.9 0335 PM 43.07N 92.68W
CHARLES CITY 1.2 1256 PM 43.06N 92.69W
...MITCHELL COUNTY...
STACYVILLE 2.0 0321 PM 43.44N 92.79W
ST ANSGAR 1.5 1253 PM 43.38N 92.92W
SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA
...DODGE COUNTY...
MANTORVILLE 3.5 0315 PM 44.07N 92.76W
...FILLMORE COUNTY...
PETERSON 1S 0.7 0433 PM 43.78N 91.82W
...MOWER COUNTY...
AUSTIN KAAL TV 5.5 0506 PM 43.68N 92.95W
BROWNSDALE 3.0 1251 PM 43.74N 92.87W
GRAND MEADOW 6SE 2.2 0313 PM 43.62N 92.49W
...OLMSTED COUNTY...
DOUGLAS 2N 3.5 0316 PM 44.16N 92.57W
ROCHESTER AIRPORT 3.5 0627 PM 43.94N 92.5W
CHATFIELD 4W 3.0 0317 PM 43.85N 92.25W
ROCHESTER KTTC TV 3.0 0610 PM 44.08N 92.51W
BYRON 4N 2.0 1249 PM 44.08N 92.67W
...WABASHA COUNTY...
LAKE CITY 3.8 0921 PM 44.45N 92.28W
READS LANDING 1W 3.0 0446 PM 44.40N 92.17W
OAK CENTER 2.8 0437 PM 44.35N 92.4W
...WINONA COUNTY...
GOODVIEW 2.0 0444 PM 44.07N 91.71W
SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL WISCONSIN
...BUFFALO COUNTY...
MONDOVI 4.0 0627 PM 44.57N 91.67W
COCHRANE 2.0 0612 PM 44.22N 91.82W
...CLARK COUNTY...
LOYAL 6SE 4.0 0609 PM 44.71N 90.42W
STANLEY 2E 3.5 0329 PM 44.96N 90.9W
HUMBIRD 3NNW 2.0 0324 PM 44.56N 90.91W
...GRANT COUNTY...
HAZEL GREEN 1.0 0551 PM 42.53N 90.44W
...LA CROSSE COUNTY...
HOLMEN 2S 0.9 0641 PM 43.95N 91.26W
LA CROSSE 0.8 0628 PM 43.81N 91.25W
LA CROSSE NWS 0.7 0628 PM 43.28N 91.19W
WEST SALEM 0.5 0620 PM 43.90N 91.1W
...TREMPEALEAU COUNTY...
INDEPENDENCE 3NE 4.0 0903 PM 44.39N 91.39W
GALESVILLE 2ENE 2.0 0815 PM 44.09N 91.31W
...VERNON COUNTY...
VIROQUA 1.5 0459 PM 43.55N 90.89W
OBSERVATIONS ARE COLLECTED FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES WITH VARYING
EQUIPMENT AND EXPOSURE. NOT ALL DATA LISTED IS CONSIDERED OFFICIAL
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
1211 PM CST TUE JAN 29 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
1145 AM SNOW DODGE CENTER
44.03N 92.85W 01/29/2008 E2.0 INCH DODGE MN TRAINED SPOTTER
VISIBILITIES NEAR ZERO.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
344 PM CST TUE JAN 29 2008
...MINIMUM WIND CHILLS FOR TODAY...
IN NORTHEAST IOWA...
STATION COUNTY TIME WIND CHILL
NEW HAMPTON AWS CHICKASAW 314 PM -29 F
OSAGE - KIMT MITCHELL 215 PM -28 F
RICEVILLE - KIMT HOWARD 116 PM -28 F
CHARLES CITY AWOS FLOYD 215 PM -28 F
MFL MARMAC ES/HS MONONA CLAYTON 259 PM -27 F
OELWEIN AWOS FAYETTE 315 PM -27 F
CRESTWOOD AWS HOWARD 313 PM -26 F
CRESCO KIMT HOWARD 215 PM -26 F
TURKEY VALLEY AWS CHICKASAW 314 PM -25 F
IN SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA...
STATION COUNTY TIME WIND CHILL
GRAND MEADOW - KIMT MOWER 256 PM -37 F
BYRON/KASSON RWIS DODGE 259 PM -36 F
DEXTER RWIS MOWER 306 PM -35 F
CENTURY HIGH SCHOOL AWS OLMSTED 259 PM -35 F
AUSTIN KIMT MOWER 316 PM -33 F
WEST CONCORD - KIMT DODGE 135 PM -32 F
AUSTIN AWOS MOWER 216 PM -31 F
ST CHARLES 4W RWIS OLMSTED 116 PM -30 F
DODGE CENTER AWOS DODGE 155 PM -30 F
JOHN ADAMS - KIMT OLMSTED 235 PM -29 F
ROCHESTER LINCOLN AWS OLMSTED 315 PM -28 F
PRESTON AWOS FILLMORE 255 PM -28 F
ALBERT LEA - KIMT FREEBORN 215 PM -26 F
WILLOW CREEK - KIMT OLMSTED 1236 PM -26 F
PRESTON KIMT FILLMORE 1255 PM -26 F
PLAINVIEW AWS WABASHA 314 PM -23 F
WINONA AWOS WINONA 317 PM -19 F
WSU CAMPUS WINONA 159 PM -18 F
IN WESTERN WISCONSIN...
STATION COUNTY TIME WIND CHILL
ALMA AWS BUFFALO 214 PM -25 F
BUFFALO LUTHERAN AWS BUFFALO 259 PM -21 F
PRAIRIE DU CHIEN AWS CRAWFORD 259 PM -20 F
ARCADIA HILL RWIS TREMPEALEAU 310 PM -20 F
LA CROSSE ASOS LA CROSSE 253 PM -17 F
PRAIRIE DU CHIEN AWOS CRAWFORD 255 PM -16 F
MOUNT STERLING 1S RWIS CRAWFORD 308 PM -16 F
STANLEY 1 SE RWIS CHIPPEWA 303 PM -14 F
LOYAL SCHOOL AWS CLARK 244 PM -13 F
MEDFORD AWOS TAYLOR 315 PM -13 F
SPARTA AWOS MONROE 315 PM -12 F
FENNIMORE ELEMENTARY AWS GRANT 259 PM -11 F
RICHLAND CENTER AWS RICHLAND 314 PM -10 F
RIVERDALE SCHOOL AWS GRANT 314 PM -9 F
TOMAH 4N RWIS MONROE 307 PM -9 F
VOLK FIELD JUNEAU 255 PM -8 F
NECEDAH RAWS JUNEAU 248 PM -7 F
FRIENDSHIP AWS ADAMS 259 PM -7 F
DICKEYVILLE RWIS GRANT 303 PM -7 F
BOSCOBEL ASOS GRANT 253 PM -5 F
WISC DELLS AWOS SAUK 255 PM 2 F
KEY TO OBSERVATION TYPES
AWS - SENSORS FROM AWS INCORPORATED. OFTEN LOCATED AT SCHOOLS.
RWIS - ROAD WEATHER INFORMATION SYSTEMS. LOCATED ON MAJOR ROADS AND BRIDGES.
RAWS - FIRE WEATHER OBSERVATIONS. OFTEN LOCATED IN FORESTS.
ASOS/AWOS - AVIATION WEATHER OBSERVATIONS. LOCATED AT AIRPORTS.
OBSERVATIONS ARE COLLECTED FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES WITH VARYING EQUIPMENT
AND EXPOSURE. NOT ALL DATA LISTED IS CONSIDERED OFFICIAL.