Blizzard: January 29, 2008

MNDOT Camera Dodge County

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.