Groundhog Day Snowstorm February 2-3, 2003

If any groundhogs expected to see their shadows on Sunday, February 2nd in most of Minnesota they would have been disappointed. Snow, sleet and freezing rain began spreading across southern Minnesota during the morning hours. The sleet rapidly changed over to snow over the Twin Cities around noon. By the time the snow tapered off Monday morning at least a half-foot of snow fell from the northern suburbs of the Twin Cities to just north of St. Cloud. Ten inches or more fell in a band from Southern Chisago County to Montevideo. Montevideo and New London both saw the most snow with 11 inches. Strong northwest winds picked up in western Minnesota with gusts to 44 mph on Monday afternoon. Severe blowing and drifting conditions were somewhat limited due to the high moisture content of the snow. The heavy wet snow stuck to many tree branches, creating a winter wonderland. Many places across southern Minnesota accumulated around a half-inch of precipitation and this was the most significant rain or snow to hit the area since mid October.

Map of February 2-3, 2003 snow event from the Chanhassen National Weather Service.

Listed below is information on the snow from the various National Weather Service Offices serving Minnesota


PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
830 AM CST MON FEB 03 2003

24 HOUR SNOWFALL IN INCHES ENDING 8 AM,
FEBRUARY 3 2003.
SOUTH DAKOTA:
  
  CARPENTER             3.5 
  DE SMET               3.0
  HOWARD                3.0
  CHAMBERLAIN           2.5
  BROOKINGS             2.2
  CORSICA               2.0
 
MINNESOTA:

  IVANHOE               5.0
  MARSHALL              2.5
  PIPESTONE             0.5


PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ABERDEEN SD
935 AM CST MON FEB 3 2003
A WINTER STORM SYSTEM PRODUCED A VARIETY OF PRECIPITATION TYPES 
ACROSS CENTRAL AND NORTHEASTERN SOUTH DAKOTA FROM SATURDAY NIGHT 
THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT. THESE PRECIPITATION TYPES INCLUDED 
RAIN...FREEZING RAIN...AND SNOW. RAIN AND FREEZING RAIN FELL FIRST 
CREATING A GLAZE OF ICE OVER SURFACES FROM MILLER TO CLEAR LAKE TO 
SISSETON. THEN...FREEZING RAIN CHANGED TO SNOW PRODUCING NEARLY 10 
INCHES OF SNOW OVER PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA. OTHER 
AREAS FROM PIERRE TO FAULKTON TO BROWNS VALLEY RECEIVED BETWEEN 3 
AND 5 INCHES. LOCATIONS NORTH AND WEST OF THOSE AREAS RECEIVED 
ANYWHERE FROM A TRACE TO 3 INCHES OF SNOW FROM EARLY SUNDAY MORNING 
THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING. HERE IS A SUMMARY OF SNOWFALL REPORTS 
RECEIVED FOR THIS WINTER EVENT.


MILBANK                                     9 INCHES
GARDEN CITY 4S                              7.5 INCHES
WATERTOWN                                   7 INCHES
CLEAR LAKE                                  7 INCHES
HAYTI                                       5 INCHES
ONIDA                                       5 INCHES
FAULKTON                                    5 INCHES
CLARK                                       4.5 INCHES
ONIDA 4NW                                   4 INCHES
WEBSTER                                     4 INCHES
CONDE                                       4 INCHES
ROSCOE                                      3.1 INCHES
BROWNS VALLEY                               3 INCHES
FERNEY                                      3 INCHES
ABERDEEN                                    2.5 INCHES
WESTPORT                                    2 INCHES
COLUMBIA                                    1.6 INCHES
WHEATON                                     1 INCH
VICTOR                                      1 INCH
MOBRIDGE                                    1 INCH



REGIONAL TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION TABLES 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1029 AM CST MON FEB 03 2003

:
:             COOPERATIVE OBSERVER REPORTS
:VALUES ARE FOR THE PREVIOUS 24 HOURS ENDING BETWEEN 6 AM AND 
:        8 AM LOCAL TIME UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED
:
:          STATION             24-HR    SNOW   SNOW  
:           NAME               PCPN     FALL   DEPTH  
MPXM5:  CHANHASSEN MN  NWS    :0.66  /  6.0 /  7
AXNM5:  ALEXANDRIA MN 6MI NO  :0.14  /  2.0 /  5
BMRW3:  BLOOMER WISCONSIN     :0.62  /  7.0 /  7
CANM5:  CANBY MINNESOTA       :1.16  /  6.0 /  6
     :  EDEN VALLEY MINNESOTA :   M  / 10.0 /  10
FIRM5:  FAIRMONT MINNESOTA    :0.02  /  0.0 /  0
FORM5:  FOREST LAKE MINNESOTA :0.83  / 10.0 /  11
MNOW3:  MENOMONIE WISCONSIN   :0.67  /  5.0 /  5
LCHM5:  LITCHFIELD MINNESOTA  :0.70  / 10.0 /  10
MRRM5:  MORRIS MINNESOTA      :0.11  /  1.8 /  3
OEO  :  OSCEOLA WISCONSIN     :   M  /  9.0 /  9
SCOM5:  ST CLOUD MN (SCSU)    :0.32  /  7.0 /  8
YNGM5:  YOUNG AMERICA MN      :0.66  /  5.0 /  6
:  YOUNG AMERICA TAKES A 1 AM OBSERVATION
BALW3:  BALDWIN WISCONSIN     :0.35  /  5.0 /    
CHFW3:  CHIPPEWA FALLS WI     :0.53  /  5.0 /  6
ECLW3:  EAU CLAIRE WISCONSIN  :0.28  /  2.7 /  3
     :  FRIDLEY MINNESOTA     :   M  /  8.5 /   
GRNM5:  GRANITE FALLS 6 MI SE :0.87  /  6.0 /  6
HSTM5:  HASTINGS LOCK & DAM 2 :0.40  /    M /   
JIMW3:  JIM FALLS WISCONSIN   :0.65  /  5.9 /  7
LTFM5:  LITTLE FALLS    MN    :0.19  /  3.5 /  4
LSAM5:  LOWER ST ANTHONY FALLS:0.78  /    M /   
MRAM5:  MORA MINNESOTA        :0.20  /  3.0 /  4
MVOM5:  MONTEVIDEO MINNESOTA  :   M  / 11.0 /  13
NEWM5:  NEW LONDON MINNESOTA  :   M  / 11.0 /  13
PNMM5:  PRINCETON MINNESOTA   :   M  /  8.5 /  9
RWDM5;  REDWOODFALLS MINNESOTA:   M  /  4.0 /
SAVM5:  SAVAGE MINNESOTA      :0.60  /  3.0 /  5
SPRW3:  SPRING VALLEY WI      :0.37  /  2.5 /  5
SPFM5:  SPRINGFIELD MINNESOTA :0.42  /  1.0 /  1
STAW3:  STANLEY WISCONSIN     :0.37  /  4.4 /   
STLM5:  STILLWATER MINNESOTA  :   M  /  6.0 /  6
VESM5:  VESTA    MINNESOTA    :0.58  /  3.0 /  3
WTTM5:  WATERTOWN MINNESOTA   :   M  /  7.5 /  9
WEYW3:  WEYERHAUSER WISCONSIN :   M  /  5.3 /  5
     :  WACONIA MINNESOTA     :   M  /  6.0 /  8
     :  36TH SOUTH MINNEAPOLIS:   M  /  5.5 /  6
DLH  :  NWS DULUTH MN         :0.06  / 1.5  /  3
INL  :  INTERNATIONAL FALLS MN:0.01  /   0  /  5
BRAM5:  BRAINERD MN           :0.30  / 0.3  /  2
GLLM5:  GULL LAKE MN          :0.04  / 0.5  /  2
CRLM5:  CROSS LAKE MN         :0.02  / 0.5  /  2
HNCM5:  HINCKLEY MN           :0.39  / 5.0  /  6
FLDM5:  FLOODWOOD MN          :   M  /   M  /  2
GDPM5:  GRAND PORTAGE MN      :0.03  / 0.4  /  4
PKGM5:  POKEGAMA DAM MN       :0.04  / 0.4  /  3
LFKM5:  LITTLEFORK MN         :0.01  /   T  / 10
FEDM5:  FEDERAL DAM MN        :0.05  / 0.5  /  5
BABM5:  BABBITT MINNESOTA     :   T  / 0.0  /  9
COKM5:  5E COOK MINNESOTA     :   T  /   T  / 10
EMBM5:  EMBARRASS MINNESOTA   :0.00  /   M  /  
TOWM5:  3S TOWER MINNESOTA    :   T  /   T  / 10
MRSM5:  MARCELL MINNESOTA     :0.02  / 0.3  /  6
ISEM5:  12N ISLE MINNESOTA    :0.15  / 2.0  /  2
MOOM5:  MOOSE LAKE MN         :0.16  /   M  /  
KABM5:  KABETOGAMA MN         :   T  / 0.0  /  6
BAYW3:  BAYFIELD WISCONSIN    :0.12  /   M  /  8
GURW3:  GURNEY WISCONSIN      :0.23  / 3.2  /  9
GLDW3:  GLIDDEN WISCONSIN     :   M  / 7.0  / 12
DRUW3:  DRUMMOND WI           :   M  / 2.5  /  5
OVS  :  BOSCOBEL  WI ARPT     :0.02  /   M  /  
LSE  :  LA CROSSE MUNI ARPT   :0.26  /   M  /  2
RST  :  ROCHESTER INTL ARPT   :0.22  /   M  /  2
CRCI4:  CRESCO 1NE IA COOP    :0.04  /   M  /  
WAUI4:  WAUKON IA COOP        :0.06  / 0.0  /  3
BYRM5:  BYRON 3N MN COOP      :0.38  / 0.0  /  2
LKCM5:  LAKE CITY COOP        :0.18  / 1.0  /  3
PTNM5:  PRESTON MN COOP       :0.09  / 0.0  /  2
RSRM5:  ROCHESTER ARPT 2NE MN :0.21  / 0.0  /  2
SPRM5:  SPRING GROVE 4N COOP  :0.13  / 0.0  /  2
WABM5:  WABASHA MN COOP       :0.27  / 1.0  /  1
THLM5:  THEILMAN MN COOP      :0.34  / 0.0  /  2
ZMBM5:  ZUMBRO FALLS 2NE COOP :0.44  / 0.2  /  2
LNBM5:  LANESBORO MN COOP     :0.12  / 0.0  /  2
LCFW3:  LA CROSSE 4NNW COOP   :0.26  /   T  /  2
NELW3:  NEILLSVILLE 3SW COOP  :0.29  / 3.0  /  5
ARX  :  NWS LA CROSSE WI COOP :0.37  /   T  /  3
GMIW3:  GAYS MILLS WI COOP    :0.04  / 0.0  /  1
HTFW3:  HATFIELD 2N COOP      :0.05  / 3.0  /  5
HILW3:  HILLSBORO WI COOP     :0.18  / 2.5  /  
SPAW3:  SPARTA WI COOP        :0.28  / 0.0  /  2
LAFW3:  LA FARGE WI COOP      :0.17  /   M  /  
MATW3:  MATHER 3NW WI COOP    :0.22  / 2.1  /  
REAW3:  READSTOWN WI COOP     :   M  /   M  /  3
RICW3:  RICHLAND CTR WI COOP  :0.03  / 0.0  /  0
CBCW3:  CUBA CITY 2NW WI COOP :0.01  / 0.0  /  T
SBNW3:  STEUBEN 4SE WI COOP   :0.07  / 0.0  /  T
WESW3:  WESTBY WI COOP        :0.18  /   T  /  4
NCDW3:  N NECEDAH 2NE COOP    :0.23  / 1.0  /  5
LANW3:  LANCASTER 4WSW WI COOP:0.03  / 0.0  /  T
PDCW3:  PRAIRIE DU CHIEN COOP :0.01  / 0.0  /  T 

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
1100 AM CST MON FEB 3 2003
THESE ARE ADDITIONAL OR UPDATED SNOWFALL AMOUNTS DURING THE PAST 24 
HOURS FROM COOPERATIVE AND SNOWFALL OBSERVERS.

NORTHEAST MINNESOTA                         
ST LOUIS COUNTY              SNOWFALL/ SNOW DEPTH 
NWS DULUTH..............        1.8  /   3 IN
EMILY...................         .5  /   M IN
ISABELLA................        2.5  /  14 IN
 
PINE COUNTY
2SW HINCKLEY............        4.0  /   M IN 

CASS COUNTY
DIXON LAKE..............        1.0  /  10 IN
NORTHWEST WISCONSIN          SNOWFALL/SNOW DEPTH

DOUGLAS COUNTY
SOUTH RANGE..............       3.0  /   M IN
ASHLAND COUNTY
MASON....................       4.0  /   M IN

BURNETT COUNTY
ALPHA....................       5.5  /   M IN
WASHBURN COUNTY
SHELL LAKE...............       8.0  /   M IN

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URL: http://climate.umn.edu/doc/journal/snow030203.htm
Last modified: February 12, 2003