A fast-moving classic March storm dumped wet sloppy snow over southern and eastern Minnesota during the late evening hours of March 4th and tapered off during the day on March 5th. This storm brought badly needed moisture to the Gopher state. Heavy rains clipped southeast Minnesota with over an inch of liquid in some far southeastern counties. One of the higher totals was 1.24 inches at Caledonia. Farther north the precipitation fell as mostly snow. Snow began in earnest across the Twin Cities beginning around 1am on March 5th and created a messy rush hour. The sticky snow stuck to tree branches and power lines. This created a winter wonderland but caused some power outages as well.

Listed below are some snowfall totals from this event courtesy the National Weather Service.

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...UPDATED          
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
245 PM CST FRI MAR 5 2004
...SNOWFALL SUMMARY FOR THE MARCH 5TH STORM...

BELOW IS A LIST OF SNOWFALL TOTALS FROM VARIOUS LAW ENFORCEMENT 
OFFICIALS...CO-OP OBSERVERS...AND NWS PERSONNEL. A (**) DENOTES
 REPORTS THAT CAME INTO THE OFFICE BEFORE THE SNOW HAD
DROPPED IN INTENSITY...SO SNOWFALL TOTALS IN THE (**) LOCATIONS 
MAY BE SLIGHTLY HIGHER THAN REPORTED HERE. 
THANKS TO ALL WHO CALLED IN THESE REPORTS TO THE 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN CHANHASSEN. 

CITY................COUNTY.............AMOUNT (IN INCHES)

MENOMONIE           DUNN (WI)           10.0 (POWER OUTAGES)
JUMP RIVER          RUSK/TAYLOR LINE    9.5
TURTLE LAKE         BARRON (WI)         9.0 
STANLEY             CHIPPEWA (WI)       8.8 
FARIBAULT           RICE                8.0 (**)
HAUGEN              BARRON (WI)         8.0
MONTGOMERY          LE SUEUR            8.0
CHIPPEWA FALLS      CHIPPEWA (WI)       8.0
SAVAGE              SCOTT               7.5
DURAND              PEPIN (WI)          7.5
CHANHASSEN-NWS      CARVER              7.4 (OFFICIAL TWIN CITIES) 
BURNSVILLE          DAKOTA              7.3
OWATONNA            STEELE              7.0 (**)
BLOOMINGTON         HENNEPIN            6.5 
WOODBURY            WASHINGTON          6.5
UNIV. MN (ST.PAUL)  RAMSEY              6.0
ELLSWORTH           PIERCE (WI)         6.0 (**)
JIM FALLS           CHIPPEWA (WI)       6.0 (**)
SPRING VALLEY       ST CROIX (WI)       6.0
BALDWIN             ST. CROIX (WI)      6.0 (**)
ZUMBROTA            GOODHUE             6.0
RED WING            GOODHUE             6.0
PRIOR LAKE          SCOTT               6.0
EDEN PRAIRIE        HENNEPIN            6.0
VADNAIS HEIGHTS     RAMSEY              6.0
MANKATO             BLUE EARTH          6.0 (**)
FAIRMONT            MARTIN              6.0 (**)
BLUE EARTH          FARIBAULT           6.0 (**)
EAU CLAIRE          EAU CLAIRE (WI)     6.0 (**)
MAPLEWOOD           RAMSEY              5.5
HASTINGS            DAKOTA              5.0 (**)
LE CENTER           LE SUEUR            5.0 (**)
ALBERT LEA          FREEBORN            5.0 (**)
ST. JAMES           WATONWAN            5.0 (**)
FOREST LAKE         WASHINGTON          5.0
STILLWATER          WASHINGTON          5.0
FRIDLEY             ANOKA               5.0
WASECA              WASECA              5.0 (**)
RICE LAKE           BARRON (WI)         5.0 (**)
LADYSMITH           RUSK (WI)           5.0 (**)
ANOKA               ANOKA               5.0 (**)
WINNEBAGO           FARIBAULT           4.5
FRIDLEY             ANOKA               4.5
WACONIA             CARVER              4.5
WATERTOWN           CARVER              4.3
BROWNTON            MCLEOD              4.0
STILLWATER          WASHINGTON          4.0
OSCEOLA (WI)        POLK (WI)           4.0
GLENCOE             MCLEOD              4.0
BALSAM LAKE         POLK (WI)           4.0 (**)
MEDINA              HENNEPIN            3.5
LITCHFIELD          MEEKER              3.5
MADISON             LAC QUI PARLE       3.0
GAYLORD             SIBLEY              3.0
HUTCHINSON          MCLEOD              2.8
MORA                KANABEC             2.0 (**)
LITTLE FALLS        MORRISON            2.0
CAMBRIDGE           ISANTI              2.0 (**)
CENTER CITY         CHISAGO             2.0 (**)
MILACA              MILLE LACS          2.0 (**)
ST. CLOUD           STEARNS             1.5
GRANITE FALLS       YELLOW MEDICINE     1.5
REDWOOD FALLS       REDWOOD             1.0
MORGAN              REDWOOD             1.0
SPRINGFIELD         BROWN               1.0
GLENWOOD            POPE                0.5
NEW LONDON          KANDIYOHI           0.5


PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
610 PM CST WED MAR 3 2004
THESE ARE SNOWFALL AMOUNTS DURING THE PAST 24 HOURS FROM 
COOPERATIVE AND SNOWFALL OBSERVERS THROUGH 6 PM.

NORTHEAST MINNESOTA

ST LOUIS COUNTY              SNOWFALL/ SNOW DEPTH
NWS DULUTH..............        1.4  /  14 IN
KABETOGAMA..............        3.0  /     IN

KOOCHICHING COUNTY
3S LITTLEFORK...........        2.0  /     IN
NORTHWEST WISCONSIN         
                            SNOWFALL/ SNOW DEPTH  
BAYFIELD COUNTY
BAYFIELD FISH HATCHERY..         0.5 /     IN
WFO DLH

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URL: http://climate.umn.edu/doc/journal/snow040305.htm
Last modified: March 5, 2004