Blizzard and Snowstorm - December 10-11, 2010
The December 10-11 Blizzard is the 5th largest snowstorm on record for the Twin Cities since 1891.
The largest snowfall for the Twin Cities since the 1991 Halloween Blizzard began late Friday night and continued through the day on Saturday. 17.1 inches of snow fell at the Twin Cities International Airport. Not only is this the largest snowstorm on record for December for the Twin Cities, but this storm is the fifth largest snowfall in a single storm to hit the Twin Cities since 1891. The highest snowfall total found in the state was 23 inches measured at Winona Dam. Three additional inches fell with a lighter snow storm on December 9th at Winona and is not included with the total.
This storm began with a low pressure center that developed along a stationary front over South Dakota and southern Minnesota. By Saturday morning December 11, the low deepened rapidly and moved to northwest Iowa. The low then moved to near Mason City by the evening of the 11th. Heavy snow with visibilities of a quarter mile or less was reported at the Twin Cities Airport for eight hours straight from 9am to 4pm December 11. The International Airport was closed for four hours.
This storm packed quite a punch with wind as well as snowfall. Blizzard warnings were posted on December 11 for all of southern Minnesota, including Carver, Scott and Dakota Counties of the Twin Cities. The Twin Cities International Airport was closed for a time during the storm and numerous holiday events were cancelled, including the Holidazzle Parade. The Metrodome collapsed under the weight of the snow.
For days afterward, cities struggled to remove the snow from streets and sidewalks. School was cancelled for two days for St. Paul and Minneapolis.
National Weather Service Storm Summaries
Listed below are Public Information Statements and Storm Summaries from the National Weather Service.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
933 AM CST SUN DEC 12 2010
...WINTER STORM SNOWFALL TOTALS FROM DECEMBER 10TH THRU DECEMBER
12TH 2010...
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
------ ----------------------- -- -------------- -------
23.00 5 SE OSCEOLA WI POLK 0900 AM
21.00 OAKDALE MN WASHINGTON 0335 AM
STORM TOTAL.
20.00 RED WING MN GOODHUE 0802 AM
STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL
20.00 MAPLEWOOD MN RAMSEY 0337 AM
STORM TOTAL.
18.50 4 NNE MENOMONIE WI DUNN 0945 PM
STORM TOTAL.
18.00 MENOMONIE WI DUNN 0802 AM
18.00 EAST FARMINGTON WI POLK 0630 PM
17.40 LAKEVILLE MN DAKOTA 0906 PM
17.20 WOODBURY MN WASHINGTON 0855 AM
STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL
17.20 1 W CARVER MN CARVER 1000 PM
STORM TOTAL.
17.10 MINNEAPOLIS MN HENNEPIN 0124 AM
MEASURED AT THE MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. STORM TOTAL SNOW.
16.50 SAVAGE MN SCOTT 1133 PM
16.30 HASTINGS MN DAKOTA 0826 PM
16.00 DURAND WI PEPIN 1031 PM
15.50 CHANHASSEN MN CARVER 0124 AM
MEASURED AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
OFFICE. STORM TOTAL SNOW.
15.20 ST LOUIS PARK MN HENNEPIN 1036 PM
14.70 WACONIA MN CARVER 0748 AM
STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL
14.50 3 SSW WHITE BEAR LAKE MN RAMSEY 1030 PM
STORM TOTAL.
14.20 STANLEY WI CHIPPEWA 0920 AM
STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL
13.50 1 ESE CHASKA MN CARVER 0700 PM
STORM TOTAL.
13.50 ELK MOUND WI DUNN 0655 PM
12.50 1 ENE CAMBRIDGE MN ISANTI 0630 PM
STORM TOTAL.
12.00 FARIBAULT MN RICE 0909 PM
11.50 ANDOVER MN ANOKA 0145 AM
STORM TOTAL.
10.00 CUMBERLAND WI BARRON 0730 AM
STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL
8.00 MANKATO MN BLUE EARTH 0715 PM
STORM TOTAL.
7.00 4 S ST CLOUD MN STEARNS 0635 PM
6.00 WINTHROP MN SIBLEY 0820 PM
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
950 AM CST SUN DEC 12 2010
...PRELIMINARY 3 DAY SNOWFALL ...
LOCATION SNOWFALL TIME LAT/LON
IOWA
...ALLAMAKEE COUNTY...
WAUKON 13.00 0700 AM 43.27N 91.48W
LANSING 4SE 11.3 0700 AM 43.32N 91.16W
WATERVILLE 10.0 0700 AM
...CLAYTON COUNTY...
VOLGA 5.8 0700 AM 42.81N 91.52W
GUTTENBERG 2.6 0700 AM 42.79N 91.10W
...FAYETTE COUNTY...
FAYETTE 6.2 0700 AM 42.83N 91.80W
CLERMONT 6.2 0700 AM
...HOWARD COUNTY...
CRESCO 1 NE 9.50 0700 AM 43.38N 92.10W
MINNESOTA
...FILLMORE COUNTY...
SPRING VALLEY 3E 12.6 0700 AM 43.68N 92.33W
PETERSON 1S 12.0 0700 AM
LANESBORO 11.4 0700 AM 43.72N 91.97W
...HOUSTON...
RENO 3SW 13.7 0834 PM 43.53N 91.33W
CALEDONIA 6S 13.0
...MOWER COUNTY...
GRAND MEADOW 13.1 0700 AM 43.70N 92.57W
...OLMSTED COUNTY...
ROCHESTER AIRPORT 16.0 0700 PM 43.91N 92.5W
BYRON 14.8 0700 AM 44.04N 92.64W
...WABASHA COUNTY...
WABASHA 15.9 0700 AM 44.38N 92.03W
...WINONA COUNTY...
WINONA DAM 5A 26.0 0700 AM 44.09N 91.67W
MINNESOTA CITY LD5 13.5 0700 AM 44.16N 91.81W
WISCONSIN
...BUFFALO COUNTY...
MONDOVI 6S 18.0 0700 AM
ALMA DAM 4 14.0 0700 AM 44.33N 91.93W
...CLARK COUNTY...
OWEN 2N 15.8 0700 AM 44.95N 90.53W
NEILLSVILLE 3SW 13.0 0700 AM 44.53N 90.64W
...CRAWFORD COUNTY...
STEUBEN 4SE 9.0 0700 AM 43.13N 90.84W
SOLDIERS GROVE 7.3 0700 AM 43.40N 90.78W
LYNXVILLE DAM 9 5.1 0700 AM 43.22N 91.10W
...JACKSON COUNTY...
TAYLOR 13.0 0700 AM 44.32N 91.12W
...JUNEAU COUNTY...
NECEDAH 2SE 13.9 0700 AM 44.00N 90.04W
...LA CROSSE COUNTY...
FOUR CORNERS 18.5 0700 AM 44.07N 90.92W
LA CROSSE WEATHER OFFICE 16.9 0700 AM 43.82N 91.19W
LA CROSSE AIRPORT 16.6 0600 AM 43.88N 91.26W
HOLMEN 2NW/HOLLAND 15.4 0700 AM
LA CROSSE-SOUTH SIDE 14.2 0700 AM
...MONROE COUNTY...
WARRENS 5WSW 20.8 0700 AM 44.10N 90.59W
...RICHLAND COUNTY...
RICHLAND CENTER 1NW 12.3 0700 AM 43.36N 90.42W
...TAYLOR COUNTY...
MEDFORD 20.50 0800 AM 45.12N 90.37W
...TREMPEALEAU COUNTY...
OSSEO 18.8 0700 AM 44.58N 91.22W
...VERNON COUNTY...
VIROQUA 9.5 0700 AM 43.54N 90.87W
GENOA DAM 8 9.0 0700 AM 43.57N 91.23W
OBSERVATIONS ARE COLLECTED FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES WITH VARYING
EQUIPMENT AND EXPOSURE. NOT ALL DATA LISTED IS CONSIDERED OFFICIAL.
FOR THIS...AND A WEALTH OF OTHER RIVER AND WEATHER INFORMATION...
VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/LACROSSE
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
842 PM CST SAT DEC 11 2010
...SNOWFALL TOTALS FOR THE DECEMBER 11 2010 SNOWSTORM...
A FEW NOTES ABOUT THESE SNOW AMOUNTS:
* CHECK THE TIME OF THE REPORT TO SEE HOW CURRENT IT IS.
* TO REPORT A SNOW TOTAL...CALL 1-218-729-6697. ANY REPORTS ARE
APPRECIATED.
THE TOTALS BELOW ARE SEPARATED INTO SNOW AMOUNTS...AND ARE NOT
NECESSARILY THE FINAL AMOUNT FOR EACH LOCATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
REPORTS.
SNOW REPORTS LISTED BY AMOUNT
INCHES LOCATION ST COUNTY TIME
------ ----------------------- -- -------------- -------
15.90 SARONA WI WASHBURN 0600 PM
CORRECTED TOTAL. 6.5 INCHES IN LAST 5 HOURS.
11.00 PRENTICE WI PRICE 0813 PM
11 TO 12 INCHES ESTIMATED OFF A WEB CAM WITH
VERTICAL SNOW BOARD FOR SCALE.
9.00 5 SW PHILLIPS WI PRICE 0807 PM
SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW CONTINUE. WIND SPEED
18MPH GUSTING TO 26MPH.
9.00 PHILLIPS WI PRICE 0715 PM
BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. WIND HAS PICKED
UP. ROADS SNOW COVERED.
9.00 ASHLAND WI ASHLAND 0708 PM
8 TO 10 INCHES. SIGNIFICANT BLOWING AND
DRIFTING. STRONG WIND GUSTS. SNOW CONTINUES.
PARTS OF HIGHWAY 2 WEST OF ASHLAND CLOSED AND
IMPASSIBLE.
9.00 GLIDDEN WI ASHLAND 0530 PM
9.00 8 SE GRANTSBURG WI BURNETT 0209 PM
8.00 2 SE WINTER WI SAWYER 0209 PM
7.50 WEBB LAKE WI BURNETT 0405 PM
7.20 PARK FALLS WI PRICE 0454 PM
REPORT INDEPENDENT OF OTHER 7 INCH REPORT
FROM PARK FALLS.
7.00 8 S HAYWARD WI SAWYER 0309 PM
6.00 4 N GRANTSBURG WI BURNETT 0234 PM
STILL SNOWING.
5.70 HAYWARD WI SAWYER 0815 PM
5.50 2 N WEBSTER WI BURNETT 0600 PM
OAKLAND TOWNSHIP.
5.50 EXELAND WI SAWYER 0430 PM
INCHES LOCATION ST COUNTY TIME
------ ----------------------- -- -------------- -------
5.00 3 NE PINE CITY MN PINE 0437 PM
VERY LITTLE ADDITIONAL SNOW HAS FALLEN SINCE
PREVIOUS MEASUREMENT AROUND 1 PM. DRIFTING
AND BLOWING.
4.50 12 W DRUMMOND WI BAYFIELD 0500 PM
MEASURED NEAR EAU CLAIRE LAKES AIRPORT NORTH
OF UPPER EAU CLAIRE LAKE.
4.50 3 N PINE CITY MN PINE 0311 PM
4.00 2 SW HINCKLEY MN PINE 0732 PM
4.00 7 NE HAYWARD WI SAWYER 0634 PM
MEASURED IN SEELEY.
4.00 MELLEN WI ASHLAND 0430 PM
3.50 GILE WI IRON 0445 PM
STILL SNOWING.
3.00 ASKOV MN PINE 0500 PM
3.00 2 SSW POPLAR WI DOUGLAS 0418 PM
3.00 10 SE DULUTH WI DOUGLAS 0305 PM
SNOWFALL STORM TOTAL SO FAR.
2.50 2 WNW SAXON WI IRON 0421 PM
2.00 SOUTH RANGE WI DOUGLAS 0755 PM
2.00 MONTREAL WI IRON 0500 PM
2.00 7 ESE SUPERIOR WI DOUGLAS 0415 PM
WIND IS CAUSING BLOWING AND DRIFTING. NEAR
MOUTH OF AMNICON RIVER.
2.00 HOLYOKE MN CARLTON 0328 PM
1.00 MOOSE LAKE MN CARLTON 0600 PM
0.10 5 NW DULUTH MN ST. LOUIS 0209 PM
MEASURED AT THE NWS OFFICE NEAR THE DULUTH
AIRPORT.
SD EMERGENCY MNGR
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD
924 PM CST SAT DEC 11 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0524 PM SNOW IVANHOE 44.46N 96.25W
12/11/2010 E6.0 INCH LINCOLN MN LAW ENFORCEMENT
0545 PM SNOW COTTONWOOD 44.61N 95.67W
12/11/2010 E5.0 INCH LYON MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0545 PM SNOW 4 N CURRIE 44.13N 95.67W
12/11/2010 E8.0 INCH MURRAY MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0553 PM SNOW 1 WNW PIPESTONE 44.00N 96.33W
12/11/2010 E6.0 INCH PIPESTONE MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0558 PM SNOW 1 SSW LUVERNE 43.65N 96.22W
12/11/2010 E6.5 INCH ROCK MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0755 PM SNOW 4 W WORTHINGTON 43.63N 95.68W
12/11/2010 E10.0 INCH NOBLES MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0800 PM SNOW LAKEFIELD 43.68N 95.17W
12/11/2010 E7.0 INCH JACKSON MN TRAINED SPOTTER
0840 PM SNOW JEFFERS 44.06N 95.20W
12/11/2010 E8.0 INCH COTTONWOOD MN TRAINED SPOTTER