Quick Burst Snow December 24-25 2013

With "spring" in full swing, yet another winter storm dropped more snowfall throughout the state of Minnesota.  This storm came just two weeks after we saw as much as 12.0 inches of snow in some areas of the state.

With April bringing us temperatures well below average, we are now seeing snowfall amounts well above average.  The average snowfall for the month of April in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area is 3.1 inches.  Combining the two storm totals, some areas of the state have seen as much as 28.0 inches of snow. 

A nearly stationary intense band of snow set up from southwest through northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin as low pressure tracked just to the south.  Temperatures held steady in the upper 20s to lower 30s within the band of snow, however just to the south they reached the 40s and 50s.  A sharp rain/snow line also remained nearly stationary, which led to extreme snowfall gradients across the area.  For example, snowfall totals across Hennepin County ranged from nearly 13 inches in Rogers, MN to less than half a inch near Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport.

Amounts were higher in the northern Twin Cities area.  Many areas in Chisago County saw upwards of a foot of snow with the highest recorded amount being 20.0 inches in North Branch.

Intense snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hours caused several traffic delays, even 1 fatality as a result of slippery road conditions.  Several schools closed early on the 16th and remained closed on the 17th.

With last years prolonged winter still fresh in people's minds, many are left wondering if this winter be over sooner rather than later.

Below are Storm Summaries from the National Weather Service.

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
713 PM CST WED DEC 25 2013

...SNOWFALL AMOUNTS FROM DECEMBER 24-25TH...

THANK YOU TO OUR TRAINED SPOTTERS...COOP AND COCORAHS OBSERVERS
...THE MEDIA AND PUBLIC FOR THE FOLLOWING SNOWFALL REPORTS
FROM THIS RECENT WINTER WEATHER EVENT. THE TOTALS BELOW ARE NOT 
NECESSARILY THE FINAL AMOUNT FOR EACH LOCATION.

SNOW REPORTS LISTED BY AMOUNT

 INCHES  LOCATION                 ST  COUNTY           TIME
 ------  -----------------------  --  --------------   -------
  4.50   HAUGEN                   WI  BARRON           0100 PM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  4.50   3 E EAST FARMINGTON      WI  POLK             1030 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  4.50   1 ESE MILROY             MN  REDWOOD          0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  4.50   WINNEBAGO                MN  FARIBAULT        0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  4.10   1 ENE MINNESOTA LAKE     MN  FARIBAULT        1045 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  4.00   8 NNE BRUCE              WI  RUSK             0537 PM
                 OCCURRED AT EXELAND. STORM TOTAL.
  4.00   OWATONNA                 MN  STEELE           0800 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  4.00   CLAYTON                  WI  POLK             0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  4.00   BLOOMING PRAIRIE         MN  STEELE           1122 PM
  3.80   6 WNW RICE LAKE          WI  BARRON           1145 PM
  3.70   4 E MANKATO              MN  BLUE EARTH       0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  3.50   CLEAR LAKE               WI  POLK             0818 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  3.50   ZUMBROTA                 MN  GOODHUE          0800 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  3.50   NEW HOPE                 MN  HENNEPIN         0800 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  3.50   OAKDALE                  MN  WASHINGTON       0125 AM
  3.40   3 SE NEW ULM             MN  BROWN            0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  3.30   EAU CLAIRE               WI  EAU CLAIRE       0830 PM
                 STORM TOTAL. RECORDED AT WQOW TV.

  3.20   1 W CARVER               MN  CARVER           0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  3.00   RICE LAKE                WI  BARRON           0449 PM
                 STORM TOTAL.
  3.00   MSP INTL AIRPORT         MN  HENNEPIN         1200 PM
                 STORM TOTAL.
  
  3.00   ROBERTS                  WI  ST. CROIX        0800 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  3.00   CHIPPEWA FALLS           WI  CHIPPEWA         0800 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  3.00   1 N CUMBERLAND           WI  BARRON           0745 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  3.00   RED WING                 MN  GOODHUE          0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  3.00   ST CLOUD                 MN  STEARNS          0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL. MEASURED AT ST CLOUD STATE
                 UNIV.
  3.00   ALBANY                   MN  STEARNS          0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  3.00   6 NNE BIG LAKE           MN  SHERBURNE        0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  3.00   3 SE LAKE ELMO           MN  WASHINGTON       0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  3.00   5 ESE NEW PRAGUE         MN  RICE             0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  3.00   WSW ST JAMES             MN  WATONWAN         0500 AM
  2.90   NORTH ST PAUL            MN  RAMSEY           1045 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.80   1 ENE ST MICHAEL         MN  WRIGHT           0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.80   2 WNW RICHFIELD          MN  HENNEPIN         0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.80   EAU CLAIRE               WI  EAU CLAIRE       1200 AM
                 MEASURED AT WQOW
  2.80   MSP INTL AIRPORT         MN  HENNEPIN         1200 AM
  2.60   MONTICELLO               MN  WRIGHT           0723 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.60   WACONIA                  MN  CARVER           0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.50   MENOMONIE                WI  DUNN             0816 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.50   RED WING                 MN  GOODHUE          0800 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.50   JIM FALLS                WI  CHIPPEWA         0800 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.50   1 WSW OWATONNA           MN  STEELE           0745 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.50   BLOOMER                  WI  CHIPPEWA         0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.50   CHASKA                   MN  CARVER           0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.50   5 NE FOREST LAKE         MN  CHISAGO          0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.50   BRANDON                  MN  DOUGLAS          0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.50   1 SSW LONSDALE           MN  RICE             0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.50   3 ENE MONTGOMERY         MN  RICE             0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.50   MILACA                   MN  MILLE LACS       0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.50   2 SE FRIDLEY             MN  ANOKA            1258 AM
  2.40   2 NNW SPRINGFIELD        MN  BROWN            0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.40   2 W PRIOR LAKE           MN  SCOTT            0600 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.30   CHANHASSEN               MN  CARVER           1200 PM
                 STORM TOTAL. MEASURED AT NATIONAL WEATHER
                 SERVICE.
  2.30   BLUE EARTH               MN  FARIBAULT        0800 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.30   1 E OWATONNA             MN  STEELE           0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.30   3 WSW PRINCETON          MN  SHERBURNE        0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.20   RICE                     MN  BENTON           0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.20   1 SSW RIVER FALLS        WI  PIERCE           0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.00   ST CLOUD AIRPORT         MN  SHERBURNE        1200 PM
                 STORM TOTAL. MEASURED AT THE PRISON.
  2.00   MORA                     MN  KANABEC          0800 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.00   CARLOS                   MN  DOUGLAS          0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.00   DOWNTOWN MINNEAPOLIS     MN  HENNEPIN         0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL. MEASURED AT LOWER ST ANTHONY
                 FALLS.
  2.00   BALDWIN                  WI  ST. CROIX        0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.00   CUMBERLAND               WI  BARRON           0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.00   1 NNW WATERTOWN          MN  WRIGHT           0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL
  2.00   3 WNW RICE               MN  STEARNS          0700 AM
                 24 HOUR TOTAL