Snowstorm, February 9, 2020

picture of snow
Snowy scene in New Prague, MN, on the morning of February 9, 2020.
Credit: Minnesota DNR State Climatology Office
A compact but intense area of snow brought widespread 6-12" accumulations to southern Minnesota.

A small low pressure area with a tight circulation produced heavy snow beginning just before midnight in far southwestern on Saturday February 8th. By 3 AM on the 9th, the snow had overspread Highway 14, all the way to Rochester, with waves of heavy snow flanking it to the north, into portions of the Twin Cities.

The heavy snow only lasted six hours in most places, with an additional six hours of lighter snow lasting through late morning in most areas. Temperatures in the 10s F allowed the snow to accumulate rapidly--at rates of 2 inches per hour in some of the heaviest bands. Isolated reports of lightning and thunder accompanied the heaviest of the snow at times during Sunday morning.

The snow piled up "over the boots" throughout the southern 1/5th of Minnesota, as an area from Marshall, to Mankato, to Rochester received 8-14 inches. Totals of 4-8 inches reached up towards Willmar and the Twin Cities, with a razor-sharp cutoff north of that line. The northern half of Minnesota received nothing from this event.

The deep powdery snow refreshed the southern Minnesota landscape, and was followed by bright sunshine, leading to some classically wintry scenes.

Following are some snowfall totals rounded up by the National Weather Service.

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN  
333 PM CST SUN FEB 9 2020  
..SNOWFALL REPORTS  
LOCATION                     AMOUNT    TIME/DATE       PROVIDER               
..MINNESOTA  
..ANOKA COUNTY  
BLAINE                       4.0 IN    1053 AM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
OAK GROVE                    1.7 IN    1230 PM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
..BLUE EARTH COUNTY  
LAKE CRYSTAL                 15.5 IN   1038 AM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
2 ESE MANKATO                11.5 IN   0700 AM 02/09   COCORAHS               
PEMBERTON                    9.0 IN    0828 AM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
1 SW SKYLINE                 9.0 IN    0610 AM 02/09   COCORAHS               
1 ENE MANKATO                8.5 IN    0959 AM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
1 SSW JUDSON                 8.0 IN    0722 AM 02/09   COCORAHS               
..BROWN COUNTY  
NEW ULM                      11.0 IN   1230 PM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
1 SSW NEW ULM                11.0 IN   1145 AM 02/09   TRAINED SPOTTER        
1 SW SLEEPY EYE              9.5 IN    0930 AM 02/09   COCORAHS               
6 NNW SVEADAHL               8.6 IN    0720 AM 02/09   COCORAHS               
2 NNW SPRINGFIELD            8.5 IN    0900 AM 02/09   COCORAHS               
..CARVER COUNTY  
CHASKA                       5.5 IN    1245 PM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
WACONIA                      4.7 IN    1030 AM 02/09   TRAINED SPOTTER        
..DAKOTA COUNTY  
LAKEVILLE                    7.0 IN    1005 AM 02/09   TRAINED SPOTTER        
APPLE VALLEY                 6.5 IN    1230 PM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
1 E BURNSVILLE               6.0 IN    0100 PM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
2 SW APPLE VALLEY            5.8 IN    0145 PM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
ROSEMOUNT                    5.0 IN    1055 AM 02/09   TRAINED SPOTTER        
..FARIBAULT COUNTY  
1 WNW WINNEBAGO              8.0 IN    0630 AM 02/09   CO-OP OBSERVER         
1 WNW WELLS                  6.0 IN    0740 AM 02/09   CO-OP OBSERVER         
..FREEBORN COUNTY  
ALBERT LEA                   6.0 IN    1130 AM 02/09   BROADCAST MEDIA        
..GOODHUE COUNTY  
2 E DENNISON                 10.5 IN   1100 AM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
1 ENE CANNON FALLS           9.0 IN    1130 AM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
4 E NERSTRAND                7.8 IN    1000 AM 02/09   COCORAHS               
1 NW ZUMBROTA                7.0 IN    0200 PM 02/09   COCORAHS               
RED WING                     6.6 IN    1200 PM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
..HENNEPIN COUNTY  
BLOOMINGTON                  7.5 IN    1037 AM 02/09   NWS EMPLOYEE           
1 NE BLOOMINGTON             6.5 IN    1230 PM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
2 N GOLDEN VALLEY            6.0 IN    0100 PM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
2 ESE MOUND                  6.0 IN    1000 AM 02/09   COCORAHS               
EDINA                        5.7 IN    1215 PM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
3 NE MINNEAPOLIS             5.7 IN    0222 PM 02/09   COCORAHS               
ST. BONIFACIUS               5.5 IN    1113 AM 02/09   TRAINED SPOTTER        
MAPLE PLAIN                  5.3 IN    1000 AM 02/09   TRAINED SPOTTER        
2 ESE EDEN PRAIRIE           5.1 IN    1028 AM 02/09   COCORAHS               
3 WSW LONG LAKE              4.7 IN    1200 PM 02/09   COCORAHS               
1 SE MAPLE GROVE             4.5 IN    0100 PM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
2 WNW OSSEO                  4.5 IN    1145 AM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
1 N MAPLE GROVE              3.8 IN    1145 AM 02/09   COCORAHS               
1 WNW ROGERS                 2.0 IN    0140 PM 02/09   TRAINED SPOTTER        
..LAC QUI PARLE COUNTY  
DAWSON                       6.0 IN    0700 AM 02/09   COOP                   
2 SW MONTEVIDEO              5.5 IN    0700 AM 02/09   CO-OP OBSERVER         
..LE SUEUR COUNTY  
LE CENTER 5NNW               9.5 IN    1000 AM 02/09   COCORAHS               
NEW PRAGUE 1.0 S             9.0 IN    1130 AM 02/09   COCORAHS               
4 SSW KASOTA                 8.5 IN    1230 PM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
..MARTIN COUNTY  
FAIRMONT                     6.0 IN    1230 PM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
..MCLEOD COUNTY  
2 NNW PLATO                  5.0 IN    1153 AM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
1 W HUTCHINSON               3.4 IN    0700 AM 02/09   COCORAHS               
6 N HUTCHINSON               2.0 IN    0700 AM 02/09   COCORAHS               
..MEEKER COUNTY  
3 WSW WATKINS                2.0 IN    0900 AM 02/09   COCORAHS               
..NICOLLET COUNTY  
NORTH MANKATO                10.8 IN   0846 AM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
ST. PETER                    9.3 IN    0150 PM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
4 N NICOLLET                 8.8 IN    0115 PM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
..RAMSEY COUNTY  
2 N NEWPORT                  6.5 IN    1228 PM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
3 WSW ST. PAUL               6.0 IN    1230 PM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
2 N ST. PAUL                 5.7 IN    1200 PM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
SHOREVIEW                    3.8 IN    1230 PM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
..REDWOOD COUNTY  
LUCAN                        13.5 IN   0100 PM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
MORGAN                       10.5 IN   1104 AM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
BELVIEW                      8.8 IN    0700 AM 02/09   COCORAHS               
..RENVILLE COUNTY  
BIRD ISLAND                  8.2 IN    0650 AM 02/09   COCORAHS               
8 SSE BIRD ISLAND            8.0 IN    0700 AM 02/09   CO-OP OBSERVER         
2 WNW DANUBE                 4.4 IN    0700 AM 02/09   COCORAHS               
..RICE COUNTY  
3 W VESELI                   9.7 IN    1100 AM 02/09   TRAINED SPOTTER        
LONSDALE                     8.3 IN    1124 AM 02/09   TRAINED SPOTTER        
NORTHFIELD                   7.9 IN    1022 AM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
1 N FARIBAULT                7.6 IN    0700 AM 02/09   CO-OP OBSERVER         
..SCOTT COUNTY  
3 WNW SAVAGE                 7.3 IN    0115 PM 02/09   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS       
SHAKOPEE                     7.1 IN    1017 AM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
BELLE PLAINE                 7.0 IN    1245 PM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
JORDAN                       7.0 IN    0927 AM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
PRIOR LAKE                   7.0 IN    0145 PM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
SHAKOPEE                     6.5 IN    0115 PM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
..SHERBURNE COUNTY  
4 W SPENCER BROOK            1.2 IN    1000 AM 02/09   COCORAHS               
..SIBLEY COUNTY  
WINTHROP                     10.0 IN   1230 PM 02/09   TRAINED SPOTTER        
6 SE GREEN ISLE              8.8 IN    0936 AM 02/09   TRAINED SPOTTER        
2 WNW GREEN ISLE             8.0 IN    0700 AM 02/09   COCORAHS               
WINTHROP 5.0 SW              8.0 IN    0246 PM 02/09   COCORAHS               
..STEELE COUNTY  
1 NE OWATONNA                10.3 IN   1230 PM 02/09   TRAINED SPOTTER        
5 E LEMOND                   8.8 IN    1230 PM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
ELLENDALE                    8.4 IN    0700 AM 02/09   COCORAHS               
..SWIFT COUNTY  
BENSON                       2.0 IN    1100 AM 02/09   TRAINED SPOTTER        
..WASECA COUNTY  
WASECA                       10.0 IN   1058 AM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
..WASHINGTON COUNTY  
WOODBURY                     5.7 IN    1215 PM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
4 N BIRCHWOOD VILLAGE        4.5 IN    1215 PM 02/09   COCORAHS               
..WATONWAN COUNTY  
ST. JAMES                    12.5 IN   0928 AM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
..WRIGHT COUNTY  
4 NW WATERTOWN               5.6 IN    1046 AM 02/09   TRAINED SPOTTER        
2 NE MONTROSE                3.5 IN    1200 PM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
COKATO                       3.0 IN    0200 PM 02/09   PUBLIC                 
BUFFALO                      2.3 IN    1058 AM 02/09   TRAINED SPOTTER        
ST. MICHAEL                  2.0 IN    1054 AM 02/09   TRAINED SPOTTER        
..YELLOW MEDICINE COUNTY  
1 NNE CANBY                  8.0 IN    0800 AM 02/09   CO-OP OBSERVER
Modified February 10, 2020

Back to top