Another Springtime Snow Storm: April 16-17 2014

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 later rather than sooner.

Below are Storm Summaries from the National Weather Service.

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1055 AM CDT THU APR 17 2014

...SNOWFALL TOTALS FROM APRIL 16TH-17TH SNOWSTORM...

THANK YOU TO COOP AND COCORAHS OBSERVERS...TRAINED SPOTTERS...
OUR PARTNERS AND THE PUBLIC FOR THE FOLLOWING REPORTS.

THE TOTALS ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE FINAL AMOUNT FOR EACH LOCATION.

SNOW REPORTS LISTED BY AMOUNT

INCHES  LOCATION                 ST  COUNTY           TIME
------  -----------------------  --  --------------   -------
20.00   1 NNW NORTH BRANCH       MN  CHISAGO          0700 AM
19.00   ISANTI                   MN  ISANTI           1258 AM
17.50   NORTH BRANCH             MN  CHISAGO          0625 AM
17.00   8 ENE NORTH BRANCH       MN  CHISAGO          0800 AM
17.00   NOWTHEN                  MN  ANOKA            1024 PM
16.00   CAMBRIDGE                MN  ISANTI           0625 AM
15.90   RUSH CITY                MN  CHISAGO          0445 AM
15.00   3 N CAMBRIDGE            MN  ISANTI           0700 AM
14.60   MONTICELLO               MN  WRIGHT           0841 PM
14.50   3 NE BIG LAKE            MN  SHERBURNE        0837 PM
14.50   MILACA                   MN  MILLE LACS       0800 PM
14.00   5 NE FOREST LAKE         MN  CHISAGO          0700 AM
14.00   4 N ANDOVER              MN  ANOKA            0700 AM
14.00   LITCHFIELD               MN  MEEKER           0837 PM
14.00   ST FRANCIS               MN  ANOKA            0802 PM
13.80   MORA                     MN  KANABEC          0700 AM
13.80   EAST BETHEL              MN  ANOKA            1046 PM
13.50   1 NW STACY               MN  CHISAGO          0700 AM
13.50   6 NNE BIG LAKE           MN  SHERBURNE        0700 AM
13.50   8 ESE PRINCETON          MN  ISANTI           0924 PM
13.50   2 NE MAPLE LAKE          MN  WRIGHT           0905 PM
13.10   OTSEGO                   MN  WRIGHT           0600 AM
13.00   LITTLE FALLS             MN  MORRISON         0600 AM
13.00   KINGSTON                 MN  MEEKER           1100 PM
13.00   STACY                    MN  CHISAGO          0810 PM
13.00   2 NNW SHELDON            MN  SHERBURNE        0800 PM
12.70   COSMOS                   MN  MEEKER           0700 AM
12.70   8 S HILLMAN              MN  MORRISON         1045 PM
12.70   COSMOS                   MN  MEEKER           0810 PM
12.70   1 NW ROGERS              MN  HENNEPIN         0800 PM
12.50   MILACA                   MN  MILLE LACS       0730 AM
12.00   ST CROIX FALLS           WI  POLK             0700 AM
12.00   MORA                     MN  KANABEC          0837 PM
11.80   3 E PRINCETON            MN  MILLE LACS       0805 PM
11.50   1 E ST MICHAEL           MN  WRIGHT           0700 AM
11.30   3 SE OTSEGO              MN  WRIGHT           0813 PM
11.30   ROGERS                   MN  HENNEPIN         0753 PM
11.00   COON RAPIDS              MN  ANOKA            0824 AM
11.00   3 WSW PRINCETON          MN  SHERBURNE        0700 AM
11.00   2 SE LITTLE FALLS        MN  MORRISON         0612 AM
11.00   CHAMPLIN                 MN  HENNEPIN         0600 AM
11.00   ZIMMERMAN                MN  SHERBURNE        0942 PM
11.00   DAYTON                   MN  HENNEPIN         0924 PM
10.20   1 NNE MAPLE GROVE        MN  HENNEPIN         0700 AM
10.00   KIMBALL                  MN  STEARNS          0600 AM
10.00   RAMSEY                   MN  ANOKA            0810 PM
 9.60   3 SSE HAM LAKE           MN  ANOKA            0700 AM
 9.60   4 N BECKER               MN  SHERBURNE        0600 AM
 9.30   DASSEL                   MN  MEEKER           0800 AM
 9.20   ONAMIA                   MN  MILLE LACS       0800 AM
 9.10   MONTROSE                 MN  WRIGHT           0806 PM
 9.00   RICE                     MN  BENTON           0700 AM
 9.00   8 N BRUCE                WI  RUSK             1025 AM
 8.80   1 SSE SARTELL            MN  STEARNS          0700 AM
 8.70   ST CLOUD STATE UNIV      MN  STEARNS          0700 AM
 8.70   4 NW ONAMIA              MN  MILLE LACS       0700 AM
 8.50   ST CLOUD AIRPORT         MN  SHERBURNE        0645 AM
 8.50   HAM LAKE                 MN  ANOKA            0900 PM
 8.00   2 ENE PLYMOUTH           MN  HENNEPIN         0700 AM
 8.00   9 NNE BIRD ISLAND        MN  RENVILLE         0700 AM
 8.00   HUTCHINSON               MN  MCLEOD           0600 AM
 8.00   SARTELL                  MN  STEARNS          0557 AM
 7.70   8 N RENVILLE             MN  KANDIYOHI        0700 AM
 7.50   CIRCLE PINES             MN  ANOKA            0815 AM
 7.50   SW BLAINE                MN  ANOKA            0700 AM
 7.50   DELANO                   MN  WRIGHT           0928 PM
 7.50   1 SW MAPLE GROVE         MN  HENNEPIN         0800 PM
 7.50   3 ESE MONTROSE           MN  WRIGHT           0800 PM
 6.90   RICE LAKE AIRPORT        WI  BARRON           0800 AM
 6.90   2 N WILLMAR              MN  KANDIYOHI        0800 AM
 6.50   1 NNW WATERTOWN          MN  WRIGHT           0700 AM
 6.50   WATERTOWN                MN  CARVER           0441 AM
 6.50   MEDICINE LAKE            MN  HENNEPIN         0854 PM
 6.10   2 SE FRIDLEY             MN  ANOKA            0200 AM
 6.00   EAST FARMINGTON          WI  POLK             0710 AM
 6.00   ALBANY                   MN  STEARNS          0557 AM
 6.00   PLYMOUTH                 MN  HENNEPIN         1100 PM
 6.00   HAUGEN                   WI  BARRON           0931 PM
 5.60   7 SSE BIRD ISLAND        MN  RENVILLE         0700 AM
 5.50   HOLCOMBE                 WI  CHIPPEWA         0700 AM
 5.10   MADISON                  MN  LAC QUI PARLE    0800 AM
 5.10   NEW HOPE                 MN  HENNEPIN         0900 PM
 5.00   6 NNE WILLMAR            MN  KANDIYOHI        0700 AM
 5.00   MORRIS                   MN  STEVENS          0700 AM
 5.00   CARLOS                   MN  DOUGLAS          0600 AM
 5.00   GLENWOOD                 MN  POPE             0900 PM
 4.80   1 NE WATSON              MN  CHIPPEWA         0700 AM
 4.00   DAWSON                   MN  LAC QUI PARLE    0800 AM
 4.00   LADYSMITH                WI  RUSK             0700 AM
 4.00   MONTEVIDEO               MN  CHIPPEWA         0700 AM
 4.00   1 WSW GOLDEN VALLEY      MN  HENNEPIN         0700 AM
 3.80   REDWOOD FALLS            MN  REDWOOD          0800 AM
 3.00   LESTER PRAIRIE           MN  MCLEOD           0800 AM
 3.00   2 SSE MINNETRISTA        MN  HENNEPIN         0700 AM
 3.00   LONG PRAIRIE             MN  TODD             0600 AM
 2.50   2 WNW RICHFIELD          MN  HENNEPIN         0700 AM
 2.50   6 NE KENSINGTON          MN  DOUGLAS          0700 AM
 2.40   U OF MN ST PAUL CAMPUS   MN  RAMSEY           0800 AM
 2.10   NWS CHANHASSEN           MN  CARVER           0700 AM
 2.00   VESTA                    MN  REDWOOD          0700 AM
 2.00   GLENCOE                  MN  MCLEOD           0700 AM
 2.00   WACONIA                  MN  CARVER           0600 AM
 1.70   MAPLEWOOD                MN  RAMSEY           0700 AM
 1.70   1 SW EDINA               MN  HENNEPIN         0700 AM
 1.50   3 SSE DOWNTOWN MINNEAPO  MN  HENNEPIN         0700 AM
 1.40   NORTH ST PAUL            MN  RAMSEY           0822 AM
 1.20   CHASKA                   MN  CARVER           0600 AM
 1.10   JORDAN                   MN  SCOTT            0530 AM
 1.00   STILLWATER               MN  WASHINGTON       0700 AM
 1.00   2 NW ROSEVILLE           MN  RAMSEY           0700 AM
 1.00   2 W PRIOR LAKE           MN  SCOTT            0600 AM
 0.70   2 NNW SPRINGFIELD        MN  BROWN            0700 AM
 0.70   4 SSW DOWNTOWN MINNEAPO  MN  HENNEPIN         0700 AM
 0.50   SPRINGFIELD              MN  BROWN            0700 AM
 0.50   1 ENE RICHFIELD          MN  HENNEPIN         0700 AM
 0.50   1 NE FAIRMONT            MN  MARTIN           0700 AM
 0.50   JIM FALLS                WI  CHIPPEWA         0555 AM
 0.30   1 NE STILLWATER          MN  WASHINGTON       0700 AM
 0.30   MSP INTL AIRPORT         MN  HENNEPIN         0645 AM