The following tables and graphs were assembled to provide Twin Citians with historical climatological context upon which to base decisions related to snowfall. For example, a snow removal contractor and their customer might use the tables below to determine whether a seasonal flat-fee, or a per-visit charge is in the interest of both parties. Assuming that it is agreed that a two-inch snowfall is "plowable", the "Days with Snowfall - 2.0 inches and greater" table below indicates that on average, a plowable snowfall occurs in the Twin Cities roughly seven days per season. The table also indicates that decision makers should account for the fact that the Twin Cities has experienced seasons with as many as 16 days of two-inch snowfalls, and as few as one day of plowable snow.
The data are comprised of a mosaic of 120 seasons of snow data gathered in downtown Minneapolis (1891-1938), the Twin Cities International Airport (1938-2000, 2004-2011), and the Chanhassen National Weather Service Forecast Office (2000 to 2004).
Number of Days with Snowfall of 0.1 inch and greater (1891 - 2011)
| | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Season |
|---|
| average | 8.8 | 7.1 | 6.1 | 2.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 4.5 | 7.9 | 37.3 |
| std. dev. | 3.56 | 2.74 | 3.13 | 1.73 | 0.47 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.16 | 1.07 | 3.01 | 3.52 | 8.56 |
| median | 9.0 | 7.0 | 6.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 | 7.0 | 36.5 |
| 90% | 13.0 | 11.0 | 10.0 | 5.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 9.0 | 13.0 | 50.0 |
| 10% | 4.0 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 26.0 |
| max | 19.0 | 14.0 | 15.0 | 7.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 6.0 | 14.0 | 18.0 | 54.0 |
| min | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 19.0 |
Number of Days with Snowfall of 1.0 inch and greater (1891- 2011)
| | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Season |
|---|
| average | 3.3 | 2.6 | 2.7 | 0.8 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.8 | 2.9 | 14.4 |
| std. dev. | 2.29 | 1.75 | 2.01 | 1.04 | 0.23 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.09 | 0.44 | 1.79 | 2.29 | 5.27 |
| median | 3.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 14.0 |
| 90% | 6.0 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 6.0 | 22.0 |
| 10% | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 8.0 |
| max | 12 | 8 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 11 | 27 |
| min | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Number of Days with Snowfall of 2.0 inches and greater (1891 - 2011)
| | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Season |
|---|
| average | 1.6 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 7.4 |
| std. dev. | 1.36 | 1.24 | 1.41 | 0.78 | 0.20 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.28 | 1.23 | 1.41 | 3.44 |
| median | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 7.0 |
| 90% | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 12.0 |
| 10% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.0 |
| max | 6.0 | 5.0 | 7.0 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 5.0 | 6.0 | 16.0 |
| min | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
 |
| click on time-trend graphic to enlarge |
Number of Days with Snowfall of 4.0 inches and greater (1891 - 2011)
| | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Season |
|---|
| average | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 2.6 |
| std. dev. | 0.76 | 0.67 | 0.80 | 0.53 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.13 | 0.76 | 0.72 | 1.85 |
| median | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.0 |
| 90% | 1.1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 5.0 |
| 10% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| max | 4.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 8.0 |
| min | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Number of Days with Snowfall of 6.0 inches and greater (1891 - 2011)
| | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Season |
|---|
| average | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 1.1 |
| std. dev. | 0.39 | 0.38 | 0.57 | 0.37 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.09 | 0.47 | 0.47 | 1.14 |
| median | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| 90% | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 |
| 10% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| max | 2.0 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 5.0 |
| min | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Number of Days with Snowfall of 8.0 inches and greater (1891- 2011)
| | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Season |
|---|
| average | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.5 |
| std. dev. | 0.25 | 0.22 | 0.47 | 0.22 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.09 | 0.33 | 0.25 | 0.74 |
| median | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| 90% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| 10% | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| max | 2.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 4.0 |
| min | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Monthly/Seasonal Snowfall Total Statistics in inches (1891 - 2011)
| | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Season |
|---|
| average | 10.0 | 8.1 | 9.6 | 3.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 6.2 | 9.3 | 46.6 |
| std. dev. | 7.43 | 5.28 | 7.73 | 4.34 | 0.65 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.16 | 1.47 | 6.91 | 7.18 | 18.49 |
| median | 8.3 | 7.4 | 8.2 | 1.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 4.4 | 7.3 | 44.5 |
| 90% | 18.5 | 15.0 | 18.0 | 9.1 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.7 | 13.6 | 18.4 | 73.6 |
| 10% | 3.2 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 2.0 | 24.9 |
| max | 46.4 | 26.5 | 40.0 | 21.8 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.7 | 8.2 | 46.9 | 33.6 | 98.6 |
| min | 0.6 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 14.2 |
 |
| click on time-trend graphic to enlarge |
Note: The 1981-2010 annual snowfall normal for the Twin Cities is 54.4 inches, which is 7.8 inches more than the 120-year long-term average of 46.6 inches. The 30-year period, 1981-2010 is used in many climate summaries as a historical benchmark.
