Monday, February 25, 2013

February might take the crown

  What month has been the snowiest in the Twin Cities this winter? If you said February, you’re right!  Our total sits at 15.1 inches this month, edging out the 15 inches measured at MSP airport in December. We had only 4.6 inches in January.
   We still have March to get through, and March is our third-snowiest month, averaging 10.2 inches (1981-2010) according to the MN State Climatology Office (Snow).   
   It’s rare for February to be the snowiest month of winter in the Twin Cities…it hasn’t happened since the winter of 2006-2007. Looking back at the past 30 winters, our snowiest month has been:

December… 8 times (including the past 5 winters)
January… 7 times
March... 5 times
November… 5 times
February… 3 times
April… 2 times

   April won the snowiest month of "winter" title back in 1983 (21.8 inches) and also in 2002 (20.2 inches). In 1983 we witnessed a 13.6 inch snowstorm on April 14th. April 2002 didn’t bring us any double-digit snowstorms, but an impressive 5.5 inches fell on April 27th. That was just three days after we enjoyed temperatures in the 60s…talk about confused robins! If you need more snow stats, you can see an extensive listing of monthly Twin Cities snowfall totals at MSPsnow .

   I’m on Twitter: @RonTrenda and LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/rontrenda
  
  

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Weekend snow totals

  In case you’re wondering who won the “Golden shovel” award this past weekend, here are some snowfall totals, courtesy of the National Weather Service office in Chanhassen:

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
1145 AM CST MON FEB 11 2013
 ...STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS...
...LOCATION...                       ...TIME...      ...AMOUNT...
MILLERVILLE (DOUGLAS)                829 AM FEB 11     14.0 IN
CARLOS 3SW (DOUGLAS MN)              800 AM FEB 11     13.0 IN
GLENWOOD (POPE MN)                   845 PM FEB 10     12.0 IN
DONNELLY 3W (STEVENS MN)             337 PM FEB 10     12.0 IN
LITTLE FALLS 1 N (MORRISON MN)       731 AM FEB 11     11.8 IN
MONTEVIDEO 1SW (LAC QUI PARLE MN)    700 AM FEB 11     11.0 IN
MORRIS (STEVENS MN)                  800 AM FEB 11     11.0 IN
BENSON 1SSE (SWIFT MN)               700 AM FEB 11     10.5 IN
3 N ALEXANDRIA (DOUGLAS MN)          800 AM FEB 11     10.1 IN
1 WSW LITTLE FALLS (MORRISON MN)     700 AM FEB 11     10.0 IN
MOTLEY (MORRISON MN)                 730 PM FEB 10     10.0 IN
GRANITE FALLS (CHIPPEWA MN)          446 PM FEB 10     10.0 IN
1 SW SWANVILLE (TODD MN)             630 AM FEB 11      9.5 IN
7 S HILLMAN (MORRISON MN)            915 PM FEB 10      9.5 IN
3 WSW PRINCETON (SHERBURNE MN)       600 AM FEB 11      8.5 IN
ST AUGUSTA (STEARNS MN)              633 PM FEB 10      8.5 IN
SAUK RAPIDS (BENTON MN)              715 PM FEB 10      8.5 IN
4 WSW SPICER (KANDIYOHI MN)          700 AM FEB 11      8.2 IN
ST CLOUD STATE UNIVERSITY            700 AM FEB 11      8.1 IN
WILLMAR 2N (KANDIYOHI MN)            600 AM FEB 11      7.9 IN
MELROSE (STEARNS MN)                 700 AM FEB 11      7.5 IN
LONG PRAIRIE (TODD MN)               600 AM FEB 11      7.4 IN
COLD SPRING (STEARNS MN)             700 AM FEB 11      7.2 IN
RICE (BENTON MN)                     700 AM FEB 11      7.0 IN
MILACA (MILLE LACS MN)               730 AM FEB 11      7.0 IN
KIMBALL 3N (STEARNS MN)              600 AM FEB 11      6.8 IN
ST. CLOUD (STEARNS MN)               600 AM FEB 11      6.7 IN
SACRED HEART (RENVILLE MN)           930 PM FEB 10      6.3 IN
WEYERHAEUSER 2 (RUSK WI)             700 AM FEB 11      6.0 IN
VESTA (REDWOOD)                     1003 AM FEB 11      6.0 IN
1 SSW SAINT MICHAEL (WRIGHT MN)      800 AM FEB 11      5.8 IN
3 SE ORROCK (SHERBURNE MN)           700 AM FEB 11      5.3 IN
5 SE LAKE LILLIAN (RENVILLE MN)      630 AM FEB 11      5.1 IN
MONTEVIDEO (CHIPPEWA MN)             700 AM FEB 11      5.0 IN
CAMBRIDGE 2SSW (ISANTI MN)           626 AM FEB 11      5.0 IN
RUSH CITY (CHISAGO MN)               807 AM FEB 11      4.7 IN
3 N CAMBRIDGE (ISANTI MN)            700 AM FEB 11      4.6 IN
WATERTOWN (CARVER MN)                700 AM FEB 11      4.6 IN
REDWOOD FALLS (REDWOOD MN)           530 AM FEB 11      4.5 IN
FOREST LAKE 5NE (CHISAGO MN)         700 AM FEB 11      4.5 IN
CHASKA 2NW (CARVER MN)               600 AM FEB 11      4.3 IN
FARIBAULT (RICE MN)                  700 AM FEB 11      4.0 IN
1 ENE INVER GROVE HEIGHT (DAKOTA)    700 AM FEB 11      4.0 IN
ANDOVER 1N (ANOKA MN)                700 AM FEB 11      4.0 IN
CHANHASSEN 2SW (CARVER MN)           700 AM FEB 11      3.7 IN
CHANHASSEN (CARVER MN)               600 AM FEB 11      3.5 IN
    MEASURED AT THE NWS OFFICE.
2 SE CHETEK (BARRON WI)              700 AM FEB 11      3.5 IN
1 WSW CARVER (CARVER MN)             700 AM FEB 11      3.5 IN
SPRINGFIELD (BROWN MN)              1145 AM FEB 11      3.5 IN
GLENCOE (MCLEOD MN)                  800 AM FEB 11      3.3 IN
HAMBURG (CARVER MN)                  800 AM FEB 11      3.2 IN
1 N MAPLE GROVE (HENNEPIN MN)        800 AM FEB 11      3.2 IN
5 SW LONG LAKE (HENNEPIN MN)         500 AM FEB 11      3.2 IN
HAM LAKE 3SSE (ANOKA MN)             700 AM FEB 11      3.1 IN
1 WSW EDINA (HENNEPIN MN)            716 AM FEB 11      3.1 IN
1 WSW LITTLE CANADA (RAMSEY MN)      700 AM FEB 11      3.1 IN
5 SE BALSAM LAKE (POLK WI)           700 AM FEB 11      3.0 IN
3 ESE EDEN PRAIRIE (HENNEPIN MN)     849 AM FEB 11      3.0 IN
HASTINGS LOCK AND DAM 2 (DAKOTA MN)  600 AM FEB 11      3.0 IN
2 NNW RICHFIELD (HENNEPIN MN)        700 AM FEB 11      2.8 IN
2 WSW PRIOR LAKE (SCOTT MN)          600 AM FEB 11      2.8 IN
1 WSW GOLDEN VALLEY (HENNEPIN MN)    700 AM FEB 11      2.8 IN
WACONIA (CARVER MN)                  700 AM FEB 11      2.8 IN
NEW PRAGUE (SCOTT MN)                700 AM FEB 11      2.7 IN
CRYSTAL 2 NNW (HENNEPIN)             700 AM FEB 11      2.7 IN
2 ESE CAMERON (BARRON WI)            700 AM FEB 11      2.6 IN
1 NE WOODBURY (WASHINGTON MN)        700 AM FEB 11      2.6 IN
JORDAN 1SW (SCOTT MN)                530 AM FEB 11      2.5 IN
3 ENE MONTGOMERY (RICE MN)           515 AM FEB 11      2.5 IN
1 SW RIVER FALLS (PIERCE WI)         730 AM FEB 11      2.5 IN
1 WNW PRESCOTT (PIERCE WI)           800 AM FEB 11      2.5 IN
3 ESE SAINT LOUIS PARK               700 AM FEB 11      2.5 IN
MINNEAPOLIS (HENNEPIN MN)            600 AM FEB 11      2.3 IN
    MEASURED AT THE MSP AIRPORT.
2 NNW SPRINGFIELD (BROWN MN)         700 AM FEB 11      2.2 IN
1 ENE OWATONNA (STEELE MN)           630 AM FEB 11      2.1 IN
RED WING DAM 3 (GOODHUE MN)          533 AM FEB 11      2.0 IN
1 W VESELI (RICE MN)                 500 AM FEB 11      2.0 IN
1 ENE ELK MOUND (DUNN WI)            700 AM FEB 11      2.0 IN
STANLEY (CHIPPEWA WI)                700 AM FEB 11      2.0 IN
ROBERTS WWTP (ST. CROIX WI)          800 AM FEB 11      1.7 IN
NEW ULM 3SE (NICOLLET MN)            630 AM FEB 11      1.6 IN
BLOOMER (CHIPPEWA WI)                800 AM FEB 11      1.5 IN
4 W CORNELL (CHIPPEWA WI)            800 AM FEB 11      1.5 IN
1 NE FAIRMONT (MARTIN MN)            700 AM FEB 11      1.5 IN
JIM FALLS 3NW (CHIPPEWA WI)          530 AM FEB 11      1.5 IN
RED WING (GOODHUE MN)                800 AM FEB 11      1.4 IN
EAU CLAIRE (EAU CLAIRE)              600 AM FEB 11      1.4 IN
4 E NERSTRAND (GOODHUE MN)           800 AM FEB 11      1.1 IN
WELLS (FARIBAULT MN)                 800 AM FEB 11      1.0 IN
ALBERT LEA 3 SE (FREEBORN MN)        800 AM FEB 11      1.0 IN
CHIPPEWA FALLS (CHIPPEWA WI)         800 AM FEB 11      1.0 IN
BLUE EARTH 1S (FARIBAULT MN)         800 AM FEB 11      0.7 IN
ELLENDALE (STEELE MN)                700 AM FEB 11      0.7 IN
OBSERVATIONS ARE COLLECTED FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES WITH VARYING
EQUIPMENT AND EXPOSURES. NOT ALL DATA LISTED IS CONSIDERED OFFICIAL. THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE THANKS ITS PRIVATE AND PUBLIC PARTNERS FOR
PROVIDING US WITH THIS DATA.

  Higher snowfall totals were recorded in parts of west-central Minnesota. Here are some snowfall reports from that area, courtesy of the National Weather Service office in Grand Forks, ND:

MINNESOTA                                    2-DAY SNOW FALL
  LOCATION (COUNTY):                         AMT(IN) REPORTS

  ROTHSAY (WILKIN).............................21.0     (2)
  PELICAN RAPIDS 6E (OTTER TAIL)...............17.5     (2)
  ELBOW LAKE VILLAGE 8ENE (CLEARWATER).........17.0     (2)
  UNDERWOOD 8NNE (OTTER TAIL)..................17.0     (2)
  LONG LOST LAKE (CLEARWATER)..................17.0     (2)
  BECIDA (HUBBARD).............................17.0     (2)
  BEMIDJI 6SE (BELTRAMI).......................16.0     (2)
  ITASCA U OF M (CLEARWATER)...................16.0     (2)
  BRECKENRIDGE 3SE (WILKIN)....................15.7     (2)
  FERGUS FALLS 4E (OTTER TAIL).................14.5     (1)
  OTTERTAIL (OTTER TAIL).......................14.2     (1)
  PELICAN RAPIDS (OTTER TAIL)..................14.0     (2)
  BLACKDUCK (BELTRAMI).........................13.0     (1)
  BAGLEY (CLEARWATER)..........................12.0     (1)
  DEER CREEK 2WSW (OTTER TAIL).................11.7     (1)
  WADENA (WADENA)..............................11.5     (2)
  SABIN (CLAY).................................11.2     (2)
  NEW YORK MILLS (OTTER TAIL)..................11.0     (2)
  TWIN VALLEY (NORMAN)..........................9.8     (2)
  MOORHEAD (CLAY)...............................9.7     (2)
  WASKISK (BELTRAMI)............................8.0     (1)
  CLIMAX 3WNW (POLK)............................6.0     (1)
  GREENBUSH (ROSEAU)............................2.0     (1)
  ARGYLE (MARSHALL).............................2.0     (1)
  WARREN 7NW (MARSHALL).........................1.4     (1)

  So…the Golden shovel award goes to Rothsay, in Wilkin county MN. Congratulations!

  
  I’m on Twitter: @RonTrenda and LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/rontrenda