Winter Storm in Minnesota, December 23 to 24, 1996

Name: Winter Storm in Minnesota, December 23 to 24, 1996
Start: 1996-12-23T05:00
End: 1996-12-24T10:00
Location: Minnesota

December 23 to 24, 1996 · NWS MPX · 42 events in 42 counties and zones

General 4 to 10 inch snowfall across much of the area. Heaviest snowfalls of 6 to 10 inches in central and eastern sections of area while snow amounts were in the 4 to 6 inch range in the north.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 42 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 1
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 42

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS MPX wrote it up.

General 4 to 10 inch snowfall across much of the area. Heaviest snowfalls of 6 to 10 inches in central and eastern sections of area while snow amounts were in the 4 to 6 inch range in the north. A few snowfalls included 6 to 8 inches across the Twin Cities metro area, 10 inches in Jordan, 8 inches at Cambridge, Forest Lake, Hutchinson and Montevideo, and 6 inches at St. Cloud, Glenwood and Redwood Falls. Strong winds of 20 to 30 mph in the wake of the storm on 12/24 resulted in restricted visibilities in blowing snow. Highway 19 west of Redwood Falls, Highways 7 and 40 at Madison, and Highways 67 and 23 were closed out of Granite Falls. The 6 to 7 inches in Willmar in addition to previous heavy snowfall caused a portion of the historical society's roof to collapse on 12/30. After getting stuck in the snow about one half mile from home, awoman left her vehicle and become disorientated in the winter storm conditions. She was last seen leaving work on 12/23. Her car was found Christmas Eve. Her body was found in a snow covered field by a snowmobiler on 12/26.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

42 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Mille Lacs

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Mille Lacs forecast zone
Coordinates: 45.938, -93.630 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Kanabec

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Kanabec forecast zone
Coordinates: 45.945, -93.293 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Stevens

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Stevens forecast zone
Coordinates: 45.586, -96.000 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Pope

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Pope forecast zone
Coordinates: 45.586, -95.444 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Stearns

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Stearns forecast zone
Coordinates: 45.552, -94.613 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Benton

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Benton forecast zone
Coordinates: 45.699, -93.999 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Sherburne

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Sherburne forecast zone
Coordinates: 45.444, -93.775 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Isanti

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Isanti forecast zone
Coordinates: 45.562, -93.295 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Chisago

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Chisago forecast zone
Coordinates: 45.503, -92.908 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Lac Qui Parle

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Lac Qui Parle forecast zone
Coordinates: 44.996, -96.173 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Swift

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Swift forecast zone
Coordinates: 45.283, -95.681 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Chippewa

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Chippewa forecast zone
Coordinates: 45.022, -95.567 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Kandiyohi

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Kandiyohi forecast zone
Coordinates: 45.152, -95.005 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Meeker

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Meeker forecast zone
Coordinates: 45.123, -94.527 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Wright

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Wright forecast zone
Coordinates: 45.174, -93.963 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Hennepin

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Hennepin forecast zone
Coordinates: 45.005, -93.477 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Anoka

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Anoka forecast zone
Coordinates: 45.273, -93.246 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Ramsey

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Ramsey forecast zone
Coordinates: 45.017, -93.100 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Washington

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Washington forecast zone
Coordinates: 45.039, -92.884 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Yellow Medicine

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Yellow Medicine forecast zone
Coordinates: 44.716, -95.868 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Renville

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Renville forecast zone
Coordinates: 44.727, -94.947 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, McLeod

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: McLeod forecast zone
Coordinates: 44.824, -94.272 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Sibley

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Sibley forecast zone
Coordinates: 44.580, -94.232 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Carver

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Carver forecast zone
Deaths: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates: 44.821, -93.803 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Scott

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Scott forecast zone
Coordinates: 44.649, -93.536 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Dakota

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Dakota forecast zone
Coordinates: 44.672, -93.065 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Redwood

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Redwood forecast zone
Coordinates: 44.404, -95.254 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Brown

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Brown forecast zone
Coordinates: 44.242, -94.727 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Nicollet

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Nicollet forecast zone
Coordinates: 44.350, -94.247 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Le Sueur

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Le Sueur forecast zone
Coordinates: 44.371, -93.730 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Rice

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Rice forecast zone
Coordinates: 44.354, -93.297 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Goodhue

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Goodhue forecast zone
Coordinates: 44.410, -92.723 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Watonwan

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Watonwan forecast zone
Coordinates: 43.978, -94.614 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Blue Earth

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Blue Earth forecast zone
Coordinates: 44.035, -94.067 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Waseca

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Waseca forecast zone
Coordinates: 44.022, -93.587 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Steele

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Steele forecast zone
Coordinates: 44.022, -93.226 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Martin

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Martin forecast zone
Coordinates: 43.674, -94.551 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Faribault

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Faribault forecast zone
Coordinates: 43.674, -93.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Freeborn

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Freeborn forecast zone
Coordinates: 43.674, -93.349 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Douglas

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Douglas forecast zone
Coordinates: 45.934, -95.453 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Todd

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Todd forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.071, -94.898 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Morrison

When: December 23, 5:00 AM CST to December 24, 10:00 AM CST
Where: Morrison forecast zone
Coordinates: 46.013, -94.268 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

Event	Date	Age	Sex	Where	Kind
Winter Storm, Carver	1996-12-26	54	Female	Outside/Open Areas	Direct

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Minnesota in 1996 Every state in 1996 This day in weather history Warnings in Minnesota, December 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5575248, 5575249, 5575250, 5575251, 5575252, 5575253, 5575254, 5575255, 5575256, 5575257, 5575258, 5575259, 5575260, 5575261, 5575262, 5575263, 5575264, 5575265, 5575266, 5575267, 5575268, 5575269, 5575270, 5575271, 5575272, 5575273, 5575274, 5575275, 5575276, 5575277, 5575278, 5575279, 5575280, 5575281, 5575282, 5575283, 5575284, 5575285, 5575286, 5578659, and more.