Minnesota, 1996

Ice Storm in Minnesota, January 17 to 18, 1996

January 17 to 18, 1996 · NWS MPX · 12 events in 12 counties and zones

An extended period of rain and freezing rain resulted in significant icing conditions over parts of east central and southern Minnesota. Over 1 inch of rain occurred over much of the area resulting in street flooding due to snow clogged sewers.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 12 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
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
12

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.

An extended period of rain and freezing rain resulted in significant icing conditions over parts of east central and southern Minnesota. Over 1 inch of rain occurred over much of the area resulting in street flooding due to snow clogged sewers. 1/2 to 1 inch thick ice accumulations over much of the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area resulted in significant tree damage and power outages. More than 180,000 metro residents were without power for some part of the storm. Sporadic outages continued through the 22nd. The entire town of Lafayette in Nicollet County was without power for a time. 5 Red Cross shelters were opened in the metro area to assist people who were forced from their homes due to a lack of heat. Significantly colder air overspread the area the night of the 17th changing the rain to light snow and caused one foot thick ice to form on roads.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Hennepin

When
January 17, 2:00 PM CST to January 18, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Hennepin forecast zone
Coordinates
45.005, -93.477 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Anoka

When
January 17, 2:00 PM CST to January 18, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Anoka forecast zone
Coordinates
45.273, -93.246 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Ramsey

When
January 17, 2:00 PM CST to January 18, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Ramsey forecast zone
Coordinates
45.017, -93.100 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Washington

When
January 17, 2:00 PM CST to January 18, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Washington forecast zone
Coordinates
45.039, -92.884 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Sibley

When
January 17, 2:00 PM CST to January 18, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Sibley forecast zone
Coordinates
44.580, -94.232 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Carver

When
January 17, 2:00 PM CST to January 18, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Carver forecast zone
Coordinates
44.821, -93.803 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Scott

When
January 17, 2:00 PM CST to January 18, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Scott forecast zone
Coordinates
44.649, -93.536 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Dakota

When
January 17, 2:00 PM CST to January 18, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Dakota forecast zone
Coordinates
44.672, -93.065 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Nicollet

When
January 17, 2:00 PM CST to January 18, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Nicollet forecast zone
Coordinates
44.350, -94.247 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Le Sueur

When
January 17, 2:00 PM CST to January 18, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Le Sueur forecast zone
Coordinates
44.371, -93.730 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Watonwan

When
January 17, 2:00 PM CST to January 18, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Watonwan forecast zone
Coordinates
43.978, -94.614 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice Storm, Blue Earth

When
January 17, 2:00 PM CST to January 18, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Blue Earth forecast zone
Coordinates
44.035, -94.067 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Ice Storm
Freezing rain accumulating a quarter inch or more of ice, or less where it caused significant damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Minnesota in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, January 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5538418, 5538419, 5538420, 5538421, 5538606, 5538607, 5538608, 5538609, 5538610, 5538611, 5538612, 5538613.