Minnesota, 1997

Winter Storm in Minnesota, January 22, 1997

January 22, 1997 · NWS MPX · 19 events in 19 counties and zones

Strong winds of 20 to 35 mph restricted visibilities to zero at times due to blowing snow and additional 1 to 3 inch fresh snowfall. Drifts reached 15 feet in some parts of west central Minnesota due to previous snowfall and strong winds.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 19 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
19

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.

Strong winds of 20 to 35 mph restricted visibilities to zero at times due to blowing snow and additional 1 to 3 inch fresh snowfall. Drifts reached 15 feet in some parts of west central Minnesota due to previous snowfall and strong winds. Interstate 35 near Albert Lea closed temporarily due to multiple vehicle accidents from blowing snow. Nearly a dozen highways closed over west central and southwest Minnesota. 250 students spent the night at school in the Belview, Danube, Renville, and Sacred Heart school district.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

19 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Douglas

When
January 22, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Douglas forecast zone
Coordinates
45.934, -95.453 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Todd

When
January 22, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Todd forecast zone
Coordinates
46.071, -94.898 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Stevens

When
January 22, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Stevens forecast zone
Coordinates
45.586, -96.000 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Pope

When
January 22, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Pope forecast zone
Coordinates
45.586, -95.444 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Lac Qui Parle

When
January 22, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM 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
January 22, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Swift forecast zone
Coordinates
45.283, -95.681 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Chippewa

When
January 22, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Chippewa forecast zone
Coordinates
45.022, -95.567 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Kandiyohi

When
January 22, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Kandiyohi forecast zone
Coordinates
45.152, -95.005 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Yellow Medicine

When
January 22, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Yellow Medicine forecast zone
Coordinates
44.716, -95.868 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Renville

When
January 22, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Renville forecast zone
Coordinates
44.727, -94.947 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Redwood

When
January 22, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Redwood forecast zone
Coordinates
44.404, -95.254 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Brown

When
January 22, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Brown forecast zone
Coordinates
44.242, -94.727 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Watonwan

When
January 22, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Watonwan forecast zone
Coordinates
43.978, -94.614 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Blue Earth

When
January 22, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Blue Earth forecast zone
Coordinates
44.035, -94.067 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Waseca

When
January 22, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Waseca forecast zone
Coordinates
44.022, -93.587 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Martin

When
January 22, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Martin forecast zone
Coordinates
43.674, -94.551 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Faribault

When
January 22, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Faribault forecast zone
Coordinates
43.674, -93.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Freeborn

When
January 22, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Freeborn forecast zone
Coordinates
43.674, -93.349 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Steele

When
January 22, 4:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where
Steele forecast zone
Coordinates
44.022, -93.226 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

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

More

Every storm in Minnesota in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, January 1997

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: 5589435, 5589436, 5589437, 5589438, 5589439, 5589440, 5589441, 5589442, 5589443, 5589444, 5589445, 5589446, 5589447, 5589448, 5589449, 5589450, 5589451, 5589452, 5589453.