Minnesota, 1998

Blizzard in Minnesota, November 10, 1998

November 10, 1998 · NWS FSD · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

Snow accumulating 4 to 12 inches combined with winds as strong as 60 mph produced zero visibilities in snow and blowing snow, drifting snow, and damage to trees and power lines with resultant power outages. Some of the power outages lasted as long as 2 days.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 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
$200,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
8

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 FSD wrote it up.

Snow accumulating 4 to 12 inches combined with winds as strong as 60 mph produced zero visibilities in snow and blowing snow, drifting snow, and damage to trees and power lines with resultant power outages. Some of the power outages lasted as long as 2 days. Most roads were closed and many people were stranded in vehicles after the sudden onset of heavy snow. Businesses and schools including colleges and universities were forced to close as the blizzard shut down the area. The blizzard began in part of the area as heavy rain changing quickly to snow during thunderstorms.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.

Blizzard, Cottonwood

When
November 10, 3:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Cottonwood forecast zone
Property damage
$25,000
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
44.007, -95.181 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Jackson

When
November 10, 3:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Jackson forecast zone
Property damage
$25,000
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
43.674, -95.154 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Lincoln

When
November 10, 3:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Lincoln forecast zone
Property damage
$25,000
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
44.413, -96.267 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Lyon

When
November 10, 3:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Lyon forecast zone
Property damage
$25,000
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
44.414, -95.839 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Murray

When
November 10, 3:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Murray forecast zone
Property damage
$25,000
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
44.022, -95.763 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Nobles

When
November 10, 3:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Nobles forecast zone
Property damage
$25,000
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
43.674, -95.753 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Pipestone

When
November 10, 3:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Pipestone forecast zone
Property damage
$25,000
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
44.023, -96.259 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Blizzard, Rock

When
November 10, 3:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where
Rock forecast zone
Property damage
$25,000
Reported by
OFFICIAL NWS OBS.
Coordinates
43.675, -96.253 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Blizzard
Sustained winds or frequent gusts of 35 mph or more with falling or blowing snow that cuts visibility below a quarter mile for three hours or longer.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Minnesota in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, November 1998

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: 5676226, 5676227, 5676228, 5676229, 5676230, 5676231, 5676232, 5676233.