Winter Storm in Minnesota, February 24 to 25, 2001

Name: Winter Storm in Minnesota, February 24 to 25, 2001
Start: 2001-02-24T17:00
End: 2001-02-25T17:00
Location: Minnesota

February 24 to 25, 2001 · NWS MPX · 35 events in 35 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 35 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: 35

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.

A storm system that developed across eastern Colorado on the evening of the 23rd, moved into central Nebraska by the evening of the 24th. Instability ahead of this system dumped snow, measured mainly in the 4 to 6 inch range across much of central Minnesota. However, a narrow band of snow in the 6 inch range was reported across South central Minnesota. The area in question covered portions of Martin, northern Faribault, southern Blue Earth, Waseca, northwestern Steele, and western Rice counties. Another largerarea of heavy snow fell just to the north of a line, from Canby to Minnesota Falls, to Litchfield, to Monticello, to just southwest of the Twin cities, to Taylor Falls. Snowfall accumulations in this area varied from 6 inches, to as much as 13 inches in Stevens county. Snow drifts reached into 3 to 6 foot range, across some areas. On the 27th, two large machine sheds in the Belle Plaine area were stricken with roof collapses, as the accumulated snow from this event, along with additional snowfall (and ice), earlier in the month proved to much for the 25 year old structures.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Twin Cities, MN wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 24, 3:28 PM CST, 1 hour 32 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 24, 3:28 PM CST, 1 hour 32 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
328 PM CST SAT FEB 24 2001

A MAJOR WINTER STORM TO AFFECT MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA OVER THE
NEXT 36 HOURS.  THE MAIN FORECAST CHALLENGE TONIGHT...IS WHETHER TO
EXTENT THE WARNING FURTHER EAST INTO EAST CENTRAL MN AND WEST
CENTRAL WISCONSIN. WINTER STORM WARNING ISSUED EARLY STILL LOOK GOOD
WITH HEAVIER SNOWS CONFINE WEST OF A LINE FROM NEW ULM...LITCHFIELD
THROUGH MORA WITH TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS 10 TO 16 INCHES BY SUNDAY
AFTERNOON.

WATER VAPOR SATELLITE IMAGERY SHOWED SHORTWAVE LIFTING NORTHEAST
OVER NORTHERN MISSOURI. IMAGERY ALSO SHOWED STRONG UPPER LEVEL JET
PLOWING OVER THE CENTRAL PLAINS.  STRONG UPPER LEVEL DIVERGENCE
COUPLED WITH 700 MB OMEGA MAXIMUM STRENGTHEN OVER THE FORECAST AREA
TONIGHT. TSRA ERUPTED OVER SOUTHERN IA INTO MISSOURI...COULD HINDER
THE MOISTURE FLUX INTO MN.  SURFACE DYNAMIC COULD ALSO GENERATE SOME
CONVECTIVE SNOWS OVR THE FORECAST AREA TONIGHT.

850 MB TEMPERATURES COOL DOWN TO CRITICAL LEVEL TO TURN THE PRECIP
OVER TO ALL SNOW LATER TONIGHT. PRECIP WILL START OFF AS MIXTURE OF
FREEZING RAIN OR SNOW OVER WESTERN SECTION...AND NOT UNTIL EARLY
SUNDAY MORNING OVER WISCONSIN PORTION.

MODELS INDICATED A TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT DEVELOPING OVER THE AREA
BY SUNDAY MORNING.  WL CONTINUE THE WINTER STORM WARNING INTO SUNDAY
WITH CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW AND WIND GUST UP TO 40
KNOTS AT TIMES.

UPSTREAM SHORTWAVE TROUGH...OVR NORTHWEST TERRITORY WILL PROVIDE
SOME KICKER TO ACCELERATE THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM NEAR THE WESTERN
GREAT LAKES TO EXIT THE REGION ON SUNDAY.  SNOWS AND GUSTY WINDS
SHOULD GRADUALLY DIMINISH DURING THE AFTERNOON IN THE WEST.

.MSP...WINTER STORM WARNING...WESTERN AND CENTRAL MINNESOTA TONIGHT
       AND SUNDAY.
      WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR EAST CENTRAL...AND PART OF SOUTH
CENTRAL MN AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN TONIGHT AND SUNDAY.

JVM

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

35 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Benton

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Benton forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.699, -93.999 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Blue Earth

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Blue Earth forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.035, -94.067 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Carver

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Carver forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.821, -93.803 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Chippewa

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Chippewa forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.022, -95.567 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Douglas

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Douglas forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.934, -95.453 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Faribault

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Faribault forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.674, -93.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Freeborn

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Freeborn forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.674, -93.349 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Isanti

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Isanti forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.562, -93.295 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Kanabec

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Kanabec forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.945, -93.293 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Kandiyohi

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Kandiyohi forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.152, -95.005 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Lac Qui Parle

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Lac Qui Parle forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.996, -96.173 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Le Sueur

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Le Sueur forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.371, -93.730 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Martin

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Martin forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.674, -94.551 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, McLeod

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: McLeod forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.824, -94.272 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Meeker

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Meeker forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.123, -94.527 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Mille Lacs

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Mille Lacs forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.938, -93.630 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Morrison

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Morrison forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.013, -94.268 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Pope

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Pope forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.586, -95.444 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Renville

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Renville forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.727, -94.947 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Rice

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Rice forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.354, -93.297 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Sherburne

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Sherburne forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.444, -93.775 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Stearns

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Stearns forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.552, -94.613 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Steele

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Steele forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.022, -93.226 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Stevens

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Stevens forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.586, -96.000 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Swift

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Swift forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.283, -95.681 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Todd

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Todd forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 46.071, -94.898 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Waseca

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Waseca forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.022, -93.587 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Watonwan

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Watonwan forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 43.978, -94.614 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Wright

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Wright forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 45.174, -93.963 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Yellow Medicine

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Yellow Medicine forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.716, -95.868 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Sibley

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Sibley forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.580, -94.232 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Scott

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Scott forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.649, -93.536 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Redwood

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Redwood forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.404, -95.254 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Brown

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Brown forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.242, -94.727 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Nicollet

When: February 24, 5:00 PM CST to February 25, 5:00 PM CST
Where: Nicollet forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 44.350, -94.247 (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

Every storm in Minnesota in 2001 Every state in 2001 This day in weather history Warnings in Minnesota, February 2001

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: 5232210, 5232211, 5232212, 5232213, 5232214, 5232215, 5232216, 5232217, 5232218, 5232219, 5232220, 5232221, 5232222, 5232223, 5232224, 5232225, 5232226, 5232227, 5232228, 5232229, 5232230, 5232231, 5232232, 5232233, 5232234, 5232235, 5232236, 5232237, 5232238, 5232239, 5232240, 5232314, 5232315, 5232316, 5232317.