Heavy Snow, Anoka
- When
- December 29, 7:00 PM CST to December 30, 3:00 PM CST
- Where
- Anoka forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 45.273, -93.246 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A surface low pressure system across Southeast South Dakota late on the evening of the 29th, moved to southern Minnesota by late on the morning of the 30th. It then marched into West Central Wisconsin during the evening hours of the 30th.
Every event with a place to put it; 24 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
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.
The episode as NWS MPX wrote it up.
A surface low pressure system across Southeast South Dakota late on the evening of the 29th, moved to southern Minnesota by late on the morning of the 30th. It then marched into West Central Wisconsin during the evening hours of the 30th. A large swath of snowfall in the 6 to 8 inch range, fell approximately north of a line from Madison to Redwood Falls, to Glencoe, to Chanhassen, to Andover, to Woodbury. Some of the heaviest snowfall occurred West of a Granite Falls to Willmar line, where reports of between 8 and 11 inches were recorded. In Willmar, several vehicles were reported in the ditch, a semi-truck rolled onto its side, along with minor automotive crashes during the course of the storm, as reported by the Wilmar West Central Tribune.
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 Dec 29, 3:42 PM CST, 3 hours 18 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
342 PM CST THU DEC 29 2005
.DISCUSSION...TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY
AFTERNOON WATER VAPOR IMAGERY ILLUSTRATES AN AMPLIFYING MID LEVEL
SHORTWAVE THAT WILL BRING A BOUT OF WINTER PRECIPITATION TO THE MPX
FORECAST AREA TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY. THERE IS DECENT AGREEMENT
BETWEEN THE GFS/NAM/UKMET SOLUTIONS REGARDING THE TRACK OF THIS
SHORTWAVE FEATURE...WITH THE ASSOCIATED SURFACE LOW STRADDLING THE
MINNESOTA IOWA BORDER TONIGHT INTO FRIDAY.
21Z RADAR IMAGERY AND REPORTS FROM WFO ABR INDICATE A MIX OF
FREEZING RAIN...ICE PELLETS...AND SNOW WEST OF INTERSTATE 29. AS THE
SYSTEM DYNAMICS STRENGTHEN LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY
EVENING...SOUNDING ANALYSIS DEPICTS ADEQUATE DEEP LAYER
SATURATION/COOLING TO YIELD SNOW ACROSS WESTERN MINNESOTA THIS
EVENING. ON THE OTHER HAND...PROFILES ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA
APPEAR CONDUCIVE TO AROUND A 2-3 HOUR PERIOD OF FREEZING RAIN PRIOR
TO THE CHANGEOVER TO SNOW. HAVE THEREFORE OPTED TO GO WITH A WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE SOUTHERN TWO TIERS OF COUNTIES.
PROGGED PARAMETERS OF THIS SYSTEM ARE IMPRESSIVE...ESPECIALLY ACROSS
WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA. MUCH OF THE FORECAST AREA IS IN A VERY
FAVORABLE REGION FOR A PERIOD OF HEAVY SNOW...LOCATED ALONG AND JUST
LEFT OF THE 700 MB LOW TRACK...WITH THE -5C 850MB ISOTHERM BISECTING
THE CWA.
NORTH TO SOUTH ORIENTED CROSS SECTIONS ACROSS WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA
BETWEEN 06Z-12Z ARE ALSO SUPPORTIVE OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW...WITH
STRONG FORCING SHOWN BY A WEDGE OF SLIGHTLY NEGATIVE SATURATED
GEOSTROPHIC POTENTIAL VORTICITY BETWEEN 500-600MB. STRONG 700MB
OMEGA IS ALSO PORTRAYED AT THIS TIME...WITH KEY TEMPERATURES BETWEEN
-14C AND -16C. SPECIFIC HUMIDITIES REMAIN AROUND 2-3 G/KG IN THE
SNOW GROWTH REGION...WITH THE COBB TECHNIQUE ALSO SUPPORTING 5 TO 6
ACROSS THE WEST...AND 3 TO 5 ELSEWHERE. AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE
POTENTIAL FOR HIGHER SNOWFALLS ACROSS THE WESTERN CWA ASSOCIATED
WITH BANDING...AS THE NAM PROGS A POCKET OF INTENSE 2D
FRONTOGENETICAL FORCING BETWEEN 750-700MB TONIGHT. THIS POCKET
SHIFTS EAST RATHER QUICKLY...SO HAVE STUCK WITH AN ADVISORY THERE.
WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN COUNTIES WILL BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO LINGERING
SNOW INTO FRIDAY EVENING...IN CLOSER PROXIMITY TO THE DEFORMATION
AXIS. EXPECT INTENSITY THERE TO BE LIGHT WITH AMOUNTS BELOW ADVISORY
CRITERIA AFTER 00Z SAT. EXPECT FLURRIES TO LINGER ON SATURDAY ACROSS
THE EAST...AS MOISTURE WRAPS AROUND THE LOW. THE WEATHER PATTERN
REMAINS ACTIVE...WITH ANOTHER SYSTEM ARRIVING ON SUNDAY.
THERE WILL BE A LOW DIURNAL TEMPERATURE SWING THROUGH THE SHORT TERM
PERIOD...WITH THE CONTINUANCE OF ABOVE NORMAL TEMPERATURES.
LONGER TERM...SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY
VIGOROUS SHORT WAVE WILL BE MOVING ACROSS THE FA SUNDAY NIGHT AND
MONDAY PER GFS/ECMWF WITH SURFACE LOW PRESSURE PASSING BY TO OUR
SOUTH. WILL CONTINUE WITH CHANCE TO LIKELY POPS ACROSS THE CWA
DURING THIS PERIOD. YET ANOTHER SHORT WAVE IN THE FAST WESTERLY FLOW
PROGGED ACROSS US TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY WITH ANOTHER AREA OF
SURFACE LOW PRESSURE PASSING FURTHER TO THE SOUTH FROM THE ONE ON
MONDAY. WILL CONTINUE WITH CHANCE POPS WITH THE SURFACE LOW ON BOTH
THE GFS AND ECMWF SHOWN TO PASS ACROSS MO. SOME IMPROVEMENT FOR LATE
IN THE WORK WEEK AS RIDGING ALOFT DEVELOPS OVER THE ROCKIES. WARMER
LOW LEVEL AIR WILL BE HEADED OUR WAY WITH NW LOW LEVEL FLOW.
HOWEVER...SURFACE RIDGING OVERHEAD MAY BE TRAPPING EXTENSIVE LOW
CLOUDINESS IN THE WAKE OF THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM ON WEDNESDAY. SO
HAVE PULLED HIGHS BACK TO AROUND 30 FOR THURSDAY. OVERALL...THE
TEMPERATURES FOR THE WEEK WILL BE WELL ABOVE NORMAL. BASICALLY 20
DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL ON NIGHTTIME LOWS AND ABOUT 10 DEGREES ABOVE
NORMAL ON HIGHS.
&&
.MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MN...SNOW ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 12 PM CST FRIDAY FOR
ANOKA-BROWN-CARVER-CHISAGO-DAKOTA-HENNEPIN-ISANTI-KANABEC-
LE SUEUR-MCLEOD-MILLE LACS-NICOLLET-RAMSEY-RICE-SCOTT-
SHERBURNE-SIBLEY-WASHINGTON-WRIGHT.
SNOW ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 12 PM CST FRIDAY FOR
BENTON-CHIPPEWA-DOUGLAS-KANDIYOHI-LAC QUI PARLE-MEEKER-
MORRISON-POPE-REDWOOD-RENVILLE-STEARNS-STEVENS-SWIFT-TODD-
YELLOW MEDICINE.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 12 PM CST
FRIDAY FOR BLUE EARTH-FARIBAULT-FREEBORN-MARTIN-STEELE-
WASECA-WATONWAN.
SNOW ADVISORY FROM 3 AM TO 6 PM CST FRIDAY FOR GOODHUE.
WI...SNOW ADVISORY FROM 3 AM TO 6 PM CST FRIDAY FOR BARRON-CHIPPEWA-
DUNN-EAU CLAIRE-PEPIN-PIERCE-POLK-RUSK-ST. CROIX.
&&
LS/RAHHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 102 PM CST THU DEC 29 2005 MNZ041>043-047>050-054>058-064-065-073-301202- BENTON-CHIPPEWA-DOUGLAS-KANDIYOHI-LAC QUI PARLE-MEEKER-MORRISON-POPE- REDWOOD-RENVILLE-STEARNS-STEVENS-SWIFT-TODD-YELLOW MEDICINE- 102 PM CST THU DEC 29 2005 ...SNOW ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM TONIGHT THROUGH NOON FRIDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA...SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE ALONG THE MINNESOTA AND IOWA BORDER LATER TONIGHT AND FRIDAY...WHICH WILL BRING PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW TO THE REGION. SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE TO THE WEST OF A LINE FROM LITTLE FALLS...TO LITCHFIELD... AND REDWOOD FALLS THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS ON FRIDAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY SNOW WILL CONTINUE FOR MUCH OF FRIDAY MORNING BEFORE ENDING DURING THE MID AFTERNOON HOURS. AN ADDITIONAL INCH OR TWO OF ACCUMULATION WILL BE POSSIBLE. TOTAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS THROUGH LATE FRIDAY MORNING SHOULD REACH 4 TO 6 INCHES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE URGED TO REPORT SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. MNZ044-045-051>053-059>063-066>070-074>077-301202- ANOKA-BROWN-CARVER-CHISAGO-DAKOTA-HENNEPIN-ISANTI-KANABEC-LE SUEUR- MCLEOD-MILLE LACS-NICOLLET-RAMSEY-RICE-SCOTT-SHERBURNE-SIBLEY- WASHINGTON-WRIGHT- 102 PM CST THU DEC 29 2005 ...SNOW ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT THROUGH NOON FRIDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA...EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE ALONG THE MINNESOTA AND IOWA BORDER LATER TONIGHT AND FRIDAY...WHICH WILL BRING PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW TO THE REGION. SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS UP 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL AND EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...INCLUDING THE TWIN CITIES METRO AREA...THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS ON FRIDAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY THE SNOW WILL CONTINUE FRIDAY MORNING BEFORE TAPERING OFF DURING THE MID AFTERNOON HOURS. AN ADDITIONAL 2 INCHES OF ACCUMULATION WILL BE POSSIBLE. TOTAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON SHOULD REACH 5 INCHES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE URGED TO REPORT SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. MNZ082>085-091>093-301202- BLUE EARTH-FARIBAULT-FREEBORN-MARTIN-STEELE-WASECA-WATONWAN- 102 PM CST THU DEC 29 2005 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM TONIGHT THROUGH NOON FRIDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE ALONG THE MINNESOTA AND IOWA BORDER LATE TONIGHT AND FRIDAY. LIGHT FREEZING RAIN WILL OVERSPREAD SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...FROM ST JAMES TO OWATONNA ON SOUTHWARD... THIS EVENING AND THEN CHANGE TO SNOW AROUND MIDNIGHT. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF UP TO 3 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE BY DAYBREAK FRIDAY ALONG WITH A LIGHT GLAZE OF ICE UNDERNEATH. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY SNOW WILL CONTINUE FOR MUCH OF FRIDAY MORNING BEFORE TAPERING OFF DURING THE MID AFTERNOON HOURS. AN ADDITIONAL 1 TO 2 INCHES OF ACCUMULATION WILL BE POSSIBLE. TOTAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON SHOULD REACH 4 TO 5 INCHES. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE URGED TO REPORT SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. MNZ078-WIZ014>016-023>028-301202- BARRON-CHIPPEWA-DUNN-EAU CLAIRE-GOODHUE-PEPIN-PIERCE-POLK-RUSK- ST CROIX- 102 PM CST THU DEC 29 2005 ...SNOW ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM FRIDAY THROUGH 6 PM FRIDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT A STRONG LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE ALONG THE MINNESOTA AND IOWA BORDER LATE TONIGHT AND FRIDAY. SNOW WILL PROCEED THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM AND SPREAD ACROSS SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN DURING THE EARLY MORNING HOURS ON FRIDAY. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OVERNIGHT WILL RANGE FROM 1 TO 2 INCHES. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE DAY ON FRIDAY. PERIODS OF HEAVY SNOW ARE POSSIBLE IN THE MORNING. SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS ON FRIDAY WILL BE IN THE 3 TO 4 INCH RANGE...BRINGING THE TOTAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATION BY EVENING INTO THE 4 TO 6 INCH RANGE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN SPOTTERS ARE URGED TO REPORT SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. RAH
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
24 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Minnesota in 2005Every state in 2005This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, December 2005
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: 5483288, 5483289, 5483290, 5483291, 5483292, 5483293, 5483294, 5483295, 5483296, 5483297, 5483298, 5483299, 5483300, 5483301, 5483302, 5483303, 5483304, 5483305, 5483306, 5483307, 5483308, 5483309, 5483310, 5483311.