Winter Storm, Stearns
- When
- January 12, 3:00 AM CST to 3:00 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 in Minnesota, January 12, 2005
An area of low pressure passing through Iowa brought a period of snow to central Minnesota between the evening of the 14th and the early afternoon of the 15th. The precipitation was heaviest during the morning of the 15th when snowfall rates of up to 2 inches per hour were reported.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 6 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 6
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 area of low pressure passing through Iowa brought a period of snow to central Minnesota between the evening of the 14th and the early afternoon of the 15th. The precipitation was heaviest during the morning of the 15th when snowfall rates of up to 2 inches per hour were reported. Snowfall totals included 8.3 inches at St. Cloud State University in addition to 10 miles east of Woodland, 8.0 inches at St. Joseph, 7.8 inches near Foley; 7.5 inches at Clear Lake, 8 miles south of Hillman, Milaca, and Mora; 7.0 inches in Sauk Rapids, and 6.0 inches in northern Kanabec County.
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 Jan 11, 9:00 PM CST, 6 hours earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jan 11, 9:00 PM CST, 6 hours before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
900 PM CST TUE JAN 11 2005
.DISCUSSION...
NEAR TERM...WE HAVE UPDATED THIS EVENING...KEEPING OUR WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORIES FOR CENTRAL MINNESOTA...BUT ALSO ISSUED A
NEW WINTER STORM WATCH FOR PORTIONS OF OUR FAR SOUTHEAST MN COUNTIES
AND PART OF WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN FOR WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND
EVENING. OUR NEW WATCH LINES UP WITH ONE ISSUED BY ARX EARLIER TODAY
AND COVERS OUR CONCERN FOR ICE ACCUMULATION DURING WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON AND EARLY WEDNESDAY EVENING. ISENTROPIC FORECASTS (295K
FOR ETA/GFS) SHOWS 4-5 GM/KG SPECIFIC HUMIDITIES PUSHING INTO WATCH
AREA AFTER SUNRISE WEDNESDAY WITH ETA AND GFS 30H JET FORECAST
SHOWING JET STREAK ROUNDING THE BOTTOM OF THE TROUGH TO OUR WEST AND
EJECTING RAPIDLY TOWARDS THE WESTERN LAKE REGION DURING THE DAY.
BUFKIT PROFILES SHOW FAVORABLE TEMPERATURE STRUCTURE FOR SLEET AND
FREEZING RAIN AT FRM AND EAU.
THREAT OF SNOW DECREASING EARLY WED NIGHT AS ARCTIC FRONT MOVES IN.
WINDS SHOULD GUST AS WELL...WITH AREAS OF BLOWING SNOW.
TEMPERATURES SHOULD DIVE TO NEAR ZERO EASTERN CWA BY THU MORNING.
LITTLE RECOVERY ANYWHERE IN CWA...WITH TEMPS DROPPING DURING THU
MORNING. MAY NEED HIGHLIGHTS AGAIN FOR WIND CHILLS THEN.
&&
LONGER TERM...FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY
A LITTLE UNCERTAINTY IN FORECAST IN TERMS OF POTENTIAL WAVE IN THE
NW FLOW THAT MAY OVERRUN THE ARCTIC AIR ON SUNDAY OR SUNDAY EVENING.
06Z GFS MAYBE A LITTLE OVERDONE WITH THIS BUT 12Z RUN WAS STILL
INDICATING IT TO SOME EXTENT. 06Z DGEX WAS SHOWING MORE INFLUENCE OF
THE HIGH BUT STILL A HINT OF THE WAVE BUT A LITTLE FARTHER SOUTH.
ENSEMBLE PRECIP PROBS WERE A LITTLE HIGHER ON TUESDAY. DID ADD A
SMALL POP OVER SOUTH CENTRAL SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING AND THEN
AGAIN MONDAY NIGHT. TIMING ALWAYS TOUGH BUT CLIPPER TYPE WAVES
USUALLY DO FOLLOW THE SW FLOW STORMS A FEW DAYS LATER. MODERATION IN
TEMPS STILL LOOKS GOOD FOR LATER IN PERIOD..BUT A LITTLE CONCERNED
ABOUT REINFORCING ARCTIC AIR BEHIND POTENTIAL WAVE ON MONDAY.
&&
.MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MN...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY CENTRAL 6PM TONIGHT TO NOON
WEDNESDAY.
MNZ041>045-047>050
WINTER STORM WATCH PART OF SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST
WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON TO WEDNESDAY EVENING
MNZ077-078-084-085-092-093
WI...WINTER STORM WATCH PART OF WEST CENTRALWEDNESDAY AFTERNOON TO
WEDNESDAY EVENING
WIZ024>028
&&
WET/WJH/DWE/JPRHazardous weather outlook, Jan 12, 1:57 AM CST, 1 hour 3 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 157 AM CST WED JAN 12 2005 MNZ041>045-047>050-121200- BENTON-DOUGLAS-KANABEC-MILLE LACS-MORRISON-POPE-STEARNS-STEVENS-TODD- 157 AM CST WED JAN 12 2005 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 12 PM WEDNESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SNOW WILL OCCUR ACROSS CENTRAL MINNESOTA OVERNIGHT AND WILL BE MIXED WITH SOME SLEET AND FREEZING DRIZZLE. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY SNOW WILL CONTINUE TO ACCUMULATE EARLY WEDNESDAY. TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS ARE FORECAST TO RANGE FROM 2 INCHES AROUND ST CLOUD AND PRINCETON TO 5 INCHES NORTH OF ALEXANDRIA AND LITTLE FALLS. AN ARCTIC FRONT IS FORECAST TO REACH WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA LATE WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON. STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS IN THE WAKE OF THE FRONT WILL CAUSE CONSIDERABLE BLOWING SNOW...FALLING TEMPERATURES AND DANGEROUS WIND CHILL READINGS WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY. THE COLDEST TEMPERATURES OF THE SEASON THUS FAR ARE THEN IN STORE FOR THE REGION THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH THE UPCOMING WEEKEND WITH TEMPERATURES LIKELY STAYING BELOW ZERO THROUGH THE PERIOD. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SNOWFALL OBSERVERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT SNOWFALL INFORMATION TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE VIA THE TOLL FREE REPORTING NUMBER... OR ON THE INTERNET AT WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/MPX. MNZ051>070-073>076-082-083-091-WIZ014>016-023-121200- ANOKA-BARRON-BLUE EARTH-BROWN-CARVER-CHIPPEWA-CHISAGO-DAKOTA- HENNEPIN-ISANTI-KANDIYOHI-LAC QUI PARLE-LE SUEUR-MARTIN-MCLEOD- MEEKER-NICOLLET-POLK-RAMSEY-REDWOOD-RENVILLE-RUSK-SCOTT-SHERBURNE- SIBLEY-ST CROIX-SWIFT-WASHINGTON-WATONWAN-WRIGHT-YELLOW MEDICINE- 157 AM CST WED JAN 12 2005 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 12 PM WEDNESDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SNOW WILL BE MIXED WITH SLEET AND FREEZING DRIZZLE. SNOW ACCUMULATION UP TO AN INCH ALONG WITH A LIGHT COATING OF ICE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY SNOW...SLEET AND FREEZING DRIZZLE ARE LIKELY EARLY WEDNESDAY WITH THE WINTRY PRECIPITATION CHANGING TO ALL SNOW BY WEDNESDAY EVENING. THE SNOW TAPER OFF WEDNESDAY NIGHT AS AN ARCTIC FRONT MOVES THROUGH. TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS COULD REACH AN INCH OR TWO. STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS IN THE WAKE OF THE ARCTIC FRONT WILL CAUSE BLOWING SNOW...FALLING TEMPERATURES AND DANGEROUS WIND CHILL READINGS BY EARLY THURSDAY MORNING WHICH WILL PERSIST THROUGH THE DAY. THE COLDEST TEMPERATURES OF THE SEASON THUS FAR ARE THEN IN STORE FOR THE REGION THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH THE UPCOMING WEEKEND WITH TEMPERATURES LIKELY STAYING BELOW ZERO THROUGH THE PERIOD. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SNOWFALL OBSERVERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT SNOWFALL INFORMATION TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE VIA THE TOLL FREE REPORTING NUMBER... OR ON THE INTERNET AT WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/MPX. MNZ077-078-084-085-092-093-WIZ024>028-121200- CHIPPEWA-DUNN-EAU CLAIRE-FARIBAULT-FREEBORN-GOODHUE-PEPIN-PIERCE- RICE-STEELE-WASECA- 157 AM CST WED JAN 12 2005 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 PM WEDNESDAY... ...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON TO WEDNESDAY EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SNOW WILL BE MIXED WITH SLEET AND FREEZING DRIZZLE. SNOW ACCUMULATION UP TO AN INCH ALONG WITH A LIGHT COATING OF ICE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY OCCASIONAL SNOW...SLEET AND FREEZING DRIZZLE WEDNESDAY MORNING WILL PRECEDE HEAVIER PRECIPITATION IN THE FORM OF SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ICY ACCUMULATIONS ARE FORECAST TO REACH ONE QUARTER INCH OR MORE. SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN WILL CHANGE TO SNOW AS AN ARCTIC FRONT ARRIVES LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT. STRONG NORTHWEST WINDS IN THE WAKE OF THE ARCTIC FRONT WILL CAUSE FALLING TEMPERATURES AND DANGEROUS WIND CHILL READINGS ON THURSDAY. THE COLDEST TEMPERATURES OF THE SEASON THUS FAR ARE THEN IN STORE FOR THE REGION THURSDAY NIGHT THROUGH THE UPCOMING WEEKEND WITH TEMPERATURES LIKELY STAYING BELOW ZERO THROUGH THE PERIOD. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SNOWFALL OBSERVERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SUBMIT SNOWFALL INFORMATION TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE VIA THE TOLL FREE REPORTING NUMBER... OR ON THE INTERNET AT WWW.CRH.NOAA.GOV/MPX. RAH
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
6 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Winter Storm, Sherburne
- When
- January 12, 3:00 AM CST to 3:00 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, Benton
- When
- January 12, 3:00 AM CST to 3:00 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, Morrison
- When
- January 12, 3:00 AM CST to 3:00 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, Mille Lacs
- When
- January 12, 3:00 AM CST to 3:00 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, Kanabec
- When
- January 12, 3:00 AM CST to 3:00 PM CST
- Where
- Kanabec forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 45.945, -93.293 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
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
- Tornado in Arkansas, January 12, 2005
- Tornado in Louisiana, January 12, 2005
- Avalanche in Washington, January 12, 2005
- Flash Flood and Flood in Missouri, January 12 to 13, 2005
- Dense Fog in Indiana, January 12, 2005
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Illinois, January 12 to 13, 2005
- Tornado in Missouri, January 12, 2005
- Flash Flooding and Damaging Winds in Arkansas, January 12, 2005
- Dense Fog in Ohio, January 12, 2005
- Tornado in Missouri, January 12, 2005
- Winter Weather in Vermont, January 12, 2005
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Oklahoma, January 12, 2005
More
Every storm in Minnesota in 2005Every state in 2005This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, January 2005
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: 5438282, 5438283, 5438284, 5438285, 5438286, 5438287.