Winter Storm in Minnesota, November 28 to 30, 2010

Name: Winter Storm in Minnesota, November 28 to 30, 2010
Start: 2010-11-28T10:00
End: 2010-11-30T12:00
Location: Minnesota

November 28 to 30, 2010 · NWS MPX · 15 events in 14 counties and zones

A strong storm system began to organize across the Central Plains late Sunday night November 28th. This system tracked northeast across the Upper Midwest and produced a band of 4 to 10 inches of snowfall from southwest Minnesota, northeast across portions of west central and central Minnesota through Tuesday afternoon.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 15 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: 15

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.

In addition to the snowfall, strong winds developed on the back side of this system late Monday, and into Tuesday, and produced wind gusts of 30 to 50 mph.

This system was quite warm ahead of it, and produced mainly rain across east-central and south central Minnesota before colder air moved into the region late Monday night.

Snowfall amounts in south central and portions of east central Minnesota ranged from a trace, up to 6 inches north of the Twin Cities.

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 Nov 28, 6:03 AM CST, 3 hours 57 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Nov 28, 6:03 AM CST, 3 hours 57 minutes before

<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>

Hazardous weather outlook, Nov 28, 4:29 AM CST, 5 hours 31 minutes before

<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

15 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Yellow Medicine

When: November 28, 10:00 AM CST to November 30, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Yellow Medicine forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 44.716, -95.868 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow began across the county during the morning of November 28th. Most of the snowfall was light, and did not increase in intensity until later in the afternoon and early evening, when locally 4 to 6 inches of snow fell in the far eastern part of Yellow Medicine County. Areas west of Granite Falls, Minnesota only received 1 to 2 inches but wind speeds increased significantly overnight, and caused considerable blowing and drifting of the new snowfall.

Winter Storm, Chippewa

When: November 28, 10:00 AM CST to November 30, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Chippewa forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 45.022, -95.567 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow began across the county during the morning of November 28th. Most of the snowfall was light, and did not increase in intensity until later in the afternoon and early evening, when locally 4 to 6 inches of snow fell in the eastern part of Chippewa County. Areas northwest of Montevideo, Minnesota only received 1 to 2 inches but wind speeds increased significantly overnight, and caused considerable blowing and drifting of the new snowfall.

Winter Storm, Swift

When: November 28, 10:00 AM CST to November 30, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Swift forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 45.283, -95.681 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow began across the county during the morning of November 28th. Most of the snowfall was light, and did not increase in intensity until later in the afternoon and early evening, when locally 4 to 6 inches of snow fell in the eastern part of Swift County near Murdock. Areas west of Benson, Minnesota only received 1 to 2 inches but wind speeds increased significantly overnight, and caused considerable blowing and drifting of the new snowfall.

Winter Storm, Pope

When: November 28, 12:00 PM CST to November 30, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Pope forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 45.586, -95.444 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow began across the county during the early afternoon of November 28th. Most of the snowfall was light, and did not increase in intensity until later in the afternoon and early evening, when locally 4 to 6 inches of snow fell in the southeastern part of Pope County, around Gilchrist and Terrace. Areas west of Glenwood, Minnesota had only 2 to 3 inches but wind speeds increased significantly overnight, and caused considerable blowing and drifting of the new snowfall.

Winter Storm, Kandiyohi

When: November 28, 5:00 PM CST to November 30, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Kandiyohi forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 45.152, -95.005 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow began across the county during the afternoon of November 28th. Most of the snowfall was light, and did not increase in intensity until later that evening |when locally 6 inches of snow fell. In addition to the snowfall, wind speeds increased significantly overnight, and caused considerable blowing and drifting of the new snowfall.

Winter Storm, Stearns

When: November 28, 5:00 PM CST to November 30, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Stearns forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 45.552, -94.613 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow began across the county during the evening of November 28th. Most of the snowfall was light, and did not increase in intensity until later that evening |when locally 6 inches of snow fell in the western part of the county. However, in the eastern part of the county, most of the accumulating snow did not start until after 6 am Tuesday, due to temperatures remaining above freezing. In addition to the snowfall, wind speeds increased significantly overnight, and caused considerable blowing and drifting of the new snowfall.

Winter Storm, Todd

When: November 28, 5:00 PM CST to November 30, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Todd forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 46.071, -94.898 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow began across the county during the evening of November 28th. Most of the snowfall was light, and did not increase in intensity until later that evening, |when locally 7 inches of snow fell. In addition to the snowfall, wind speeds increased significantly overnight, and caused considerable blowing and drifting of the new snowfall.

Winter Storm, Stearns

When: November 28, 5:00 PM CST to November 30, 9:00 AM CST
Where: Stearns forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 45.552, -94.613 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow began across the county during the evening of November 28th. Most of the snowfall was light, and did not increase in intensity until later that evening, |when locally 6 inches of snow fell in the western part of the county. However, in the eastern part of the county, most of the accumulating snow did not start until after 6 am Tuesday, due to temperatures remaining above freezing. In addition to the snowfall, wind speeds increased significantly overnight, and caused considerable blowing and drifting of the new snowfall.

Winter Storm, Redwood

When: November 28, 8:00 PM CST to November 30, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Redwood forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 44.404, -95.254 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow began across the western part of the county during the evening of November 28th. Most of the snowfall was light, and did not increase in intensity until early morning. However, the snowfall was quite heavy during the pre-dawn hours around Morgan and Redwood Falls, Minnesota where a quick 8 to 10 inches fell in less then 6 hours. In addition to the snowfall, wind speeds increased significantly overnight, and caused considerable blowing and drifting of the new snowfall.

Winter Storm, Renville

When: November 28, 8:00 PM CST to November 30, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Renville forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 44.727, -94.947 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow began across the western part of the county during the evening of November 28th. Most of the snowfall was light, and did not increase in intensity until early morning. However, the snowfall was quite heavy during the pre-dawn hours around Olivia, Minnesota, when a quick 5 to 6 inches fell in less then 6 hours. In addition to the snowfall, wind speeds increased significantly overnight, and caused considerable blowing and drifting of the new snowfall.

Winter Storm, Morrison

When: November 28, 9:00 PM CST to November 30, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Morrison forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 46.013, -94.268 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow began across the northwest part of the county during the evening of November 28th. Most of the snowfall was light, and did not increase in intensity until later that evening, when locally 4 to 6 inches of snow fell in the western part of the county. However, in the eastern part of the county, most of the accumulating snow did not start until after 6 am Tuesday, due to temperatures remaining above freezing. In addition to the snowfall, wind speeds increased significantly overnight, and caused considerable blowing and drifting of the new snowfall.

Winter Storm, Chisago

When: November 29, 6:00 AM CST to November 30, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Chisago forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 45.503, -92.908 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow began across the county around 6 am, and quickly intensified. Between 6 and 9 am, a quick 4 to 6 inches of snow fell around North Branch and Rush City before tapering off by Noon.

Winter Storm, Isanti

When: November 29, 6:00 AM CST to November 30, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Isanti forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 45.562, -93.295 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow began across the county around 6 am, and quickly intensified. Between 6 and 9 am, a quick 4 to 6 inches of snow fell around Cambridge and Isanti before tapering off by afternoon.

Winter Storm, Kanabec

When: November 29, 6:00 AM CST to November 30, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Kanabec forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 45.945, -93.293 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow began across the county around 6 am, and quickly intensified. Between 6 and 9 am, a quick 4 to 6 inches of snow fell around Mora and Ogilvie, Minnesota, before tapering off by afternoon.

Winter Storm, Mille Lacs

When: November 29, 6:00 AM CST to November 30, 12:00 PM CST
Where: Mille Lacs forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 45.938, -93.630 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Light snow began across the county around 6 am, and quickly intensified. Between 6 and 9 am, a quick 4 to 6 inches of snow fell around Milaca and Princeton, Minnesota, before tapering off by afternoon.

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 2010 Every state in 2010 This day in weather history Warnings in Minnesota, November 2010

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 263101, 263102, 263118, 263119, 263103, 263104, 263105, 263106, 263108, 263109, 263107, 263112, 263113, 263116, 263117.