Winter Storm in Minnesota, December 8 to 9, 2012

Name: Winter Storm in Minnesota, December 8 to 9, 2012
Start: 2012-12-08T17:00
End: 2012-12-09T22:00
Location: Minnesota

December 8 to 9, 2012 · NWS MPX · 35 events in 35 counties and zones

A slow moving storm dumped more than a foot of snow in parts of the Upper Midwest, making roads treacherous or impassable and leading to one fatal crash near Red Wing, Minnesota. The storm began in the northern Rockies, and moved eastward across South Dakota the morning of Saturday, December 8th.

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: 1
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 slow moving storm dumped more than a foot of snow in parts of the Upper Midwest, making roads treacherous or impassable and leading to one fatal crash near Red Wing, Minnesota.

The storm began in the northern Rockies, and moved eastward across South Dakota the morning of Saturday, December 8th. An old frontal boundary that lied across the central Plains, lifted northward and developed into an inverted trough across the Mississippi River Valley that afternoon. This inverted trough and the merging of the storm system across South Dakota, provided the energy and moisture to cause a significant winter storm across the Upper Midwest.

The heaviest snowfall totals occurred along Highway 212 from near Montevideo in west-central Minnesota, eastward across the Twin Cities, and into portions of west-central Wisconsin. This storm had two periods of heavy snowfall. One of the heavier events occurred early Sunday morning after 2 am where several bands of light to moderate snow fell across the western suburbs of the Twin Cities, northward into the St. Cloud area. Locally 4 to 7 inches fell from near Buffalo, northward to Sauk Centre in a 6 hour period.

The second heavier snowfall event occurred during the mid morning/early afternoon time period where the center of the storm system moved from southwest Minnesota, to east-central Minnesota. Several areas of southwest and west-central Minnesota had snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour. The town of Sacred Heart had a 17 inch total by the late morning due to these heavier snow bands. Eventually the storm affected the Twin Cities area, and then went into west-central Wisconsin by the mid afternoon hours. Locally 12 to 16 inches fell across the central and northern part of the Twin Cities metro area. The heaviest snowfall report was near Lake Elmo with a snowfall total of 17 inches. This system officially dropped 10.6 inches of snow at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. This report at the airport was the heaviest snowfall since the blizzard on December 12, 2010 that caused the Metro dome roof to collapse.

Blizzard conditions, blowing and drifting snow made visibility so poor that the state Department of Transportation pulled snowplows off some highways in southwest and west Minnesota on Sunday afternoon. The Minnesota State Patrol reported more than 600 crashes by Monday morning, and at least 1,140 spin outs. One person was killed in a crash involving a semi near Red Wing and injuries were reported in 63 other accidents, the State Patrol said.

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 Dec 8, 4:47 PM CST, 13 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 8, 4:47 PM CST, 13 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
447 PM CST SAT DEC 8 2012

.DISCUSSION...

...DANGEROUS WINTER STORM TO IMPACT THE UPPER MISSISSIPPI VALLEY
TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT...

.SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT.

LOW PRESSURE LOCATED NEAR VALENTINE NEBRASKA LATE THIS AFTERNOON WILL
TRACK ALMOST DUE EAST TONIGHT AND SUNDAY...TRACKING ROUGHLY ALONG
THE I-90 CORRIDOR. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SHIFT SOUTH FROM WHAT
MODELS WERE SHOWING YESTERDAY...WITH THE NAM REMAINING THE LONE
NORTHERN OUTLIER TRACKING IT ACROSS THE TWIN CITIES METRO. IN
ADDITION...QPF HAS INCREASED MARKEDLY FROM 00Z RUNS AND NOW
AVERAGES BETWEEN A HALF AND AT LEAST THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH
FROM WILLMAR TO NEAR LADYSMITH...OR JUST NORTH OF THE METRO.
ELSEWHERE...QPF AVERAGES 0.3 TO 0.5 INCHES. THE 18Z GFS IS COMING
IN SURPRISINGLY HIGH AT NEARLY ONE INCH AND AGAIN JUST A BIT FURTHER
SOUTH FROM PREVIOUS RUNS...NOW THROUGH THE METRO. EVEN THE EC WHICH
WAS THE DRY OUTLIER YESTERDAY IS SHOWING AT LEAST 0.6 INCHES OVER
MUCH OF THE CENTRAL AREAS. MODEL INCONSISTENCY FROM RUN TO RUN
SHOULD NOW BE ABOUT COMPLETE...LEAVING A VERY HIGH PROBABILITY
FOR A MAJOR WINTER STORM ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA TONIGHT INTO
SUNDAY EVENING.

THE ARC OF SNOW EXPECTED TO PROPAGATE INTO WESTERN MINNESOTA DURING
THE NEXT FEW HOURS IS EXPANDING IN SIZE AND PRODUCING MODERATE TO
HEAVY SNOWFALL RATES WITHIN EMBEDDED BANDS. WITH TIME...THIS AREA
OF SNOW WILL EXPAND WITH WIDESPREAD MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW
EXPECTED TO SPREAD EAST ACROSS THE AREA LATER THIS EVENING AND
OVERNIGHT. FRONTOGENESIS WITHIN THE DENDRITIC GROWTH ZONE IS
RATHER IMPRESSIVE SO EMBEDDED BANDS OF VERY HEAVY SNOW WITH
GREATER THAN ONE INCH HOURLY RATES ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH SUNDAY
MORNING. BECAUSE THE TRACK OF THE LOW WILL BE CONFINED TO ABOUT
I-90...THE THREAT FOR DRY SLOTTING INTO THE SOUTHERN AREAS IS A
BIT LOWER ALTHOUGH STILL POSSIBLE FOR THE SOUTHERN TWO TIERS OF MN
COUNTIES COME SUNDAY MORNING. STORM TRACK HAS SLOWED A BIT AS
WELL...THUS DEFORMATION SNOW WILL HELP PILE ON THE INCHES A BIT
LONGER THAN ANTICIPATED YESTERDAY. OCCASIONAL SNOW OR SNOW SHOWERS
ARE EXPECTED THROUGH AT LEAST EARLY SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND POSSIBLY
THROUGH THE EVENING OVER WESTERN WISCONSIN.

PREDICTED SNOWFALL AMOUNTS MAY BE CONSERVATIVE IF THE HIGHER QPF
DEPICTIONS PAN OUT...BUT STILL EXPECTING 6 TO 9 INCHES ACROSS
CENTRAL MN AND WESTERN WISCONSIN...AND 3 TO 5 INCHES NEAR THE
IOWA BORDER. COULD SEE SOME ISOLATED TOTALS EXCEED 9 OR 10 INCHES
IN LOCALLY FAVORED BANDING AREAS.

THEREFORE...EXPANDED THE WINTER STORM WARNING SOUTH TO ABOUT A
LINE FROM REDWOOD FALLS...TO RED WING..AND EAU CLAIRE WITH A
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY SOUTH OF THAT TO THE IOWA BORDER. THESE
HEADLINES DEAL WITH SNOWFALL TOTALS ONLY.

THE BIG CHANGE TO THIS FORECAST PACKAGE WAS TO ISSUE A BLIZZARD
WARNING FROM LATE SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING WEST OF A
LINE FROM ALEXANDRIA TO WILLMAR AND MANKATO. MODELS HAVE BEEN
CONSISTENT IN SHOWING POTENTIAL FOR 40 KT WINDS WITHIN THE MIXED
LAYER BEHIND THE SYSTEM AND THINK GUSTS TO AT LEAST 35 KTS WILL BE
FREQUENT. COUPLE THAT WITH FRESHLY FALLEN SNOW AND POTENTIALLY
ADDITIONAL LIGHT SNOW...CONFIDENCE HAS INCREASED THAT BLIZZARD
CONDITIONS WILL BE COMMON WITH NEAR ZERO VISIBILITIES IN OPEN
AREAS SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING /ESPECIALLY IF GUSTS
EXCEED 45 MPH/. TEMPERATURES WILL PLUMMET BELOW ZERO SUNDAY
EVENING AS WELL...THREATENING THE LIVES OF ANY STUCK TRAVELERS.
KEPT THE BLIZZARD WARNING CONFINED TO AREAS WITH A HIGH
LIKELIHOOD OF AT LEAST 4 INCHES OF SNOW WHICH IS GENERALLY NEEDED
FOR CONSIDERABLE BLOWING AND DRIFTING.

THE SYSTEM WILL PULL OUT SUNDAY NIGHT AS THE RIDGE QUICKLY BUILDS
INTO THE WEST. SOME SNOW IS STILL POSSIBLE OVER WRN WI IN CYCLONIC
FLOW...BUT CLEARING SKIES WILL ALLOW FOR A BITTER COLD NIGHT WITH
LOWS IN THE TEENS BELOW OVER WRN MN AND NEAR ZERO AS FAR EAST AS
I-35. WINDS SHOULD REMAIN ELEVATED ENOUGH TO BRING WIND CHILL
VALUES DOWN INTO THE 20S AND POSSIBLY LOW 30S BELOW NEAR THE SOUTH
DAKOTA BORDER...WITH TEENS BELOW TO I-35. WIND CHILL ADVISORIES
WILL BE NEEDED AFTER THE OTHER WINTER HEADLINES EXPIRE.

WILL REMAIN COLD DESPITE SUNSHINE ON MONDAY UNDER THE RIDGE
AXIS...BUT RETURN FLOW MONDAY EVENING SHOULD KEEP TEMPS STEADY OR
SLOWLY RISE OVERNIGHT. A WEAK SYSTEM PASSING THROUGH THE UPPER
MISSISSIPPI VALLEY TUESDAY COULD BRING A LITTLE LIGHT SNOW OR
FLURRIES WITH NO ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED.

.LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

UPPER LEVEL RIDGING WILL BE IN PLACE ACROSS THE GULF OF ALASKA BY
MIDWEEK...WITH A DEEP TROUGH DIGGING DOWN THE WEST COAST.
SOUTHWEST FLOW WILL STREAM ACROSS THE CENTRAL CONUS...WITH WARM
AIR ADVECTION SPREADING OVERHEAD ALLOWING HIGH TEMPS TO MAKE A RUN
AT THE THAWING MARK FOR BOTH WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. BY FRIDAY A
WELL ESTABLISHED EAST/WEST TEMPERATURE GRADIENT WILL BE IN PLACE
OVER THE UPPER MIDWEST...AND THE AFOREMENTIONED WEST COAST TROUGH
WILL MOVE INLAND OVER THE FOUR CORNERS REGION. THIS WILL BE THE
MAIN PLAYER IN THE WEEKEND WEATHER AS BOTH THE GFS AND ECMWF 08.12
EJECT THIS WAVE TOWARDS THE GREAT LAKES REGION. THIS PV ANOMALY
WILL ACT ON THE LOW LEVEL TEMPERATURE GRADIENT AND CAUSE A SURFACE
CYCLONE TO DEVELOP AND TRACK SOUTH AND EAST OF THE CWA. THIS WOULD
PUT CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND WESTERN WISCONSIN IN A FAVORABLE REGION
FOR ANOTHER POTENTIAL WEEKEND SNOW STORM. FORECAST SOUNDINGS AND
NORTH/SOUTH CROSS SECTIONS VIA THE GFS SHOW A WARM LAYER CENTERED
AROUND H850 WITH THE 0C LINE EXTENDING AS FAR NORTH AS THE METRO
AREA. THEREFORE HAVE INCLUDED THE CHANCE OF MIXED PRECIP FOR
SATURDAY MORNING ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST HALF OF THE CWA WITH THE
INITIAL SURGE OF LOW LEVEL THETA_E ADVECTION...AND THEN TRANSITION
TO ALL SNOW BY THE AFTERNOON. ALSO INCREASED POPS ABOVE GUIDANCE
GIVEN THE REMARKABLE AGREEMENT BY THE LONG RANGE MODELS.

&&

.AVIATION.../18Z TAF ISSUANCE/
AREA OF LOW CLOUDS AND FOG WILL LINGER THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE
WESTERN TAF SITES...WHILE CLEAR SKIES AND VFR CONDITIONS PREVAIL
AT THE EASTERN SITES. HOWEVER...CONDITIONS WILL QUICKLY
DETERIORATE TONIGHT AS A WINTER STORM MOVES ACROSS THE REGION AND
SPREADS IFR/LIFR CONDITIONS FROM WEST TO EAST OVERNIGHT LASTING
THROUGH MUCH OF SUNDAY MORNING.

KMSP...
CLEAR SKIES SHOULD CONTINUE THIS AFTERNOON...BUT HAVE TEMPO GROUP
FOR THE CHANCE THAT SOME LOW STRATUS TO THE SOUTH MAKES ITS WAY
NORTHWARD ACROSS THE METRO. TONIGHT SNOW WILL BEGIN FALLING AROUND
06Z...AND SHOULD INTENSIFY SHORTLY THEREAFTER. HEAVY SNOW WILL
LAST FOR A MAJORITY OF THE OVERNIGHT HOURS BEFORE TAPERING OFF BY
MID MORNING. WINDS WILL INCREASE IN THE AFTERNOON WITH BLOWING
SNOW POSSIBLE...AND THEN STRENGTHEN AFTER 00Z WITH NORTHWEST GUSTS
NEAR 30KTS ON SUNDAY NIGHT.

/OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/
SUN NIGHT...MVFR WITH IFR AND-SN/BLSN POSSIBLE. WINDS NW AT
20G30KT.
MON...MVFR WITH IF AND -SN POSSIBLE EARLY. THEN VFR. WINDS WNW AT
10G15KTS.
TUE...MVFR WITH IFR AND -SN POSSIBLE. WINDS SW AT 10G15KTS.
WED...VFR. WINDS SE AT 10KTS.

&&

.MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MN...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO MIDNIGHT CST
     SUNDAY NIGHT FOR BLUE EARTH-FARIBAULT-FREEBORN-GOODHUE-LE
     SUEUR-RICE-STEELE-WASECA.

     WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 11 AM CST SUNDAY
     FOR CHIPPEWA-DOUGLAS-KANDIYOHI-LAC QUI PARLE-POPE-RENVILLE-
     SIBLEY-STEVENS-SWIFT-YELLOW MEDICINE.

     BLIZZARD WARNING FROM 11 AM SUNDAY TO MIDNIGHT CST SUNDAY NIGHT
     FOR BROWN-CHIPPEWA-DOUGLAS-KANDIYOHI-LAC QUI PARLE-NICOLLET-
     POPE-REDWOOD-RENVILLE-SIBLEY-STEVENS-SWIFT-YELLOW MEDICINE.

     WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO MIDNIGHT CST
     SUNDAY NIGHT FOR BENTON-CHISAGO-ISANTI-KANABEC-MCLEOD-
     MEEKER-MILLE LACS-MORRISON-SHERBURNE-STEARNS-TODD-WRIGHT.

     WINTER STORM WARNING FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO MIDNIGHT CST
     SUNDAY NIGHT FOR ANOKA-CARVER-DAKOTA-HENNEPIN-RAMSEY-SCOTT-
     WASHINGTON.

     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO MIDNIGHT CST
     SUNDAY NIGHT FOR MARTIN-WATONWAN.

     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 11 AM CST
     SUNDAY FOR BROWN-NICOLLET-REDWOOD.

WI...WINTER STORM WARNING FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO MIDNIGHT CST
     SUNDAY NIGHT FOR BARRON-CHIPPEWA-DUNN-EAU CLAIRE-PEPIN-
     PIERCE-POLK-RUSK-ST. CROIX.

&&

BORGHOFF/JRB

Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 8, 4:44 AM CST, 12 hours 16 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
444 AM CST SAT DEC 8 2012

MNZ041>045-047>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ014>016-023>028-
091045-
DOUGLAS-TODD-MORRISON-MILLE LACS-KANABEC-STEVENS-POPE-STEARNS-
BENTON-SHERBURNE-ISANTI-CHISAGO-LAC QUI PARLE-SWIFT-CHIPPEWA-
KANDIYOHI-MEEKER-WRIGHT-HENNEPIN-ANOKA-RAMSEY-WASHINGTON-
YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-MCLEOD-SIBLEY-CARVER-SCOTT-DAKOTA-
REDWOOD-BROWN-NICOLLET-LE SUEUR-RICE-GOODHUE-WATONWAN-BLUE EARTH-
WASECA-STEELE-MARTIN-FARIBAULT-FREEBORN-POLK-BARRON-RUSK-
ST. CROIX-PIERCE-DUNN-PEPIN-EAU CLAIRE-
444 AM CST SAT DEC 8 2012

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL AND
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA... AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A WINTER STORM WARNING AND WINTER STORM ADVISORY ARE IN EFFECT
FOR PORTIONS OF THE AREA. PLEASE SEE THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER
STATEMENT FOR MORE INFORMATION.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

A WINTER STORM WARNING AND WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY WILL REMAIN
IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF THE AREA INTO SUNDAY EVENING. PLEASE
SEE THE LATEST WINTER WEATHER STATEMENT FOR MORE INFORMATION.

NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITIONS MAY DEVELOP ON SUNDAY...ESPECIALLY IN
WEST CENTRAL AND PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN MINNESOTA...BEHIND THE
PASSAGE OF A SURFACE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM. WINDS WILL BECOME
STRONG OUT OF THE NORTHWEST...AND THE OCCURRENCE OF WHITEOUT
CONDITIONS WILL DEPEND ON HOW MUCH SNOW HAS FALLEN THIS AFTERNOON
INTO SUNDAY. SUNDAY NIGHT WIND CHILL VALUES IN MINNESOTA WILL
VARY FROM NEGATIVE TEN TO NEGATIVE 25 DEGREES...WITH WIND CHILLS
RETREATING INTO THE ZERO TO TEN BELOW RANGE IN WISCONSIN.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SKYWARN SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.

AZ

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, Lac Qui Parle

When: December 8, 5:00 PM CST to December 9, 3:00 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)

Snow developed across the western part of the county during the late afternoon of Saturday, December 8th. the snow became heavier overnight, and during the morning hours with totals ranging from 10 to 16 inches by Sunday afternoon, December 9th. The heaviest amounts were in the southeast corner of the county.

Winter Storm, Yellow Medicine

When: December 8, 5:00 PM CST to December 9, 3:00 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, Chippewa

When: December 8, 6:30 PM CST to December 9, 3:00 PM CST
Where: Chippewa forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.022, -95.567 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow developed across the western part of the county during the early evening of Saturday, December 8th. the snow became heavier overnight, and during the morning hours with totals ranging from 10 to 16 inches by Sunday afternoon, December 9th. The heaviest amounts were in the southeast corner of the county.

Winter Storm, Stevens

When: December 8, 6:30 PM CST to December 9, 3:00 PM CST
Where: Stevens forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.586, -96.000 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow developed across the southern part of the county during the early evening of Saturday, December 8th. the snow became heavier overnight, and during the morning hours with totals ranging from 4 to 8 inches by Sunday afternoon, December 9th. The heaviest amounts were in the southeastern one-half of the county.

Winter Storm, Swift

When: December 8, 6:30 PM CST to December 9, 3:00 PM CST
Where: Swift forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.283, -95.681 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow developed across the western part of the county during the early evening of Saturday, December 8th. the snow became heavier overnight, and during the morning hours with totals ranging from 6 to 10 inches by Sunday afternoon, December 9th. The heaviest amounts were in the eastern one-half of the county.

Winter Storm, Douglas

When: December 8, 7:00 PM CST to December 9, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Douglas forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.934, -95.453 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow developed across the southern part of the county during the evening of Saturday, December 8th. the snow became heavier overnight, and during the morning hours with totals ranging from 6 to 10 inches by Sunday afternoon, December 9th. The heaviest amounts were in the southeastern one-half of the county.

Winter Storm, Pope

When: December 8, 7:00 PM CST to December 9, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Pope forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.586, -95.444 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow developed across the southern part of the county during the evening of Saturday, December 8th. the snow became heavier overnight, and during the morning hours with totals ranging from 8 to 10 inches by Sunday afternoon, December 9th. The heaviest amounts were in the southeastern one-half of the county.

Winter Storm, Redwood

When: December 8, 7:00 PM CST to December 9, 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)

Snow developed across the western part of the county during the early evening of Saturday, December 8th. the snow became heavier during the morning hours with totals ranging from 10 to 16 inches by Sunday afternoon, December 9th. The heaviest amounts were in the northern one-half of the county.

Winter Storm, Renville

When: December 8, 7:00 PM CST to December 9, 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)

Snow developed across the western part of the county during the evening of Saturday, December 8th. the snow became heavier toward morning, with very heavy snowfall rates of 2 inches per hour around 6 am. By the afternoon, the snowfall tapered off, but totals ranged from 12 to 17 inches by Sunday evening, December 9th. The heaviest amount was in Sacred Heart where a local observer reported 17.3 inches of snow.

Winter Storm, Kandiyohi

When: December 8, 8:00 PM CST to December 9, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Kandiyohi forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.152, -95.005 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow developed across the western part of the county during the evening of Saturday, December 8th. the snow became heavier toward morning, with heavier bands of snow between 8 am and noon. By the early evening, totals ranged from 10 to 14 inches across the county.

Winter Storm, Brown

When: December 8, 8:00 PM CST to December 9, 7:00 PM CST
Where: Brown forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.242, -94.727 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow developed across the county during the evening of Saturday, December 8th. The snow became heavier toward morning, with heavier bands of snow between 8 am and noon in the far northern part of the county. By the early evening, totals ranged from 8 to 10 inches in the far north, to around 4 inches in the south.

Winter Storm, McLeod

When: December 8, 9:00 PM CST to December 9, 7:00 PM CST
Where: McLeod forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.824, -94.272 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow developed across the county during the evening of Saturday, December 8th. The snow became heavier toward morning, with heavier bands of snow between 8 am and noon. By the early evening, totals ranged from 10 to 14 inches across the county.

Winter Storm, Meeker

When: December 8, 9:00 PM CST to December 9, 7:00 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, Sibley

When: December 8, 9:00 PM CST to December 9, 7:00 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, Stearns

When: December 8, 9:00 PM CST to December 9, 7:00 PM CST
Where: Stearns forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.552, -94.613 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow developed across the county during the evening of Saturday, December 8th. The snow became heavier toward morning, with heavier bands of snow between 8 am and 3 pm. By the early evening, totals ranged from 8 to 14 inches across the county. The heaviest snowfall occurred in the southeastern part of the county.

Winter Storm, Todd

When: December 8, 9:00 PM CST to December 9, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Todd forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 46.071, -94.898 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow developed across the county during the evening of Saturday, December 8th. The snow became heavier toward morning, with heavier bands of snow between 6 am and 9. By the early afternoon, totals ranged from 6 to 10 inches across the county. The heaviest occurred in the southern one-quarter of the county.

Winter Storm, Nicollet

When: December 8, 9:00 PM CST to December 9, 7:00 PM CST
Where: Nicollet forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.350, -94.247 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Benton

When: December 8, 10:00 PM CST to December 9, 7:00 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, Carver

When: December 8, 10:00 PM CST to December 9, 10:00 PM CST
Where: Carver forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.821, -93.803 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow developed across the county during the evening of Saturday, December 8th. The snow became heavier toward morning, with heavier bands of snow between 8 am and 3 pm. By the late evening, totals ranged from 10 to 16 inches across the county.

Winter Storm, Morrison

When: December 8, 10:00 PM CST to December 9, 6:00 PM CST
Where: Morrison forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 46.013, -94.268 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow developed across the county during the evening of Saturday, December 8th. The snow became heavier toward morning, with heavier bands of snow between 6 am and 9. By the early afternoon, totals ranged from 6 to 12 inches across the county. The heaviest occurred in the southern one-quarter of the county.

Winter Storm, Sherburne

When: December 8, 10:00 PM CST to December 9, 10:00 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, Wright

When: December 8, 10:00 PM CST to December 9, 10:00 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, Hennepin

When: December 8, 11:00 PM CST to December 9, 10:00 PM CST
Where: Hennepin forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.005, -93.477 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow developed across the county during the late evening of Saturday, December 8th. The snow became heavier toward morning, with heavier bands of snow between 8 am and 3 pm. By the early evening, totals ranged from 12 to 16 inches across the county.

Winter Storm, Le Sueur

When: December 8, 11:00 PM CST to December 9, 8:00 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)

Snow developed across the county during the evening of Saturday, December 8th. The snow became heavier toward morning, with heavier bands of snow between 8 am and noon in the far northern part of the county. By the early evening, totals ranged from 8 to 12 inches in the far north, to around 4 inches in the south.

Winter Storm, Scott

When: December 8, 11:00 PM CST to December 9, 10:00 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, Anoka

When: December 9, 12:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Anoka forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.273, -93.246 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Dakota

When: December 9, 12:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Dakota forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.672, -93.065 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow developed across the county during the early morning of Sunday, December 9th. The snow became heavier toward morning, with heavier bands of snow between 9 am and 3 pm. By the early evening, totals ranged from 12 to 14 inches across the county.

Winter Storm, Isanti

When: December 9, 12:00 AM CST to 10:00 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: December 9, 12:00 AM CST to 7:00 PM CST
Where: Kanabec forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.945, -93.293 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow developed across the county during the early morning of Sunday, December 9th. The snow became heavier toward morning, with heavier bands of snow between 9 am and noon By the early evening, totals ranged from 6 to 11 inches across the county. The heaviest snowfall amounts were in the southern part of the county.

Winter Storm, Mille Lacs

When: December 9, 12:00 AM CST to 7:00 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)

Snow developed across the county during the early morning of Sunday, December 9th. The snow became heavier toward morning, with heavier bands of snow between 6 am and 9 am. By the early evening, totals ranged from 6 to 14 inches across the county. The heaviest snowfall amounts were in the southern part of the county.

Winter Storm, Ramsey

When: December 9, 12:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Ramsey forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.017, -93.100 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow developed across the county during the early morning of Sunday, December 9th. The snow became heavier toward morning, with heavier bands of snow between 8 am and 3 pm. By the early evening, totals ranged from 12 to 16 inches across the county.

Winter Storm, Rice

When: December 9, 12:00 AM CST to 8:00 PM CST
Where: Rice forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.354, -93.297 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow developed across the county during the early morning of Sunday, December 9th. The snow became heavier toward morning, with heavier bands of snow between 8 am and noon in the far northern part of the county. By the early evening, totals ranged from 6 to 12 inches in the far north, to around 4 inches in the south.

Winter Storm, Chisago

When: December 9, 1:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Chisago forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.503, -92.908 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Washington

When: December 9, 1:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Washington forecast zone
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 45.039, -92.884 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Goodhue

When: December 9, 2:00 AM CST to 10:00 PM CST
Where: Goodhue forecast zone
Deaths: 0 direct, 1 indirect
Reported by: Trained Spotter
Coordinates: 44.410, -92.723 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Snow developed across the county during the early morning of Sunday, December 9th. The snow became heavier toward morning, with heavier bands of snow between 8 am and 3 pm in the far northern part of the county. By the early evening, totals ranged from 8 to 14 inches in the far north, to around 4 inches in the south. A 21-year-old man was killed in a multi-vehicle accident near Red Wing Sunday afternoon due to the hazardous road conditions.

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

Event	Date	Age	Sex	Where	Kind
Winter Storm, Goodhue	2012-12-09	21	Male	Vehicle/Towed Trailer	Indirect

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 2012 Every state in 2012 This day in weather history Warnings in Minnesota, December 2012

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: 415941, 415961, 415932, 415956, 415957, 415935, 415947, 415949, 415950, 415940, 416119, 415943, 415944, 415954, 415955, 415958, 416120, 415930, 415931, 415946, 415953, 415960, 415937, 415942, 415952, 415929, 415934, 415938, 415939, 415945, 415948, 415951, 415933, 415959, 415936.