Minnesota, 2013

Ice Storm in Minnesota, April 11, 2013

April 11, 2013 · NWS ARX · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

Icy conditions developed across portions of southeast Minnesota as freezing rain created a layer of ice on some roads and most exposed surfaces. Several accidents were reported along Interstate 90 in Olmsted and Winona Counties with some injuries occurring.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 2 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
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  • Floods
  • Wind
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  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
2
Property damage
$20,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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 ARX wrote it up.

Icy conditions developed across portions of southeast Minnesota as freezing rain created a layer of ice on some roads and most exposed surfaces. Several accidents were reported along Interstate 90 in Olmsted and Winona Counties with some injuries occurring. Schools in the Rochester area (Olmsted County) were closed April 11th. A quarter inch of ice accumulation was reported by the public southwest of Elba (Winona 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 La Crosse, WI wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 10, 5:18 PM CST, 8 hours 22 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 10, 5:18 PM CST, 8 hours 22 minutes before
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The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 ice storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Ice Storm, Olmsted

When
April 11, 1:40 AM CST to 7:00 AM CST
Where
Olmsted forecast zone
Injuries
0 direct, 2 indirect
Property damage
$20,000
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
44.004, -92.402 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Two people were injured in an accident along Interstate 90 near Dover. Several other accidents occurred along the Interstate because of the icy roads and schools in the Rochester area were closed April 11th.

Ice Storm, Winona

When
April 11, 2:00 AM CST to 8:00 AM CST
Where
Winona forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
43.987, -91.779 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Several accidents occurred along Interstate 90 as freezing rain caused icy conditions to develop. Volunteer observers reported a quarter inch of ice accumulation southwest of Elba.

What these are

Ice Storm
Freezing rain accumulating a quarter inch or more of ice, or less where it caused significant damage.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Minnesota in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, April 2013

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: 439622, 439628.