Freezing rain first developed ahead of a large storm system that moved across the plains, and into the Upper Midwest on March 9th. During the evening of Friday, March 8th, bands of freezing rain moved northward across southwest Minnesota, reaching into west central and central Minnesota by early Saturday morning.
Every event with a place to put it; 5 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.
Freezing rain first developed ahead of a large storm system that moved across the plains, and into the Upper Midwest on March 9th. During the evening of Friday, March 8th, bands of freezing rain moved northward across southwest Minnesota, reaching into west central and central Minnesota by early Saturday morning. Several reporting sites in west central Minnesota had light to moderate freezing rain for a few hours before tapering off to light snow Saturday morning. However, by the late morning and afternoon, the freezing precipitation changed over to snow and accumulated up to 3 to 6 inches around Alexandria and Little Falls.
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 Mar 8, 7:19 PM CST, 1 hour 41 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
719 PM CST FRI MAR 8 2013
.UPDATE...
UPDATED FOR THE 00Z AVIATION DISCUSSION BELOW.
.DISCUSSION...
.SHORT TERM...TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT.
A VERY COMPLEX STORM SYSTEM OVER THE SOUTHWEST WILL BRING JUST
ABOUT ALL PRECIP TYPES WITH IT TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY. TIMING HAS
BECOME BETTER DEFINED...BUT SIGNIFICANT MODEL INCONSISTENCIES
REMAIN REGARDING A SECOND ROUND SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY
MORNING. THIS ROUND HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BRING SEVERAL INCHES OF
SNOW FROM SC MN NEWD INTO WC WI. MORE ON THAT LATER.
A VERY WELL PRONOUNCED MID LEVEL CIRCULATION HAS JUST MOVED ONSHORE
OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IN THE VICINITY OF SAN DIEGO. WIDESPREAD
THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY IS ONGOING THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE
SOUTHWEST...A SOMEWHAT RARE OCCURRENCE THIS TIME OF YEAR AND IT
SHOWS HOW DEEP AND IMPRESSIVE THIS SYSTEM IS. MOISTURE IS
STREAMING NEWD FROM THE EASTERN PACIFIC AND LOW LEVEL FLOW IS
BECOMING MORE SOUTHEASTERLY OVER THE GULF. THERE WILL BE LOTS OF
MOISTURE FOR THIS SYSTEM TO WORK WITH AS IT EJECTS NORTHEASTWARD
TONIGHT. WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION WILL DEVELOP ACROSS THE CENTRAL
PLAINS THIS EVENING BEFORE EXPANDING INTO MN/WI LATER TONIGHT.
TEMPERATURES THIS AFTERNOON HAVE RISEN INTO THE 30S AND 40S ACROSS
THE SOUTHERN AND EASTERN SECTIONS OF THE CWA...BUT THESE TEMPS ARE
EXPECTED TO RETREAT BACK INTO THE LOWER 30S THIS EVENING UNDER A
THIN VEIL OF HIGH CLOUDS. H85 TEMPS WERE ALREADY NEAR 0C THIS
MORNING ACCORDING TO THE 12Z MPX RAOB AND A 40-50 KT 850 MB FLOW
WILL CONTINUE TO ADVECT IN MID LEVEL WARM AIR THIS EVENING. THE
WARM LAYER SHOULD BE DEEP AND PRONOUNCED ENOUGH FOR ALL LIQUID
ACROSS THE CWA.
MODELS ARE A BIT INCONSISTENT WITH THE BOUNDARY LAYER PROFILE
THROUGH SATURDAY MORNING...SOME ARE COLD ENOUGH FOR FZRA/SLEET...
OTHERS KEEP ALL RA OR FZRA. SURFACE TEMPERATURES WILL HOVER AROUND
OR JUST BELOW 0C...MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO CONVEY TEMPORAL AND
SPACIAL DIFFERENCES OF FZRA/RA. PRETTY CONFIDENT IN MAINLY RAIN
ALONG THE I-90 CORRIDOR...AND FREEZING RAIN TO THE NORTH WHERE
BETTER SNOWPACK RESIDES. AS THE SYSTEM ADVANCES FURTHER
NORTH...WARMER AIR WILL REACH MOST OF SRN/ERN MN AND WRN WI
SATURDAY MORNING AND CHANGE EVERYTHING TO RAIN. ISSUED A WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THESE AREAS UNTIL THE TRANSITION TO RAIN IS
FORECAST. ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF A TENTH TO QUARTER OF AN INCH IS
CERTAINLY POSSIBLE WITH A BIT OF SLEET AS WELL. FURTHER
WEST...THERMAL PROFILES INDICATE A MIX CONTINUING...WITH A GRADUAL
CHANGE TO SNOW SATURDAY AFTERNOON. AT THIS POINT... A CHANGEOVER
TO RAIN IN THESE AREAS IS UNLIKELY. WITH AN INCH OF QPF...AND A
CHANGEOVER TO RAIN UNLIKELY...WARNING CRITERIA WILL BE MET
REGARDLESS OF P-TYPE. EXPECTING A FRONTOGENETIC BAND OF MDT-HVY
SNOW TO DEVELOP ACROSS WRN MN SATURDAY AFTERNOON. ON TOP OF A
QUARTER TO THIRD INCH OF ICE...2 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW WILL FALL IN THE
WARNING AREA. THE COLD FRONT WILL PUSH EAST SATURDAY EVENING/EARLY
OVERNIGHT AND ANY REMAINING PRECIPITATION EAST WILL CHANGE TO LIGHT
SNOW.
THE SYSTEM BECOMES FURTHER COMPLEX SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY
MORNING WITH MODELS GENERATING ANOTHER POST-FRONTAL BAND OF MDT-
HVY SNOW FROM SC MN NEWD INTO WC WI. THE EC IS THE ONLY MODEL TO
NOT HAVE THIS AT ALL AND SEEMS MUCH TOO PROGRESSIVE COMPARED TO
THE REMAINING GUIDANCE. AMONG THE REMAINING GUIDANCE...THIS NARROW
BAND OF SNOW IS DISPLACED DOZENS OF MILES IN EITHER DIRECTION.
COULD SEE SEVERAL INCHES IN A NARROW CORRIDOR. HOWEVER...GIVEN
THAT THERE IS A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY WITH THIS FINAL BAND...AND THAT
UPSTREAM OFFICES HAVE HELD OFF...DECIDED TO ALSO FORGO A WINTER
STORM WATCH FOR NOW.
WIND WILL STRENGTHEN POST FRONTAL AND COULD GUST TO 35 MPH IN THE
MN RIVER VALLEY. WITH ANY FRESHLY FALLEN SNOW...COULD SEE SOME
BLOWING AND DRIFTING SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY.
THE FINAL FACET OF THIS SYSTEM IS FLOODING POTENTIAL. WITH AN INCH
OF QPF /LOCALLY MORE/ AND MELTING SNOW...COULD SEE SOME MINOR
FLOODING IN URBAN AREAS WITH CLOGGED SEWER SYSTEMS. CONTINUED THE
ESF TO ADDRESS THIS CONCERN.
BORGHOFF
.LONG TERM...TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
WNW FLOW ALOFT DURING THIS PERIOD AS RIDGING SLOWLY BUILDS
OVER THE WEST COAST. THERE ARE DISCREPANCIES EARLY ON IN REGARDS TO
A DEPARTING LOW OVER THE GREAT LAKES. THE ECMWF IS SLOWER THAN THE
GFS TO MOVE THE LOW EAST...WHICH WOULD CAUSE TEMPS TO STAY COOLER ON
TUE ALONG WITH A LINGERING CHANCE FOR SNOW. OUR CURRENT FCST SPLITS
THE DIFFERENCE AND KEEPS MINIMAL POPS OUT EAST WHILE TEMPS SLOWLY
WARM. SEVERAL WEAK AND MOISTURE-STARVED CLIPPER-TYPE SYSTEMS DIVE
ACROSS THE UPPER MIDWEST...BUT DIFFICULTY WITH TIMING LEADS TO AN
OVERALL FCST THAT REMAINS FAIRLY DRY WITH TEMPS RUNNING SLIGHTLY
BELOW AVERAGE.
JCA
&&
.AVIATION.../00Z TAF ISSUANCE/
RADAR SHOWS ADVANCING RAIN NEAR THE MN/IA BORDER. THE RAIN WILL
CONTINUE TO SPREAD NORTHEAST WITH TIME. WE THINK ALL TAF SITES
WILL SEE RAIN BY 12Z. FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET IS POSSIBLE
ESPECIALLY THE FIRST 2-4 HOURS AFTER THE ONSET OF PRECIPITATION.
THE LATEST DATA INDICATES WARMER CONDITIONS TONIGHT...SO TRENDED
THE TAF WITH LESS FREEZING RAIN/SLEET AND MORE ALL PLAIN OLD RAIN.
THERE WILL A TRANSITION TO SNOW TOMORROW...BUT IT WILL BE QUITE
LATE AT MOST SITES...EXCEPT FOR KAXN.
KMSP...
CONFIDENCE REMAINS HIGH IN FIRST MVFR CONDITIONS WITH RAIN RIGHT
AROUND OR JUST AFTER 06Z. WE REDUCED THE AMOUNT OF FREEZING RAIN
IN THE TAF TONIGHT...AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WATCH THE TEMPERATURE
CLOSELY. WE MIGHT END UP REMOVING THE FREEZING RAIN COMPLETELY AS
TEMPS MIGHT JUST HANG AT 33-34 TONIGHT. CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO
DETERIORATE TO IFR PRETTY QUICK AFTER PRECIP BEGINS WITH LIFR ALSO
POSSIBLE. THERE COULD BE A FEW HR PERIOD OF MODERATE RAIN CENTERED
AROUND 12Z WITH A BREAK BY MID- AFTN.
/OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/
SUN...MVFR/IFR OR LOWER WITH -SN POSSIBLE EARLY. WINDS N-NW AT 15G25KTS.
MON...VFR. LIGHT SW WINDS.
TUE...VFR/MVFR WITH -SN POSSIBLE. W-NW WINDS.
&&
.MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
MN...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 AM CST
SATURDAY FOR BROWN-CARVER-LE SUEUR-MCLEOD-MEEKER-NICOLLET-
REDWOOD-RENVILLE-RICE-SHERBURNE-SIBLEY-WRIGHT.
WINTER STORM WARNING FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO MIDNIGHT CST
SATURDAY NIGHT FOR BENTON-CHIPPEWA-DOUGLAS-KANDIYOHI-LAC
QUI PARLE-MILLE LACS-MORRISON-POPE-STEARNS-STEVENS-SWIFT-
TODD-YELLOW MEDICINE.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 1 AM TO 9 AM CST SATURDAY FOR ANOKA-
CHISAGO-DAKOTA-GOODHUE-HENNEPIN-ISANTI-KANABEC-RAMSEY-SCOTT-
WASHINGTON.
WI...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 1 AM TO 9 AM CST SATURDAY FOR DUNN-
EAU CLAIRE-PEPIN-PIERCE-POLK-ST. CROIX.
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FROM 4 AM TO NOON CST SATURDAY FOR
BARRON-CHIPPEWA-RUSK.
&&
BORGHOFF/FRANKSHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN 333 PM CST FRI MAR 8 2013 MNZ041>044-047>050-054>057-064-092145- DOUGLAS-TODD-MORRISON-MILLE LACS-STEVENS-POPE-STEARNS-BENTON- LAC QUI PARLE-SWIFT-CHIPPEWA-KANDIYOHI-YELLOW MEDICINE- 333 PM CST FRI MAR 8 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA...EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT BEGINNING THIS EVENING. PLEASE REFER TO THE WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY THE WINTER STORM WARNING CONTINUES INTO SATURDAY NIGHT. PLEASE REFER TO THE WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS AND SNOWFALL OBSERVERS ARE URGED TO REPORT ICE AND SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. MNZ045-051>053-058>063-065>070-073>078-WIZ014>016-023>028-092145- KANABEC-SHERBURNE-ISANTI-CHISAGO-MEEKER-WRIGHT-HENNEPIN-ANOKA- RAMSEY-WASHINGTON-RENVILLE-MCLEOD-SIBLEY-CARVER-SCOTT-DAKOTA- REDWOOD-BROWN-NICOLLET-LE SUEUR-RICE-GOODHUE-POLK-BARRON-RUSK- ST. CROIX-PIERCE-DUNN-PEPIN-CHIPPEWA-EAU CLAIRE- 333 PM CST FRI MAR 8 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA...EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA... SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA...SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA...NORTHWEST WISCONSIN AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT BEGINNING LATE TONIGHT. PLEASE REFER TO THE WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES CONTINUE INTO SATURDAY MORNING. PLEASE REFER TO THE WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. RAIN ON SATURDAY MAY CAUSE SOME MINOR FLOODING...ESPECIALLY IN URBAN AREAS. ADDITIONALLY...SNOW MELT IN COMBINATION WITH THE RAIN MAY LEAD TO RUNOFF ISSUES. ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING. SEVERAL INCHES OF ACCUMULATION ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS AND SNOWFALL OBSERVERS ARE URGED TO REPORT ICE AND SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. MNZ082>085-091>093-092145- WATONWAN-BLUE EARTH-WASECA-STEELE-MARTIN-FARIBAULT-FREEBORN- 333 PM CST FRI MAR 8 2013 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A MIXTURE OF RAIN AND FREEZING RAIN WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA THIS EVENING. AT THIS POINT...ICE ACCUMULATIONS ARE NOT EXPECTED. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY RAIN ON SATURDAY MAY CAUSE SOME MINOR FLOODING...ESPECIALLY IN URBAN AREAS. ADDITIONALLY...SNOW MELT IN COMBINATION WITH THE RAIN MAY LEAD TO RUNOFF ISSUES. ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL IS EXPECTED SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY MORNING. SEVERAL INCHES OF ACCUMULATION ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTERS AND SNOWFALL OBSERVERS ARE URGED TO REPORT ICE AND SNOWFALL AMOUNTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. BORGHOFF
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
5 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Freezing rain and snow accumulated across the county. Amounts varied, but locally one quarter of an inch of ice occurred, along with snowfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches.
Freezing rain and snow accumulated across the county. Amounts varied, but locally one quarter of an inch of ice occurred, along with snowfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches.
Freezing rain and snow accumulated across the county. Amounts varied, but locally one quarter of an inch of ice occurred, along with snowfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches.
Freezing rain and snow accumulated across the county. Amounts varied, but locally one quarter of an inch of ice occurred, along with snowfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches.
Freezing rain and snow accumulated across the county. Amounts varied, but locally one quarter of an inch of ice occurred, along with snowfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Minnesota in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, March 2013
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: 428432, 428433, 428434, 428435, 428436.