Snow accumulated 2 to 5 inches in southwest Minnesota from early afternoon of February 29th to a little after midnight on March 1st. The snowfall made travel hazardous, with several accidents but no known fatalities or injuries.
Every event with a place to put it; 8 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 FSD wrote it up.
Snow accumulated 2 to 5 inches in southwest Minnesota from early afternoon of February 29th to a little after midnight on March 1st. The snowfall made travel hazardous, with several accidents but no known fatalities or injuries. Winds were not strong enough to cause blowing snow.
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 Sioux Falls, SD wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 29, 11:37 AM CST, 1 hour 23 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD 1137 AM CST MON FEB 29 2016 .SHORT TERM...(TODAY AND TONIGHT) ISSUED AT 354 AM CST MON FEB 29 2016 POTENT COLD FRONT DROPPING RAPIDLY SOUTHWARD THROUGH NORTHERN SOUTH DAKOTA AND EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA WILL PUSH INTO THE HIGHWAY 14 CORRIDOR WITHIN THE NEXT HOUR OR SO. THIS FRONT QUICKLY EXITS THE REGION TO THE SOUTH BY MID MORNING...BRINGING GUSTY NORTHERLY WINDS AND STRONG COLD AIR ADVECTION. WINDS WILL AVERAGE 20 TO 30 KT WITH GUSTS 35 KT THIS MORNING...THEN DECREASE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES WILL FALL THROUGH THE DAY TODAY...WITH MOST LOCATIONS NORTH OF I90 EXPECTED TO HAVE ALREADY REACHED THEIR HIGH TEMPERATURE TODAY. USED CONSMOS GUIDANCE PRIMARILY FOR TEMPERATURE TRENDS. CLOUDS WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE TODAY WITH THE ARRIVAL OF THE FRONT. THE DRY MID LEVELS ARE EXPECTED TO BECOME BETTER SATURATED THIS AFTERNOON AHEAD OF A MID LEVEL WAVE APPROACHING FROM THE NORTHWEST. STRONG MID LEVEL FRONTOGENESIS DEVELOPS ACROSS SOUTH CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA INTO THE MID MISSOURI VALLEY AND HANGS WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE REGION JUST SOUTH OF I90 THROUGH THE EVENING. FURTHERMORE...MODELS BRING A STRONG AREA OF PV/DIV-Q/OMEGA IN THE VICINITY OF THE FRONTOGENETIC FORCING THIS EVENING INTO THE EARLY MORNING HOURS WITH THE SHORTWAVE DIGGING INTO SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA. EXPECT LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOWFALL TO SPREAD EAST ACROSS THE ENTIRE FORECAST AREA DURING THIS TIME FRAME....BEGINNING WEST OF THE JAMES RIVER AROUND MIDDAY/EARLY AFTERNOON...AND INTO THE I29 CORRIDOR AND POINT EAST BY MID/LATE AFTERNOON. THE UPPER TROUGH SWINGS EAST OF THE REGION AROUND DAYBREAK ON TUESDAY. SNOW WILL REMAIN LIKELY OVERNIGHT...ESPECIALLY ACROSS AREAS ALONG AND SOUTH OF I90...BUT GRADUALLY TAPERING OFF FROM THE WEST AFTER MIDNIGHT AS THE WAVE EXITS. SECONDARY WAVE FOLLOWING LATE TONIGHT MAY ALLOW SOME SCATTERED LIGHT SNOW SHOWERS TO LINGER WEST OF I29...SO WILL LEAVE LOW END POPS HERE LATE. WENT AHEAD AND BUMPED UP SNOWFALL AMOUNTS A LITTLE...MAINLY IN THE I90 CORRIDOR AND INTO THE IOWA GREAT LAKES AREA WHERE THE BEST LIFT AND FORCING LINE UP. LOOKING AT PRIMARILY 1 TO 3 INCHES...BUT CANNOT RULE OUT LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS IN THE AREA OF STRONGER FORCING OUTLINED ABOVE /I90 CORRIDOR/. .LONG TERM...(TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY) ISSUED AT 354 AM CST MON FEB 29 2016 IT WILL BE A COOL START FOR MARCH WITH TEMPERATURES WELL BELOW NORMAL. THE AMERICAN MODELS...NAM AND GFS...SUGGEST THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME LIGHT ACCUMULATING SNOW LINGERING SOUTH OF I-90 THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS ON TUESDAY. HOWEVER...IT APPEARS AS THOUGH THERE ARE SATURATION ISSUES IN THE ICE PRODUCTION LAYER. WITH WEAK COLD AIR ADVECTION LASTING THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS NEAR THE SURFACE...THE ICE PRODUCTION LAYER THICKENS AND APPROACHES THE SURFACE. COULD BE ENOUGH MOISTURE AT TIMES TO RESULT IN A FEW FLURRIES AND HAVE ADDED MENTION THROUGH THE MORNING HOURS. AS BROAD SURFACE RIDGE BUILDS INTO THE FORECAST AREA MID DAY ATMOSPHERIC COLUMN DRIES OUT LEADING TO AT LEAST BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS. WITH FRESH SNOW COVER ACROSS THE AREA...HAVE SIDED WITH COOLER GUIDANCE VALUES. CLOUDS WILL BE ON THE INCREASE ON WEDNESDAY AHEAD OF A WAVE MOVING FROM MONTANA INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS. WHILE THE FOCUS APPEARS TO BE TO THE SOUTH OF THE FORECAST AREA...THE MISSOURI RIVER VALLEY MAY GET IN ON THE EDGE OF THE ACTION AND KEPT CHANCE POPS ACROSS THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF THE FORECAST AREA. TOWARDS THE WEEKEND...A LEADING WAVE MOVES THROUGH THE AREA ON FRIDAY AS FLOW ALOFT TRANSITIONS FROM NORTHWEST TO MORE OF A WESTERLY FLOW. THE FLOW APPEARS TO BE FAIRLY DIRTY...BUT TIMING OF VARIOUS SYSTEMS IS DIFFICULT IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE TO PIN POINT AT THIS POINT. WOULD NOT BE SURPRISED IF POPS GET INTRODUCED AS TIME FRAME APPROACHES. BOTH THE GFS AND ECMWF SHOW A WAVE SEPARATING OFF THE WEST COAST ON SUNDAY WITH SOME OF THE ENERGY GETTING CAUGHT UP IN THE NORTHERN BRANCH OF THE JET...WHILE THE SECOND PIECE OF ENERGY UNDERGOES QUITE A BIT OF STRENGTHENING AS 150+ KT JET MAX WORKS INTO THE BACKSIDE OF THE TROUGH. THIS PIECE OF ENERGY IS EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE CENTRAL PLAINS ON MONDAY...POTENTIALLY AFFECTING THE AREA JUST OUTSIDE OF THE 7 DAYS. THIS WAVE LOOKS TO BE THE STRONGEST OF THE WAVES FOR THE NEXT WEEK. && .AVIATION...(FOR THE 18Z TAFS THROUGH 18Z TUESDAY AFTERNOON) ISSUED AT 1137 AM CST MON FEB 29 2016 VFR WILL LOWER FROM THE NORTHWEST TO CEILINGS 1-3K FEET AND VISIBILITIES 3-5SM/-SN 18Z-01/02Z. FURTHER LOWERING TO CEILINGS NEAR 1K FEET AND VISIBILITIES BELOW 3SM/-SN WILL FOLLOW RAPIDLY FROM THE NW EXCEPT FAR SOUTHWEST AND NORTHEAST PARTS OF THE AREA INCLUDING MUCH OF SOUTHWEST MN. IMPROVEMENT IN VISIBILITIES TO VFR WILL TAKE PLACE FROM THE NW 01/06Z-12Z AS THE SNOW DECREASES. CEILINGS 1-3K FEET WILL LIKELY CONTINUE THROUGH 01/18Z. && .FSD WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... SD...NONE. MN...NONE. IA...NONE. NE...NONE. && SHORT TERM... LONG TERM... AVIATION...
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SIOUX FALLS SD 423 AM CST MON FEB 29 2016 IAZ001>003-012>014-020>022-031-032-MNZ089-090-097-098-NEZ013-014- SDZ038-039-050-052>071-011030- LYON IA-OSCEOLA-DICKINSON-SIOUX-O'BRIEN-CLAY IA-PLYMOUTH-CHEROKEE- BUENA VISTA-WOODBURY-IDA-NOBLES-JACKSON-PIPESTONE-ROCK-DIXON- DAKOTA-BEADLE-KINGSBURY-GREGORY-JERAULD-SANBORN-MINER-LAKE-MOODY- BRULE-AURORA-DAVISON-HANSON-MCCOOK-MINNEHAHA-CHARLES MIX-DOUGLAS- HUTCHINSON-TURNER-LINCOLN SD-BON HOMME-YANKTON-CLAY SD-UNION- 423 AM CST MON FEB 29 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST IOWA...SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA...NORTHEAST NEBRASKA...EAST CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA...SOUTH CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA AND SOUTHEAST SOUTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NORTH WINDS WILL GUST FROM 25 TO 35 MPH THIS MORNING. LIGHT SNOWFALL WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT. SNOWFALL WILL VARY FROM ONE TO 3 INCHES...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE NEAR INTERSTATE 90. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY LIGHT SNOW WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA WEDNESDAY NIGHT WITH MINOR ACCUMULATIONS POSSIBLE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED. MNZ071-072-080-081-SDZ040-011030- LINCOLN MN-LYON MN-MURRAY-COTTONWOOD-BROOKINGS- 423 AM CST MON FEB 29 2016 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHWEST MINNESOTA AND EAST CENTRAL SOUTH DAKOTA. .DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT NORTH WINDS WILL GUST FROM 25 TO 35 MPH THIS MORNING. LIGHT SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE LATE AFTERNOON THROUGH TONIGHT. ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BE AN INCH OR LESS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY LIGHT SNOW WILL SPREAD ACROSS THE AREA WEDNESDAY NIGHT WITH MINOR ACCUMULATIONS POSSIBLE. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
8 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Snow accumulated 2 to 5 inches, including 4 inches southwest of Lake Benton. The snow caused slippery roads which resulted in a few accidents. The snow continued to a little past midnight on March 1st.
Snow accumulated 2 to 5 inches, including 3 inches near Minneota. The snow caused slippery roads which resulted in a few accidents. The snow continued to a little past midnight on March 1st.
Snow accumulated 2 to 5 inches, including 5 inches near Edgerton. The snow caused slippery roads which resulted in a few accidents. The snow continued to a little past midnight on March 1st.
Snow accumulated 2 to 5 inches, including 3 inches at Lake Wilson. The snow caused slippery roads which resulted in a few accidents. The snow continued to a little past midnight on March 1st.
Snow accumulated 2 to 5 inches, including 3.5 inches near Windom. The snow caused slippery roads which resulted in a few accidents. The snow continued to a little past midnight on March 1st.
Snow accumulated 2 to 5 inches, including 5 inches at Luverne. The snow caused slippery roads which resulted in a few accidents. The snow continued to a little past midnight on March 1st.
Snow accumulated 2 to 5 inches, including 3 inches near Worthington. The snow caused slippery roads which resulted in a few accidents. The snow continued to a little past midnight on March 1st.
Snow accumulated 2 to 5 inches, including 3.2 inches near Lakefield. The snow caused slippery roads which resulted in a few accidents. The snow continued to a little past midnight on March 1st.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Minnesota in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, February 2016
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: 619588, 619589, 619590, 619591, 619592, 619593, 619594, 619595.