Heavy snow began across the Northland during the late afternoon and early evening. By midnight some areas had already received close to 6 inches of snow, with more falling overnight.
Every event with a place to put it; 12 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 DLH wrote it up.
Heavy snow began across the Northland during the late afternoon and early evening. By midnight some areas had already received close to 6 inches of snow, with more falling overnight. The western end of Lake Superior and the north shore, including the Arrowhead region, received the most snow. Finland had 14 inches of snow, with Duluth at nearly 8 inches and Island Lake at 8.5 inches. Portions along Interstate-35 received up to 8 inches of snow. Some areas received less than 6 inches of snow but the snowfall rate and strong winds made travel conditions difficult. The average wind speed at Duluth was 26 mph with a peak wind of 36 mph, all from the east.
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 Duluth, MN wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 24, 3:59 PM CST, 1 minute earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Duluth MN
359 PM CST Sat Feb 24 2018
.SHORT TERM...(This evening through Sunday)
Issued at 342 PM CST Sat Feb 24 2018
Radar, obs, and satellite imagery showing quite clearly the
rapidly developing system that will move bands of heavy snowfall
through our area this evening into Sunday morning. 3 hr pressure
drops of 4 to 6 mb across our forecast area hint at the intensity
of this system. Despite the fact that it is rocketing through the
region, the snowfall rates should be quite intense as the system
is just spinning up, and overall accumulations should be
significant. A strong 700 mb jet is ushering moisture rich air
into a frontogenetic band with plenty of vertical motion which
should squeeze out 1 to 2" per hour snowfall rates which should
drop visibilities to less than a 1/4 mile, so travel is not
advised tonight into early Sunday. Winter Storm Warnings are in
effect for this system. The surface low slides through central
Wisconsin wrapping around precipitation on the developing comma
head which should enhance accumulations on the north shore. The
upper level wave that is forcing the system moves off to the east
on Sunday morning and should lead to a rapid end to the snowfall
too. Temperatures are a bit on the warm side for dendritic growth,
but believe there will be quite a few aggregates due to the
moisture content of this system which should near a half an inch
of liquid equivalent. All said and done, 6 to 10 inches seems
perfectly reasonable with higher amounts along the north shore.
Drier air makes its way into the area on Sunday afternoon with
temperatures warming to near freezing.
.LONG TERM...(Sunday night through Saturday)
Issued at 342 PM CST Sat Feb 24 2018
After nearly a week and a half of a very active weather pattern
with several significant snowstorms across the Northland, the
extended period appears to hold a trend for much more tranquil
weather. While the general flow across the Lower 48 States remains
quite active for most of the week, an un-phased and somewhat
split flow pattern is expected to result in any major systems
staying either to our south or north.
Late Monday/Monday night, a fairly rapidly moving and relatively
weak system is expected to move across Ontario. This wave could
produce enough lift to result in some light snow across far northern
Minnesota. However, at this time, it appears as though the
appreciable precipitation during this time period will remain in
Canada.
Most of the medium range models are fairly consistent in yet another
major storm system moving from the central Plains region into the
central Great Lakes during the Wed-Thur time period during the
coming week. There is some potential, given the current medium
range deterministic guidance and ensemble envelope, that the
southeast sections of the Duluth CWA could get brushed by impacts
from this system, and thus, it does bear some watch. But, unlike
the past week or so, the guidance at this time suggests that the
major impacts with this system will remain to the south and east of
the Duluth CWA.
Otherwise, general west/southwest flow aloft will keep any really
significant arctic air at bay. The longer days, higher sun angle,
and lower albedo effects of the forested areas should result in
considerably warmer daytime temps than we have been accustomed to
since roughly the Christmas Holiday period, with daytime highs
reaching into the 30s for most of the week. It's not entirely out
of the question that some areas could reach into the lower 40s.
&&
.AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Sunday afternoon)
Issued at 1130 AM CST Sat Feb 24 2018
VFR until a fairly substantial system brings heavy snow and LIFR
conditions after 00Z Sun through about 09Z with 1/4SM vsbys and
low ceilings. Wind may cause a little blowing snow as well. The
system moves through the area quickly with a return to MVFR/VFR
late in the TAF period. Fairly confident in onset timing in TAFs.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
DLH 20 29 15 36 / 100 20 10 0
INL 19 29 13 40 / 100 60 10 0
BRD 16 29 13 37 / 100 0 0 0
HYR 22 30 14 39 / 100 20 10 0
ASX 24 32 18 40 / 100 30 10 0
&&
.DLH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WI...Winter Storm Warning until 9 AM CST Sunday for WIZ001>004-
006>009.
MN...Winter Storm Warning from 9 PM this evening to noon CST Sunday
for MNZ011-012-019>021-026.
Winter Weather Advisory until 9 AM CST Sunday for MNZ025-033-034.
Winter Storm Warning until 9 AM CST Sunday for MNZ035>038.
Winter Weather Advisory from 9 PM this evening to noon CST
Sunday for MNZ010-018.
LS...None.
&&
SHORT TERM...Wolfe
LONG TERM...Miller
AVIATION...WolfeHazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED National Weather Service Duluth MN 353 PM CST Sat Feb 24 2018 MNZ010>012-018>021-025-026-033>038-WIZ001>004-006>009-251100- Koochiching-North St. Louis-Northern Cook/Northern Lake- North Itasca-Central St. Louis-Southern Lake/North Shore- Southern Cook/North Shore-North Cass-South Itasca-South Cass- Crow Wing-Northern Aitkin-South Aitkin-Carlton/South St. Louis- Pine-Douglas-Bayfield-Ashland-Iron-Burnett-Washburn-Sawyer-Price- 353 PM CST Sat Feb 24 2018 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. .DAY ONE...Tonight Another fast-moving significant winter storm will affect the entire Northland region through around midday Sunday. This storm will bring heavy snow to most areas overnight. Snow will continue to rapidly spread across all of the Northland this evening, with heavy snow in most areas through the overnight hours. Very heavy snowfall rates up to 2 inches per hour are expected for a several hour period overnight, resulting in dangerous travel conditions with snow and ice covered roads, and very low visibility. Please refer to the latest Winter Weather Message, the latest forecasts, and social media information from the National Weather Service for additional details on Winter Storm Warnings and Advisories that are in effect for the entire area through Sunday morning. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday Snow will rapidly diminish to flurries from southwest to northeast Sunday morning, leaving behind storm total snow amounts between 6 and 12 inches in most areas across the Northland. There is another chance of snow during the Wednesday to Thursday time period of the upcoming week, but at this time, this does not appear to be a major snowstorm for the Northland. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Snow spotters are requested to report their snowfall measurements to the National Weather Service tonight and Sunday morning. Miller More information may be obtained at the following web address: http://www.weather.gov/duluth (all lower case)
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
1003 AM CST SAT FEB 24 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0900 AM SNOW 25 E ELY 47.93N 91.50W
02/24/2018 M5.4 INCH LAKE MN CO-OP OBSERVER
CO-OP OBSERVER STATION BNDM5, 25 E ELY.
0630 AM SNOW TAFT 46.99N 92.31W
02/24/2018 M0.6 INCH ST. LOUIS MN COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION MN-SL-107, TAFT.
0600 AM SNOW 3 E WRIGHT 46.68N 92.95W
02/24/2018 M0.5 INCH CARLTON MN CO-OP OBSERVER
CO-OP OBSERVER STATION WRIM5, 3 E WRIGHT.
0600 AM SNOW 3 N BUTTERNUT 46.05N 90.53W
02/24/2018 M1.0 INCH ASHLAND WI CO-OP OBSERVER
CO-OP OBSERVER STATION BUTW3, 3 N BUTTERNUT.
0600 AM SNOW 3E ORR 48.06N 92.75W
02/24/2018 M1.1 INCH ST. LOUIS MN CO-OP OBSERVER
CO-OP OBSERVER STATION LEIM5, 3E ORR.
0500 AM SNOW 2 W LEONIDAS 47.46N 92.63W
02/24/2018 M1.0 INCH ST. LOUIS MN COCORAHS
COCORAHS STATION MN-SL-108, 2 W LEONIDAS.
1200 AM SNOW 1 SE MOOSE LAKE 46.45N 92.76W
02/24/2018 M2.0 INCH CARLTON MN CO-OP OBSERVER
CO-OP OBSERVER STATION MOOM5, 1 SE MOOSE
LAKE.
&&PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
1010 AM CST SAT FEB 24 2018
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0900 AM SNOW 25 E ELY 47.93N 91.50W
02/24/2018 M7.4 INCH LAKE MN CO-OP OBSERVER
STORM TOTAL. CO-OP OBSERVER STATION BNDM5,
25 E ELY.
0600 AM SNOW 3 N BUTTERNUT 46.05N 90.53W
02/24/2018 M6.0 INCH ASHLAND WI CO-OP OBSERVER
STORM TOTAL. CO-OP OBSERVER STATION BUTW3, 3
N BUTTERNUT.
0500 AM SNOW 2 W LEONIDAS 47.46N 92.63W
02/24/2018 M7.0 INCH ST. LOUIS MN COCORAHS
STORM TOTAL. COCORAHS STATION MN-SL-108, 2 W
LEONIDAS.
&&The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
12 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Snowfall measured 7.0 inches 4 miles south of Bruno.
Measured snowfall of 6.0 reported in Motley.
Measured snowfall of 6.4 inches reported 1 mile north of Fort Ripley.
Heavy snow fell during the overnight period with a snowfall total 5.3 inches 12 miles north of Isle.
Observer in Aurora measured 7.0 inches of snowfall.
Measured snowfall of 7.2 inches reported 7 miles north of McGregor.
Snowfall measured 8.5 inches 2 miles northwest of downtown Duluth.
Measured snowfall of 7.0 inches reported in Grand Rapids.
Observer in Kabetogama measured a 24-hour snowfall total of 8.0 inches.
Observer reported of 8.3 inches of snowfall 4 miles south-southwest of Snow Bank Lake.
Observer measured 14.0 inches of heavy snow 3 miles south of Finland.
Measured snowfall of 8.0 reported 3 miles west-southwest of Grand Marais.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Minnesota in 2018Every state in 2018This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, February 2018
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: 740270, 740252, 740253, 740255, 740217, 740254, 740268, 740251, 740215, 740216, 740218, 740219.