Heavy Snow, Big Stone
- When
- February 20, 1:30 AM CST to 5:00 PM CST
- Where
- Big Stone forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 45.426, -96.411 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow in Minnesota, February 20, 2019
A surface low pressure trough brought heavy snow up to 6 inches to west central Minnesota. Travel was significantly affected.
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
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- 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 ABR wrote it up.
A surface low pressure trough brought heavy snow up to 6 inches to west central Minnesota. Travel was significantly affected. Snowfall amounts included 6 inches at Browns Valley, Odessa, and Artichoke Lake.
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 Aberdeen, SD wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Feb 19, 11:31 PM CST, 1 hour 59 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Feb 19, 11:31 PM CST, 1 hour 59 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED
National Weather Service Aberdeen SD
1131 PM CST Tue Feb 19 2019
.UPDATE...
Issued at 1128 PM CST Tue Feb 19 2019
See the updated aviation discussion below.
UPDATE Issued at 912 PM CST Tue Feb 19 2019
One area of light snow has now tracked northward through a good
portion of the area. Most locations will see a couple hour break
before a more widespread area of light to moderate snow moves in,
and then looks to continue over all but the far western CWA
through the day Wednesday. No significant changes made to POPs,
and no changes made to winds or temperatures at this time.
&&
.SHORT TERM...(This Evening through Wednesday Night)
Issued at 312 PM CST Tue Feb 19 2019
Lead impulse of light snow continues to work northward across the
CWA, and have increased POPs a bit for this initial event, with more
snow expected to spread northward across central SD later this
afternoon and into the early evening. Still anticipate the main snow
event to move in later tonight as larger scale lift/forcing sets up
over the region. Still targeting the eastern CWA for highest snow
accums, which look to generally be in the 3 to 6 inch range, with
lesser amounts west of the James River. Added a row of counties to
the Winter Weather Advisory based on latest snowfall forecast. Winds
will not be an issue with this system, so no impacts from blowing or
drifting snow. Light to moderate snow looks to continue into
Wednesday, eventually winding down from west to east throughout the
day.
As for temperatures, don't really expect much of a drop off tonight.
In fact, temps may be fairly steady overnight as we see clouds,
southeast winds, and very weak warm air advection.
.LONG TERM...(Thursday through Tuesday)
Issued at 312 PM CST Tue Feb 19 2019
The picture at 500mb at 12Z Thursday will be similar to what we've
been dealing with for a while, a large trough over the western U.S.,
with southwesterly flow across much of the east. We'll start out
with dry weather Thursday, as southwesterly flow to slight ridging
is overhead at 500mb which will remain into Friday morning as the
apex of the 500mb trough sets up from eastern MN through the
CA/NV border. A weak elongated area of high pressure at the
surface will be stretched from southeastern Alberta through our
forecast area to the mid MS Valley. An inverted trough stretching
from CO will move across central NE and into southeastern SD
Thursday night, and strengthen its hold on the area Friday, before
shifting into MN Saturday as the parent low becomes more
organized over KS/OK. The best chance for snow over mainly the
southeastern half of SD will be Friday afternoon. Exact snow to
liquid ratios and snow amounts become more problematic as we lose
the DGZ during the day Friday. NAM solution is a little warmer and
drier, with a small potential for mixed precipitation. Have opted
to go closer to the GFS/Canadian solution at this point, with all
snow.
If there is a break from the snow, it will be short lived for our
southeastern counties, as the 500mb trough slides east over the
Northern and Central Plains Saturday, and the surface low rapidly
deepens over northern MO. The track over Lake Michigan by daybreak
Sunday will leave us on the back side of the low, with increased
northerly to northwesterly winds Sunday. A lingering trough will
make it difficult for snow to exit before Sunday afternoon.
Zonal flow slides into the region Sunday into Tuesday. Additional
snow will be possible Monday as a wave in the mainly zonal pushes
in.
&&
.AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Wednesday Night)
Issued at 1128 PM CST Tue Feb 19 2019
Light to moderate snow will affect the majority of the area
overnight into the day Wednesday, ending from west to east
Wednesday afternoon and evening. MVFR cigs and vsbys can be
expected with the snow. Periods of IFR cigs are possible across
the far eastern part of the area, including KATY, late tonight
into Wednesday morning.
&&
.ABR WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
SD...Winter Weather Advisory until 6 PM CST Wednesday for SDZ008-
020>023.
MN...Winter Weather Advisory until 6 PM CST Wednesday for MNZ039-046.
&&
UPDATE...Parkin
SHORT TERM...TMT
LONG TERM...KF
AVIATION...ParkinHazardous weather outlook, Feb 19, 2:45 PM CST, 10 hours 45 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED National Weather Service Aberdeen SD 245 PM CST Tue Feb 19 2019 MNZ039-046-SDZ008-020>023-202045- Traverse-Big Stone-Roberts-Codington-Grant-Hamlin-Deuel- 245 PM CST Tue Feb 19 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for west central Minnesota and northeast South Dakota. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Snow will spread northward across the area tonight, with light accumulations by sunrise Wednesday. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. Snow will continue on Wednesday, with 3 to 6 inches total accumulation by the end of the day. Winds are not expected to cause issues with blowing or drifting snow. Another storm system will affect the region Friday into Saturday, with light to moderate snow accumulations once again. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. SDZ003-004-009-015-016-033>035-045-202045- Corson-Campbell-Walworth-Dewey-Potter-Stanley-Sully-Hughes-Jones- 245 PM CST Tue Feb 19 2019 /145 PM MST Tue Feb 19 2019/ This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central South Dakota and north central South Dakota. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Light snow will spread northward across the area this afternoon and into the evening hours. Generally, accumulations will remain around an inch or less. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. Another storm system will affect the region Friday into Saturday, with light to moderate snow accumulations once again. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. SDZ005>007-010-011-017>019-036-037-048-051-202045- McPherson-Brown-Marshall-Edmunds-Day-Faulk-Spink-Clark-Hyde-Hand- Lyman-Buffalo- 245 PM CST Tue Feb 19 2019 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for central South Dakota, north central South Dakota and northeast South Dakota. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and tonight. Light snow will spread northward across the area this evening and through the overnight hours. Light accumulations are expected by sunrise Wednesday. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Wednesday through Monday. Light snow will continue on Wednesday, with 1 to 3 inches expected by the end of the day. Winds are not expected to cause issues with blowing or drifting snow. Another storm system will affect the region Friday into Saturday, with light to moderate snow accumulations once again. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. TMT
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
2 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy Snow, Traverse
- When
- February 20, 2:30 AM CST to 4:00 PM CST
- Where
- Traverse forecast zone
- Reported by
- COOP Observer
- Coordinates
- 45.772, -96.472 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
What these are
- Heavy Snow
- Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Kentucky, February 20 to 28, 2019
- Flooding in Arkansas, February 20 to 28, 2019
- Debris Flow in Tennessee, February 20 to 24, 2019
- Winter Storm and Heavy Snow in California, February 20 to 22, 2019
- Debris Flow and Strong Wind in Georgia, February 20, 2019
- High Wind in Virginia, February 20, 2019
- Flooding and Heavy Rain in West Virginia, February 20 to 23, 2019
- Flooding in Kentucky, February 20, 2019
- Flash Flooding and Flooding in Kentucky, February 20 to 24, 2019
- Winter Storm in Minnesota, February 20, 2019
- Flooding and Heavy Rain in Virginia, February 20 to 27, 2019
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Virginia, February 20, 2019
More
Every storm in Minnesota in 2019Every state in 2019This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, February 2019
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: 809031, 809032.