Winter Storm in Minnesota, February 6 to 7, 2019

Name: Winter Storm in Minnesota, February 6 to 7, 2019
Start: 2019-02-06T17:40
End: 2019-02-07T19:50
Location: Minnesota

February 6 to 7, 2019 · NWS ARX · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

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

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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 ARX wrote it up.

As a winter storm moved across the Upper Midwest on February 6th and 7th, it brought multiple different types of precipitation to southeast Minnesota. The precipitation started out as a mixture of sleet and snow on the 6th before switching to freezing drizzle. Only a light glazing occurred from the freezing drizzle before snow developed again during the morning of the 7th. This snow was then heavy at times with portions of southeast Minnesota receiving 5 to 9 inches. The highest reported total was 9 inches near Zumbro Falls (Wabasha 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 Feb 6, 5:30 PM CST, 10 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Feb 6, 5:30 PM CST, 10 minutes before

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
530 PM CST Wed Feb 6 2019

.SHORT TERM...(This evening through Thursday)
Issued at 250 PM CST Wed Feb 6 2019

A messy wintry mix of precipitation still looks to be on track to
impact the area through the overnight hours. By mid-afternoon, some
showery precipitation was beginning to move into far southwest
portions of the forecast area as some weak shortwave energy was
sliding through. Observations indicated a little bit of everything,
with snow, sleet, and some freezing rain/drizzle; even a few
lightning strikes were seen as some instability slid through. The
mix will continue northeastward through this evening, with a dry
punch aloft moving in behind it leading to a lack of ice in the
cloud layer. Any precipitation should then transition to freezing
drizzle, with soundings showing continued low level saturation
overnight. Overall, looking 0.1 to 0.2" of ice accumulation.

Much stronger energy will then move into the area by Thursday
morning (around 12Z) as a long wave trough continues to slide
eastward, with a surface low tracking northeastward through Missouri
and Illinois. In addition to the stronger lift, much more moisture
aloft will produce mainly snow across the area during the day on
Thursday. Guidance has trended up with QPF during the day, with the
06.18Z RAP showing strong frontogenesis and some slantwise
instability. Therefore, have upped snowfall amounts across the area,
with 3 to 9 inches expected for most. The highest amounts will
generally be north of Interstate 90 and east of the Mississippi
River. A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for counties in this
area, while the Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect
elsewhere.

.LONG TERM...(Thursday night through Wednesday)
Issued at 250 PM CST Wed Feb 6 2019

Surface low lifts northeast into southern Ontario Canada Thursday
evening. The 06.12z GFS/NAM continue to wrap snow across much of the
forecast area Thursday evening...then begin to taper off to flurries
after 06z Friday. The 06.12z GFS/NAM show tight pressure gradient
across the forecast area through Thursday evening. With new fallen
snow and potential for lighter fluffy snow...drifting and blowing
snow can be expected in open areas...especially west of the
Mississippi River.

Colder airmass advects into the forecast area after 06z Friday...as
the 06.12z deterministic models suggest minus 20 to minus 25 degrees
celsius at 925mb by 12z Friday. Combined with the wind...wind chill
values will be in the minus 20 to minus 35 range late Thursday night
into Saturday morning. High temperatures are expected to range in
the single digits below and above zero Friday with low temperatures
falling into the single digits to teens below zero Thursday night
and Friday night. Temperatures warm slightly Saturday...as
shortwave/surface ridge builds into the Great Lakes Region...and
highs should climb into the teens across much of the forecast area.

Main forecast concerns Saturday night through Wednesday are
precipitation chances through the period. The 06.12z GFS/ECMWF/GEM
are in good agreement digging upper level trough over western United
States and moving upper level trough into the Upper Great Lakes
Region through the period. Pieces of energy embedded in the
southwesterly flow aloft/out ahead of the upper level trough will
provide enough lift and forcing to produce snow across the southern
portions of the forecast area late Saturday night into Sunday.
Then...the deterministic 06.12z GFS/ECMWF/GEM lift upper level
trough into the Central United States/Great Lakes Region Tuesday
into Wednesday. This will allow for precipitation across the entire
forecast area. However...confidence of timing of the upper level
trough into the Great Lakes Region Tuesday into Wednesday remains
low. For now...the higher likelihood of precipitation is expected to
fall on Tuesday and Wednesday to be dry. Temperatures through the
period should remain near or slightly below normal...mainly in the
teens and 20s for high temperatures.

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Thursday evening)
Issued at 530 PM CST Wed Feb 6 2019

Cigs: holding mostly IFR/MVFR through Thu evening, with improvement
expected late Thu night into Fri morning as high pressure replaces
current winter storm.

WX/vsby: fzdz moves in tonight, lingering into early Thu morning.
Brief period of sleet possible around 00z with convective band
(maybe some T at KRST). FZDZ will swing over to snow around 12z or
so, and then could be heavy at times from mid/late morning into the
afternoon. Winds pick up as the day wears on, with the threat for
BLSN at KRST before 00z. This would likely continue into the mid
evening hours. The bulk of the accumulating snows look to be done by
00z Fri.

Winds: pressure gradient tightens as winter storm pushes northeast
of the area Thu afternoon. Northwest winds will increase and become
gusty, persisting into the evening. Sustained +20 kts with gusts 30-
35 kts expected for KRST.

&&

.ARX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WI...Winter Weather Advisory until 6 PM CST Thursday for WIZ061.

     Winter Storm Warning from 6 PM this evening to midnight CST
     Thursday night for WIZ017-029-032>034-041>044.

     Winter Weather Advisory from 6 PM this evening to midnight CST
     Thursday night for WIZ053>055.

MN...Winter Storm Warning from 6 PM this evening to midnight CST
     Thursday night for MNZ079-088.

     Winter Weather Advisory from 6 PM this evening to midnight CST
     Thursday night for MNZ086-087-094>096.

IA...Winter Weather Advisory until 6 PM CST Thursday for IAZ008>011-
     018-019-029-030.

&&

SHORT TERM...CA
LONG TERM...DTJ
AVIATION.....Rieck

Hazardous weather outlook, Feb 6, 3:01 PM CST, 2 hours 39 minutes before

Hazardous Weather Outlook...CORRECTED
National Weather Service La Crosse WI
301 PM CST Wed Feb 6 2019

MNZ079-088-WIZ017-029-032>034-041>044-071200-
Wabasha-Winona-Taylor-Clark-Buffalo-Trempealeau-Jackson-La Crosse-
Monroe-Juneau-Adams-
301 PM CST Wed Feb 6 2019

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of southeast
Minnesota and western into north-central Wisconsin.

.DAY ONE...This Evening and Tonight

A Winter Storm Warning in effect tonight.

A mix of snow and freezing drizzle during the early evening will
transition to freezing drizzle tonight. Ice accumulation up to
one-tenth of an inch is expected. Hazardous travel is likely.

Ice jams are also possible as runoff from recent melting snow
continues, and ice breaks up on streams and rivers. Localized
flooding could result.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday

The Winter Storm Warning continues through Midnight Friday.

Freezing drizzle will transition to heavy snow on Thursday
morning and continue into Thursday evening. Total snow
accumulation of 5 to 9 inches is expected. Winds will gust as
high as 35 mph Thursday afternoon and evening causing the
possibility of blowing and drifting snow. Hazardous travel is
likely.

Wind chills on Thursday night and Saturday morning will range
from 15 to 30 below zero.

Accumulating snow will be possible along and south of Interstate
94 on Sunday. It remains too early to determine exact amounts.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Any ice or snowfall accumulation reports through Thursday night would
be appreciated.

.EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION...

No webinar is scheduled.

MNZ086-087-094>096-WIZ053>055-071200-
Dodge-Olmsted-Mower-Fillmore-Houston-Vernon-Crawford-Richland-
301 PM CST Wed Feb 6 2019

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northeast
Iowa...southeast Minnesota and southwest into central Wisconsin.

.DAY ONE...This Evening and Tonight

A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect tonight.

A mix of snow and freezing drizzle during the evening will
transition to freezing rain tonight. Ice accumulation of one
tenth of an inch is expected. Hazardous travel is likely.

Ice jams are also possible as runoff from recent melting snow
continues, and ice breaks up on streams and rivers. Localized
flooding could result.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday

Freezing drizzle will transition to snow in the morning and
continue into Thursday evening. Total snow accumulation of 3 to 5
inches is expected. Winds will gust as high as 40 mph Thursday
afternoon and evening. This will cause blowing and drifting snow
in open areas. Hazardous travel is likely.

Wind chills on Thursday night and Saturday morning will range
from 15 to 35 below zero.

Accumulating snow will be possible along and south of Interstate
94 on Sunday. It remains too early to determine exact amounts.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Any ice or snowfall accumulation reports through Thursday night would
be appreciated.

.EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION...

No webinar is scheduled.

IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-WIZ061-071200-
Mitchell-Howard-Winneshiek-Allamakee-Floyd-Chickasaw-Fayette-
Clayton-Grant-
301 PM CST Wed Feb 6 2019

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of north central
Iowa...northeast Iowa and southwest Wisconsin.

.DAY ONE...This Evening and Tonight

A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect late this afternoon and
tonight.

A mix of snow and freezing drizzle during the late afternoon will
transition to freezing drizzle tonight. Ice accumulation of one
tenth of an inch is expected. Hazardous travel is likely.

Ice jams are also possible as runoff from recent melting snow
continues, and ice breaks up on streams and rivers. Localized
flooding could result.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday

Freezing drizzle...possibly mixing with sleet will transition to
snow in the morning and continue into Thursday evening. Total
snow accumulation of 1 to 4 inches is expected. Winds will gust
as high as 40 mph Thursday afternoon and evening. This will cause
blowing and drifting snow in open areas. Hazardous travel is
likely.

Wind chills on Thursday night and Saturday morning will range
from 15 to 35 below zero.

Accumulating snow will be possible on Sunday. It remains too
early to determine exact amounts.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Any ice or snowfall accumulation reports through Thursday night would
be appreciated.

.EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATION...

No webinar is scheduled.

DTJ/CA

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Wabasha

When: February 6, 5:40 PM CST to February 7, 7:20 PM CST
Where: Wabasha forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 44.284, -92.230 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

COOP and volunteer snow observers reported that between 5 and 9 inches of snow fell across Wabasha County. Preceding the snow was a period of sleet and snow during the evening of the 6th followed by light freezing drizzle into the morning of the 7th. The highest reported snowfall amount was 9 inches near Zumbro Falls.

Winter Storm, Winona

When: February 6, 6:00 PM CST to February 7, 7:50 PM CST
Where: Winona forecast zone
Reported by: COOP Observer
Coordinates: 43.987, -91.779 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

COOP and volunteer snow observers reported that between 4 and 6 inches of snow fell across Winona County. Preceding the snow was a period of sleet and snow during the evening of the 6th followed by light freezing drizzle into the morning of the 7th. The highest reported snowfall amount was 5.5 inches in Minnesota City.

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Minnesota in 2019 Every state in 2019 This day in weather history Warnings 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: 803915, 803921.