Minnesota, 2020

Heavy Snow in Minnesota, January 17 to 18, 2020

January 17 to 18, 2020 · NWS DLH · 15 events in 15 counties and zones

An area of low pressure developed over eastern Colorado on the 17th and moved northeast and deepened that evening, reaching Minnesota during the early morning hours of the 18th. Snow spread across the area ahead of the low and persisted into the 18th before the low moved into Michigan later in the day.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 15 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
15

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 DLH wrote it up.

An area of low pressure developed over eastern Colorado on the 17th and moved northeast and deepened that evening, reaching Minnesota during the early morning hours of the 18th. Snow spread across the area ahead of the low and persisted into the 18th before the low moved into Michigan later in the day. Widespread snowfall totals of 6 to 10 inches were seen across the region with higher amounts in excess of a foot along the North Shore of Lake Superior where lake and terrain enhancement combined to produce heavier snowfall. Winds gusted to 30 to 40 mph on the 18th leading to areas of blowing and drifting snow and reduced visibility.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

15 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Southern Cass

When
January 17, 1:00 PM CST to January 18, 7:00 AM CST
Where
Southern Cass forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
46.950, -94.325 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Crow Wing

When
January 17, 1:00 PM CST to January 18, 1:00 PM CST
Where
Crow Wing forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
46.482, -94.071 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Northern Cass

When
January 17, 2:00 PM CST to January 18, 4:00 PM CST
Where
Northern Cass forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.950, -94.325 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Northern Aitkin

When
January 17, 2:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Northern Aitkin forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
46.608, -93.415 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Southern Aitkin

When
January 17, 2:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Southern Aitkin forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.608, -93.415 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Southern Itasca

When
January 17, 3:00 PM CST to January 18, 5:00 PM CST
Where
Southern Itasca forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
47.510, -93.632 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Pine

When
January 17, 3:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Pine forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
46.121, -92.741 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Northern St. Louis

When
January 17, 4:00 PM CST to January 18, 4:00 PM CST
Where
Northern St. Louis forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
47.590, -92.461 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Northern Itasca

When
January 17, 4:00 PM CST to January 18, 4:00 PM CST
Where
Northern Itasca forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
47.510, -93.632 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Southern St. Louis / Carlton

When
January 17, 4:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Southern St. Louis / Carlton forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
47.091, -92.569 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Koochiching

When
January 17, 5:00 PM CST to January 18, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Koochiching forecast zone
Reported by
Official NWS Observations
Coordinates
48.245, -93.783 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Central St. Louis

When
January 17, 5:00 PM CST to January 18, 1:00 PM CST
Where
Central St. Louis forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
47.590, -92.461 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Southern Lake

When
January 17, 6:00 PM CST to January 18, 12:00 PM CST
Where
Southern Lake forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
47.557, -91.935 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Northern Cook / Northern Lake

When
January 17, 9:00 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Northern Cook / Northern Lake forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
47.670, -90.975 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Southern Cook

When
January 17, 9:00 PM CST to January 18, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Southern Cook forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
47.817, -90.541 (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

More

Every storm in Minnesota in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, January 2020

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 871293, 871294, 871291, 871295, 871296, 871292, 871298, 871285, 871287, 871297, 871284, 871288, 871289, 871286, 871290.