A sharp upper-level trough amplified as it dug through the Northern Plains on January 3. Intensifying low-level wind gradients resulted in a burst of stronger winds for a couple hours, which accompanied snowfall to produce a brief period of dangerous visibility.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 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.
A sharp upper-level trough amplified as it dug through the Northern Plains on January 3. Intensifying low-level wind gradients resulted in a burst of stronger winds for a couple hours, which accompanied snowfall to produce a brief period of dangerous visibility.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
While snowfall only totaled 1.0 inch 8 miles southeast of Hendricks, northerly wind gusts up to 35 mph near Lake Benton and 32 mph 5 miles south of Hendricks resulted in dangerous visibility as low as one-quarter to one-half mile for a couple hours.
Snowfall totaled 4.0 inches at Garvin and 2.0 inches at Tracy. Accompanying the snow were northerly winds which gusted as high as 30 to 35 mph at Marshall and Tracy, leading to a brief period of visibility of around one-half mile. The next day, a vehicle lost control traveling northbound on Highway 59 near 180th Street and collided with a southbound vehicle, resulting in two injuries (indirect).
Snowfall totaled 3.5 inches 4 miles north of Currie, and 1.0 inches at Lake Wilson. Strong northerly winds, gusting as high as 35 mph at Slayton, accompanied the snowfall and resulted in a brief period of visibility as low as one-half mile.
Snowfall totaled 1.4 inches at Windom, accompanied by winds gusting up to 34 mph. A brief period of visibility of around one-half mile occurred with several accidents from the afternoon of January 3 into early January 4.
Snowfall totaled 0.7 inches 2 miles northeast of Lakefield. Strong northerly winds, gusting as high as 34 mph near Lakefield and 30 mph at Jackson, accompanied the snowfall and resulted in a brief period of visibility as low as one-half mile.
Snowfall totaled 1.5 inches at Worthington. Strong northerly winds up to 40 mph at Worthington accompanied the snowfall and resulted in a brief period of visibility as low as one-quarter to one-half mile. Around 1915CST, a vehicle on Interstate 90 lost control on the snow-covered road and hit the median, causing an injury (indirect) to the passenger.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Minnesota in 2020Every state in 2020This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, January 2020
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: 872352, 872353, 872354, 872355, 872357, 872356.