A strong pressure gradient set up along the North Shore of Lake Superior on January 21st between departing high pressure to the southeast and a warm front approaching from the west. This gradient generated strong southwesterly winds that gusted to 50 to 60 mph during the late afternoon hours.
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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.
A strong pressure gradient set up along the North Shore of Lake Superior on January 21st between departing high pressure to the southeast and a warm front approaching from the west. This gradient generated strong southwesterly winds that gusted to 50 to 60 mph during the late afternoon hours. A peak gust of 62 mph was recorded at the Bay of Grand Marais just before 5 PM. Despite the strong winds, no reports of damage or power outages were received.
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 Jan 21, 3:43 PM CST, 1 hour 17 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Duluth MN
343 PM CST Fri Jan 21 2022
.DISCUSSION...(This evening through Thursday)
Issued at 342 PM CST Fri Jan 21 2022
Summary: The first onset of our clipper train is moving through this
afternoon with gusty winds and blowing snow. Overall snow totals
will likely be between one to two inches across the region. The
second system will mostly pass to our south Saturday afternoon with
some light snow for our southern tier counties. The final system
Sunday night will be the one to keep an eye on, nothing major at
this time but will likely be the heavier producer of snow out of the
three systems. Current thinking is for shovelable snow. Arctic air
returns Monday night with dangerous wind chills spilling across the
region.
High pressure has exited the region leaving a strong pressure
gradient in its wake across the Northland. Gusty winds out of the
south continue to stream across the region out ahead of an
approaching winter system. This afternoons satellite and radar
feature high clouds and snow aloft filtering in from the west. The
morning sounding from INL showcased extremely dry air from the lower
atmosphere up to 500mb. The column will eventually saturate this
afternoon/evening allowing for snow to make it to the surface.
As the surface trough propagates across the Upper Midwest its
associated frontal branches will help provide the necessary lift
for snowfall this afternoon and evening. Up along the Borderlands
and upstream there have been reports of reduced visibility down to a
quarter mile at times. This seems likely due to the blowing snow
component of this system. Snowfall rates are not extremely
concerning with about a half inch per hour expected on the higher
side of guidance. The overall lack of deep moisture and only
moderate lifting mechanisms will continue to hold this snowfall in
check. The system will move out overnight leaving snow totals of
around an inch to two inches across the region.
There is only a brief reprieve between systems with a little
sunshine coming through Saturday as a weak high quickly slides
across the region. Models are in good agreement that another low
pressure will drop southeast out of the Northern Plains and through
southern MN. This will lightly graze our southern tier counties
bringing a slight chance for light snowfall.
The Sunday night system continues to have the strongest signal for
more accumulating snow. Global models are slowly beginning to align,
increasing the confidence in the lows trajectory. Current
projections have this low going through central MN with a slightly
higher moisture content then we have seen with the previous systems.
However, there is higher uncertainty when in comes to the moisture
component due to many run to run inconsistencies. This system does
look to boast a deep dendritic growth zone from the lower levels up
through 600mb. Overall omega forcing is not super impressive but the
deep DGZ should lead to larger dendrites and higher SLRs. It's still
a little soon to narrow down some exact snow totals but it looks to
fall in the category of shovelable snow.
As the last low exits the region we take another polar plunge in
temperatures. An arctic high advances out of the Canadian Prairies
bringing frigid temperatures Monday night. Wind chill advisories
seem likely at this time. We will see prolonged cold air advection
over Lake Superior Monday through Wednesday. This will lead to lake
effect snow showers for portions of the South Shore.
&&
.AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Saturday afternoon)
Issued at 1133 AM CST Fri Jan 21 2022
A clipper system will be moving through the Northland today bringing
widespread snowfall. Light accumulations are expected with totals
around and inch or two. Very gusty winds are streaming out ahead of
this system out of the south in excess of 30kts at times. Blowing
snow will be concern and reducing visibility as the system moves
through this afternoon and evening. Snow will begin to taper off
west to east after midnight with winds veering to out of the
northwest and gusting around 20 kts.
&&
.MARINE...
Issued at 342 PM CST Fri Jan 21 2022
Gales continue to howl across the Lake this afternoon with warnings
in place through the evening. A Heavy Freezing Spray Warning is
also in effect due to the building waves and frigid air
temperatures. Winds are expected to weaken after midnight but will
likely still be hazardous to small vessels. Tomorrow winds will veer
to out of the west and continue to taper off through the
afternoon.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
DLH 0 8 -14 7 / 80 0 10 10
INL -7 3 -24 3 / 40 0 0 0
BRD -2 8 -15 11 / 50 20 30 20
HYR 3 11 -14 8 / 80 10 10 0
ASX 6 11 -7 10 / 60 10 10 0
&&
.DLH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WI...None.
MN...None.
LS...Heavy Freezing Spray Warning until midnight CST tonight for
LSZ140>143-146-150.
Gale Warning until midnight CST tonight for LSZ140>148-150.
&&
DISCUSSION...Britt
AVIATION...Britt
MARINE...BrittHazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED National Weather Service Duluth MN 1112 AM CST Fri Jan 21 2022 MNZ010>012-018>021-025-026-033>038-WIZ001>004-006>009-221130- 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- 1112 AM CST Fri Jan 21 2022 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and Tonight Light accumulating snow is expected this afternoon through tonight. Total accumulations of 1 to 3 inches are expected. Some slippery road conditions are possible, particularly for the afternoon and evening commute. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday An additional chance of light accumulating snow is expected for Sunday into Monday. Bitterly cold temperatures and wind chills are expected once again for Monday night and Tuesday morning. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Snow spotters are requested to report their snowfall measurements to the National Weather Service. LSZ140>148-150-221130- Grand Portage to Grand Marais MN- Grand Marais to Taconite Harbor MN- Taconite Harbor to Silver Bay Harbor MN- Silver Bay Harbor to Two Harbors MN-Two Harbors to Duluth MN- Duluth MN to Port Wing WI-Port Wing to Sand Island WI- Sand Island to Bayfield WI-Oak Point to Saxon Harbor WI- Outer Apostle Islands Beyond 5 NM from Mainland- 1112 AM CST Fri Jan 21 2022 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of Lake Superior and the Nearshore waters of western Lake Superior. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and Tonight Southwesterly winds will strengthen today, leading to hazardous conditions to small craft this morning. Winds will intensify further this afternoon and evening, leading to widespread gale- force wind gusts. Winds will veer northwesterly as gales subside after midnight and conditions will remain hazardous to small craft. Additionally, wave heights will build along the North Shore, leading to heavy freezing spray. Small Craft Advisories, Gale Warnings, and Heavy Freezing Spray Warnings remain in effect. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday Northwest winds will continue Saturday and will be strong through much of the day. Conditions will be hazardous to small craft, particularly along the South Shore and the Outer Apostle Islands. Small Craft Advisories will likely be needed. Huyck More information may be obtained at the following web address: http://www.weather.gov/duluth (all lower case)
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
ASOS station KGNA at the Bay of Grand Marais recorded a peak gust of 62 mph at 4:41 PM CST. Winds gusted to 50 to 60 mph for about 3 hours during the late afternoon and early evening hours.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Minnesota in 2022Every state in 2022This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, January 2022
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: 994190.