A slow moving, deepening area of low pressure located over the Upper Peninsula of Michigan affected the Northland on the 16th into the 17th bringing a period of freezing rain before changing over to snow. Areas closer to the low in northwest Wisconsin received the brunt of the snow, but pockets of heavier snowfall to 6 to 8 inches were reported downwind of Lake Superior due to lake enhancement.
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 DLH wrote it up.
A slow moving, deepening area of low pressure located over the Upper Peninsula of Michigan affected the Northland on the 16th into the 17th bringing a period of freezing rain before changing over to snow. Areas closer to the low in northwest Wisconsin received the brunt of the snow, but pockets of heavier snowfall to 6 to 8 inches were reported downwind of Lake Superior due to lake enhancement. As the low deepened the night of the 16th into the 17th, gusty winds led to a period of blizzard conditions along the North Shore of Lake Superior during the morning of the 17th.
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 Apr 15, 11:55 PM CST, 2 hours 5 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Duluth MN
1255 AM CDT Sun Apr 16 2023
.DISCUSSION...(This evening through Friday)
Issued at 348 PM CDT Sat Apr 15 2023
Summary: So, the weather is active with both winter weather and
flooding expected.
It's spring with temperatures ranging from the mid to upper 30s
across NE MN and into the mid 70s in NW WI. An area of low
pressure is currently situated over north central WI and is
spawning a few thunderstorms that may clip Price County while they
march northward this afternoon. Meanwhile, plenty of moisture is
falling out of this system in the form of cold rain across most of
our forecast area. This will change tonight as cold air advects
in from the west while rich PWAT air remains relatively in place
as a new low develops across WI as upper level forcing
intensifies. This will wrap a TROWAL around the low into the cold
sector causing snowfall, but also a mix of sleet and ice too
especially across the MN Arrowhead and to some degree along the
interface between rain and snow which stretches north to south and
will slowly cross from west to east as this system, or pair of
systems, evolve. There's still a bit of uncertainty with where the
rain/snow interface will set up as this slow moving system
crosses, but the overall trend of guidance has been to move the
cold air further east into the higher QPF causing rises in
expected snowfall. The snow should be of the heavy, wet nature
with most of it falling and turning to slush especially during the
daylight hours where it will have a hard time accumulating on
roads. Winter Storm Warnings have been issued for the MN Arrowhead
and South Shore where confidence is greatest in heavy snowfall
and a wintry mix with freezing rain and sleet also expected.
As the second low develops, it will create a strong pressure
gradient that will greatly increase wind speeds to dangerous
levels especially near Lake Superior causing blowing snow with low
visibilities and drifting which was another reason to upgrade to
a warning despite if snow underperforms.
As the low begins to slowly exit, it will still rotate bands of
precipitation into the eastern portions of our forecast area
creating a heavy snow threat all the way into Monday evening
especially for the South Shore.
Tuesday looks to be a dry day before more precipitation begins to
make its way into the Northland. There is some suggestion from the
fairly variable model guidance that another wintry system could
impact the Northland late in the week though guidance is fairly
ambiguous on whether there will be warm or cold air in place as
the system arrives.
&&
.AVIATION...(For the 06Z TAFS through 06Z Sunday night)
Issued at 1255 AM CDT Sun Apr 16 2023
Generally poor flying conditions are expected this TAF period.
Currently IFR/MVFR conditions are expected to deteriorate over the
next few hours as a wave of mixed precipitation spreads into the
forecast area from the south, then lingers and transitions over to
snow by the end of the TAF period. Several hours of IFR conditions
are expected for each of the terminals. North winds are expected
to increase Sunday morning sustained at 15 to 20 knots with gusts
approaching 30 knots by 18z for some of the terminals.
&&
.MARINE...
Issued at 348 PM CDT Sat Apr 15 2023
A strong low will spin up over Wisconsin overnight into Sunday
morning causing string winds and large waves to develop on Lake
Superior and the surrounding shoreline. Went with a Storm Warning
on most of the North Shore waters and left strong Gales elsewhere.
The strongest winds will peak Sunday night into Monday morning
with north winds. Waves will be largest on the South Shore peaking
over 10 feet on Monday morning.
&&
.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
DLH 29 35 25 41 / 70 90 70 40
INL 26 37 22 45 / 60 60 30 10
BRD 29 37 26 48 / 70 70 20 0
HYR 33 39 25 41 / 90 90 90 60
ASX 34 38 27 38 / 80 90 90 80
&&
.DLH WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WI...Winter Weather Advisory from 4 AM early this morning to 1 AM CDT
Monday for WIZ006.
Winter Storm Warning from 4 AM early this morning to 7 PM CDT
Monday for WIZ001>004.
Winter Storm Watch from this afternoon through Monday evening
for WIZ007>009.
MN...Winter Weather Advisory from 6 AM this morning to 1 AM CDT
Monday for MNZ011-019-026.
Winter Storm Warning from 8 AM this morning to 7 PM CDT Monday
for MNZ012-020-021.
Winter Weather Advisory from 4 AM early this morning to 1 AM CDT
Monday for MNZ034>038.
LS...Gale Warning from 1 PM this afternoon to 9 PM CDT Monday for
LSZ121-143>148-150.
Storm Warning from 1 PM this afternoon to 10 AM CDT Monday for
LSZ140>142.
&&
DISCUSSION...Wolfe
AVIATION...LE
MARINE...WolfeHazardous Weather Outlook...UPDATED National Weather Service Duluth MN 357 PM CDT Sat Apr 15 2023 MNZ010>012-018>021-025-026-033>038-WIZ001>004-006>009-162100- 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- 357 PM CDT Sat Apr 15 2023 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and Tonight Flooding continues across the Northland. Please refer to the latest flood products for your location for additional details. Rain and isolated thunderstorms are expected through tonight. The greatest risk for storms will be east of a line from Ladysmith to Winter to Ashland. Rain will change over to a wintry mix for much of northeast Minnesota and portions of northwest Wisconsin overnight. Winter Weather Advisories and Winter Storm Warnings begin at 4 AM Sunday. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday A wintry mix of rain and snow continues through Sunday evening before changing to all snow Sunday night. Areas of sleet and freezing rain are likely at times Sunday. Significant snow accumulation is possible over the Arrowhead and portions of northwest Wisconsin through Monday. The greatest snow accumulation is expected Sunday night and early Monday morning. Please refer to the latest Winter Weather Messages for details specific to your location. Flooding will continue through the upcoming week as precipitation and snow melt move downstream. Please refer to the latest flood products for your location for additional details. Another round of precipitation is forecast late next week and could prolong flooding. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Snow spotters are requested to report precipitation type, and measurements of snow or ice accumulations to the National Weather Service. Spotters and the public can also report precipitation type with the free M-PING smartphone app. LSZ121-140>148-150-162100- Bayfield to Oak Point WI-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- 357 PM CDT Sat Apr 15 2023 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of Lake Superior and the Nearshore waters of western Lake Superior. .DAY ONE...This afternoon and Tonight Northwest winds will begin to strengthen early Sunday morning. Conditions will become hazardous for small craft before 4 AM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Sunday through Friday A powerful storm system will bring dangerous conditions to western Lake Superior Sunday through Monday night. Conditions will be hazardous to smaller craft into Tuesday. Storm and Gale Warnings are in effect for the waters. Please refer to the latest marine statements for your location for additional details. Huyck More information may be obtained at the following web address: http://www.weather.gov/duluth
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
4 heavy snow, 1 winter storm, 1 blizzard. Local standard time, as filed.
Snowfall totals around the county ended up in the 2 to 6 inch range with a high report of 7 inches in Brainerd.
Snowfall totals around the southern part of the county were in the 1 to 4 inch range but some enhancement was observed near the Iron Range with 6.5 inches reported in Keewatin.
Snowfall totals across the northern part of the county were in the 2 to 6 inch range with an isolated high report of 8 inches just southeast of Libby.
A late season winter storm brought snow and freezing rain to the central part of the county starting the morning of the 16th and continuing into the early morning hours of the 17th. A few locations received snowfall up to around 7 inches along with around a quarter of an inch of ice accumulation.
Snowfall varied greatly across the northern reaches of Lake and Cook counties with little to no snow in northern areas to around 8-10 inches in the far southern areas.
Heavy snow and gusty winds led to a period of blizzard conditions in the Grand Marais area for about 3 hours. Additionally, snowfall of 8 to 12 inches fell over the two day period.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Minnesota in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, April 2023
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: 1093098, 1093092, 1093103, 1093090, 1093088, 1093091.