Minnesota, 2024

Heavy Snow in Minnesota, December 18 to 19, 2024

December 18 to 19, 2024 · NWS FGF · 9 events in 6 counties and zones

A strong clipper and upper low brought widespread moderate to heavy snow to much of the area on December 18th and 19th. Winds ranged from 20 to 30 mph, leading to areas of blowing and drifting snow.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 9 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
9

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 FGF wrote it up.

A strong clipper and upper low brought widespread moderate to heavy snow to much of the area on December 18th and 19th. Winds ranged from 20 to 30 mph, leading to areas of blowing and drifting snow.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, East Marshall

When
December 18, 12:15 PM CST to December 19, 6:00 PM CST
Where
East Marshall forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
48.358, -96.368 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Received a report of 7 inches of snow, still snowing at the time of observation. Holt, MN.

Heavy Snow, East Marshall

When
December 18, 12:15 PM CST to December 19, 6:00 PM CST
Where
East Marshall forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
48.358, -96.368 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Received a report of 8 inches of snow, storm total. Report received at 0641 on 12/20 as a delayed report. Holt, MN.

Heavy Snow, East Otter Tail

When
December 18, 12:15 PM CST to December 19, 6:00 PM CST
Where
East Otter Tail forecast zone
Reported by
COOP Observer
Coordinates
46.409, -95.708 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Received a report of 6 inches of snow, storm total. Report received at 0710 on 12/20 as a delayed report. One SSW Ottertail, MN.

Heavy Snow, Grant

When
December 18, 12:15 PM CST to December 19, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Grant forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
45.934, -96.012 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Received a report of 6 inches of snow, storm total. Report received at 2300 on 12/19 as a delayed report.

Heavy Snow, Norman

When
December 18, 12:15 PM CST to December 19, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Norman forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
47.327, -96.455 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Received a report of 6 inches of snow, storm total. Report received at 1900 on 12/19 as a delayed report.

Heavy Snow, East Otter Tail

When
December 18, 12:15 PM CST to December 19, 6:00 PM CST
Where
East Otter Tail forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
46.409, -95.708 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Received a report of 6 inches of snow, storm total. Report received at 0901 on 12/20 as a delayed report. Leaf Mountain Township, MN.

Heavy Snow, Wadena

When
December 18, 12:15 PM CST to December 19, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Wadena forecast zone
Reported by
Law Enforcement
Coordinates
46.586, -94.969 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Received a report of 6 inches of snow, storm total. Report received at 0950 on 12/20 as a delayed report. Wadena, MN.

Heavy Snow, East Otter Tail

When
December 18, 12:15 PM CST to December 19, 6:00 PM CST
Where
East Otter Tail forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
46.409, -95.708 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Received a report of 6.5 inches of snow, storm total. Report received at 0955 on 12/20 as a delayed report. Frazee, MN.

Heavy Snow, Clay

When
December 18, 12:15 PM CST to December 19, 6:00 PM CST
Where
Clay forecast zone
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
46.892, -96.491 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Received a report of 6 inches of snow, storm total. Report received at 0955 on 12/20 as a delayed report. Ulen, MN.

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 2024Every state in 2024This day in weather historyWarnings in Minnesota, December 2024

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1229173, 1229174, 1229176, 1229177, 1229179, 1229180, 1229181, 1229182, 1229183.