Minnesota, 2024

Heavy Snow in Minnesota, March 21 to 22, 2024

March 21 to 22, 2024 · NWS MPX · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

S. In the mid-levels of the atmosphere, a defined thermal gradient developed over south-central MN which progressed northward into central MN.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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
5

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 MPX wrote it up.

A troughing pattern over the Pacific Northwest ejected a shortwave trough across the Northern Continental U.S. In the mid-levels of the atmosphere, a defined thermal gradient developed over south-central MN which progressed northward into central MN. Forcing for snowfall development was maximized along a narrow band extending from Stearns County to northern Washington County. This forcing led to heavy snowfall rates exceeding one inch per hour with six to eight inches of snow accumulations.

Highest snowfall observations for this event were:|8.5 inches in Lindstrom, MN|8.0 inches 7 miles SE of St. Cloud, MN|7.5 inches in Saint Francis, MN|7.0 inches 5 SW of Isanti, MN|6.0 inches 3 W of Marine on the St. Croix, MN.

What forecasters said that day

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 Twin Cities, MN wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 21, 5:38 PM CST, 22 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Mar 21, 5:38 PM CST, 22 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Mar 21, 2:23 PM CST, 3 hours 37 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
323 PM CDT Thu Mar 21 2024

MNZ041>045-047>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ014>016-023>028-
222030-
Douglas-Todd-Morrison-Mille Lacs-Kanabec-Stevens-Pope-Stearns-
Benton-Sherburne-Isanti-Chisago-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-Chippewa-
Kandiyohi-Meeker-Wright-Hennepin-Anoka-Ramsey-Washington-
Yellow Medicine-Renville-McLeod-Sibley-Carver-Scott-Dakota-
Redwood-Brown-Nicollet-Le Sueur-Rice-Goodhue-Watonwan-Blue Earth-
Waseca-Steele-Martin-Faribault-Freeborn-Polk-Barron-Rusk-
St. Croix-Pierce-Dunn-Pepin-Eau Claire-
323 PM CDT Thu Mar 21 2024

This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of central and
southern Minnesota, and west central Wisconsin.

.DAY ONE...Tonight.

Widespread snow is expected tonight. Accumulations of 2 to 4
inches are likely, with a band of 4 to 6 inches along and just
south of I-94. Consult the Winter Weather Message for additional
information.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Friday through Wednesday.

A major winter storm will impact the Upper Midwest Sunday through
early Tuesday. Heavy snow and blowing snow are expected with
significant snow accumulation. The snow may mix with or turn to
rain across southern Minnesota into western Wisconsin for a time
Monday, resulting in a very wet and heavy snowpack.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotters and snowfall observers are encouraged to report snowfall
amounts to the National Weather Service.

Borghoff

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Washington

When
March 21, 6:00 PM CST to March 22, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Washington forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
45.039, -92.884 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Four to six inches of snow was reported across the northern region of the county. Six inches of snow was measured 3 miles W of Marine on Saint Croix, MN.

Heavy Snow, Sherburne

When
March 21, 6:00 PM CST to March 22, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Sherburne forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
45.444, -93.775 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Six to eight inches of snow was reported across the county. Eight inches of snow was measured 7 miles SE of St. Cloud, MN.

Heavy Snow, Isanti

When
March 21, 6:00 PM CST to March 22, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Isanti forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
45.562, -93.295 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Six to seven inches of snow was reported across the southern region of the county. Seven inches of snow was measured 5 miles SW of Isanti, MN.

Heavy Snow, Anoka

When
March 21, 6:00 PM CST to March 22, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Anoka forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
45.273, -93.246 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Five to eight inches of snow was reported across the county. Seven and a half inches of snow was measured in Saint Francis, MN.

Heavy Snow, Chisago

When
March 21, 6:00 PM CST to March 22, 1:00 AM CST
Where
Chisago forecast zone
Reported by
CoCoRaHS
Coordinates
45.503, -92.908 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Six to nine inches of snow was reported across the southern region of the county. Eight and a half inches of snow was measured in Lindstrom, 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, March 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: 1167370, 1167371, 1167372, 1167373, 1167374.