Winter Weather in Minnesota
Every winter weather event the National Weather Service has filed in Minnesota, year by year, with the most significant episodes. Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.
The most significant on the map
The most significant winter weather episodes in Minnesota.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The record
- Events
- 1,684
- Deaths
- 34
- Injuries
- 116
- Damage
- $3.2 million
Every year
The most significant
Ranked by deaths, injuries, damage and size together.
- Winter Weather in Minnesota, November 26 to 27, 2006Freezing rain the evening of November 26th through the morning of November 27th caused light ice accumulations of a tenth of an inch or less. The freezing rain made roads and other surfaces icy, resulting in numerous traffic accidents.
- Winter Weather in Minnesota, February 1, 2016Two people were killed and another injured in a two car accident on U.S. Highway 61 south of La Moille (Winona County).
- Winter Weather in Minnesota, February 12 to 13, 2020Two people were killed and two more were injured in a single vehicle accident on Interstate 90 near Dexter (Mower County) on February 13th.
- Winter Weather in Minnesota, October 12, 2009An early season snowfall in part of southwest Minnesota produced accumulations of 1 to 3 inches during the morning hours. The snowfall caused slippery roads which resulted in several accidents, one of which was fatal.
- Winter Weather in Minnesota, February 3, 2018A vehicle lost control on ice-covered Interstate 35 and rolled in the median near Cloquet about mid morning. A male who was not wearing a seat belt was transported to an area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries a few days later.
- Extreme Cold and Winter Weather in Minnesota, February 9 to 10, 2008An arctic cold front moved through the area during the afternoon of February 9. This system was accompanied by falling temperatures and strong northwest wind gusts of 40 to 45 mph.
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Minnesota, March 31, 2008Widepsread snow produced areas of heavy accumulations over southwest Minnesota during the predawn and daytime hours of March 31st. Accumulations varied from a little under 6 inches to a little over 6 inches.
- Winter Weather in Minnesota, December 24 to 25, 2016Freezing drizzle and areas of freezing rain caused icy surfaces, resulting in several vehicle accidents, at least one of which was fatal. the icing occurred during Christmas Eve night and into the daylight hours of Christmas morning.
- Winter Weather in Minnesota, January 8 to 9, 2009Snow accumulated 2 to 4 inches in southwest Minnesota, away from the far southwest corner of the state, during the evening of January 8th and the predawn hours of January 9th. The snow was accompanied by areas of freezing drizzle.
- Winter Weather in Minnesota, November 20, 2024On November 20th, off and on snow showers resulted in snow accumulations of less than one inch across portions of southeast Minnesota. As temperatures cooled during the evening hours, roads became snow covered and slippery.
- Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Minnesota, December 23 to 28, 2009Prolonged snowfall produced heavy accumulations of 1 to 2 feet in southwest Minnesota. The snowfall took place from two days before to the day after Christmas.
- Winter Weather in Minnesota, May 7 to 8, 2010A late season snow of four to eight inches wreaked havoc on northeastern Minnesota roads. An ambulance struck a vehicle on Highway 2 near Brookston and flipped over a guardrail, killing the patient and injuring two others.
- Winter Weather in Minnesota, February 11, 2011One person was killed and two others were injured in a four vehicle crash on February 11th. The accident occurred on an icy U.S. Highway 63 south of Spring Valley (Fillmore County).
- Winter Weather in Minnesota, November 29, 2021Light snow showers were seen across the region during the day and into the afternoon hours as a warm front approached the area. Snowfall totals were around 2 inches or less with this system. As snow was ending in the late afternoon, roads became icy in central St.
- Winter Weather in Minnesota, November 30, 2015One person was killed in a two car accident that occurred on icy roads south of Elgin (Olmsted County). The automated weather observing system at the Rochester (Olmsted County) Airport was reporting freezing rain at the time of the accident with temperatures in the lower 30s.
- Winter Weather in Minnesota, November 5 to 6, 2022One person was killed in a two vehicle accident southeast of Canton (Fillmore County) on November 5th. Roads were snow covered and slippery at the time of the accident as light snow had been falling for several hours before the accident.
- Dense Fog and Winter Weather in Minnesota, December 29 to 31, 2010Fog develop across southeast Minnesota and reduced the visibility to less than mile for an extended period starting on the 29th and continuing through much of the 30th. One person was killed in a car accident on U.S. Highway 63 in Mower County.
- Winter Weather in Minnesota, December 28, 2018One person was killed in a two vehicle accident east of Austin (Mower County) after a light snow event on December 28th. The two vehicles collided at an intersection that the state police reported to be snow and ice covered.
- Winter Weather in Minnesota, February 3, 2011A two vehicle accident occurred on a snow covered road near Oronoco (Olmsted County) on February 3rd. A person was killed in the accident and another sustained injuries.
- Winter Weather in Minnesota, February 7, 2020One person was killed in a two vehicle accident on February 7th south of Blooming Prairie (Dodge County). The two vehicles collided with one catching fire after the collision, killing the driver.
- Winter Weather in Minnesota, December 25, 2007A steady snow accumulated 2 to 6 inches over southwest Minnesota during the daytime and early evening hours of Christmas Day.
- Winter Weather in Minnesota, November 29 to 30, 2010Snowfall of 1 to 5 inches was accompanied by sustained winds which reached 30 mph and gusts to around 40 mph. This produced areas of blowing snow and significant drifting snow.
- Winter Weather in Minnesota, January 27, 2013Freezing rain caused icy roads and other surfaces across southwest Minnesota during the morning and early afternoon of January 27th. There was one indirect fatality resulting from an accident.
- Heavy Snow and Winter Weather in Minnesota, January 21 to 22, 2008Low pressure moved from the central Plains toward the Ohio Valley and produced widespread snow across the Upper Midwest on January 21. In southeast Minnesota, highest snowfall totals reached around 8 inches.
- Winter Weather in Minnesota, February 2, 2011The driver of a vehicle was killed when he was unable to stop on an icy road and slid into the path of an approaching train. The accident occurred on County Road 4 south of Austin (Mower County) on February 2nd.
More
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 2026-09-24.