Leap Day Snowstorm and Blizzard: Feb 28-29, 2012
The last two days Meteorological Winter brought real winter to Minnesota with up to a foot of snow and plenty of badly needed precipitation.
MNDOT Traffic Camera Showing car stuck on the morning of February 29, 2012.
The bulk of the moisture surged to the north across southern Minnesota during the evening hours of February 28th in the form of sleet and rain, with rain freezing on contact on exposed surfaces. As the band of precipitation moved to the north of the Twin Cities the precipitation changed over to snow. During the nighttime hours the rain and sleet changed to snow across the Twin Cities. Some spots in Anoka and Northern Hennepin County received a half foot of snow, amounts tapered off to the south across the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. As of the morning of February 29th, 7.5 inches fell at Andover in Anoka. farther south, Fridley had 5 inches. The St. Paul Campus of the University of Minnesota had 3.1 inches and 2.0 inches of snow was measured at the Twin Cities International Airport.
The largest snow totals statewide were across central Minnesota in a band from Alexandria to Grantsburg Wisconsin where up to a foot of snow had fallen as of the morning of February 29th. Scores of schools cancelled class north of the Twin Cities and in outstate Minnesota. The highest totals in Minnesota were in northern Pine County.
The storm became a full-fledged blizzard in Duluth by sunrise on February 29, with visibilities dropping to near zero with heavy snow. Winds were averaging 45mph with gusts to 55mph in the Duluth area with gusts to 68mph on elevated bridges and roads in the Downtown Duluth area.
Listed below is a Public Information State from the Duluth National Weather Service Office.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
1110 AM CST THU MAR 1 2012
BELOW ARE SNOWFALL TOTALS FROM THE LEAP DAY 2012 SNOW STORM. THE
SNOW BEGAN IN THE EVENING ACROSS SOUTHERN AREAS OF THE
NORTHLAND...AND IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS ACROSS THE NORTH. SNOW
BEGAIN ALONG THE NORTH SHORE AND ARROWHEAD AAROUND MID MORNING. MOST
OF THE SNOW FELL IN 24 HOURS OR LESS.
SNOW REPORTS LISTED BY AMOUNT
INCHES LOCATION ST COUNTY TIME
------ ----------------------- -- -------------- -------
20.00 4 W CLAM LAKE WI BURNETT 1037 AM
20.00 18 E HINCKLEY MN PINE 1200 AM
19.00 3 N BUTTERNUT WI ASHLAND 1246 PM
18.00 CORNUCOPIA WI BAYFIELD 0424 PM
17.00 5 SW PHILLIPS WI PRICE 0200 PM
17.00 WINTER WI SAWYER 0839 AM
4 TO 6 FOOT DRIFTS.
16.70 PARK FALLS WI PRICE 1130 AM
16.50 SARONA WI WASHBURN 0500 PM
16.50 2 N FIFIELD WI PRICE 1012 AM
16.00 EXELAND WI SAWYER 0955 PM
16.00 8 S HAYWARD WI SAWYER 0730 PM
16.00 4 SE PARK FALLS WI PRICE 0900 AM
15.80 4 S BRUNO MN PINE 0900 AM
15.50 4 SSW BRUNO MN PINE 0530 PM
15.50 5 SW PHILLIPS WI PRICE 0731 AM
15.30 2 W HAYWARD WI SAWYER 0500 PM
15.10 ASHLAND WI ASHLAND 1016 PM
15.00 BEAVER BAY MN LAKE 0810 AM
15.00 3 S ASHLAND WI ASHLAND 0645 PM
STILL SNOWING
15.00 3 S ASHLAND WI ASHLAND 0500 PM
15.00 13 NW WEBSTER MN PINE 0347 PM
15.00 PRENTICE WI PRICE 0200 PM
15.00 BENOIT WI BAYFIELD 1238 PM
14.50 4 N GRANTSBURG WI BURNETT 1110 AM
7 INCHES SINCE 730 AM.
14.50 8 S HAYWARD WI SAWYER 1200 AM
14.30 SHELL LAKE WI WASHBURN 1055 AM
14.00 1 N SPOONER WI WASHBURN 1200 PM
14.00 SHELL LAKE WI WASHBURN 1050 AM
13.90 4 E CORNUCOPIA WI BAYFIELD 0747 PM
13.50 5 SW CABLE WI SAWYER 0800 AM
13.00 10 S SUPERIOR WI DOUGLAS 0714 AM
13.00 MASON WI BAYFIELD 0830 PM
13.00 OULU WI BAYFIELD 0500 PM
13.00 5 N WEBSTER WI BURNETT 0900 AM
13.00 12 NE WEBSTER WI BURNETT 0853 AM
13.00 2 W HAYWARD WI SAWYER 0830 AM
13.00 12 W DRUMMOND WI BAYFIELD 1200 AM
IN TOWN OF BARNES
12.70 MADELINE ISLAND WI ASHLAND 1037 AM
12.40 4 W WASHBURN WI BAYFIELD 0730 PM
12.00 MAPLE WI DOUGLAS 0710 AM
12.00 MASON WI BAYFIELD 1220 PM
12.00 ASKOV MN PINE 0900 AM
VSBY LESS THAN QUARTER MILE
12.00 GLIDDEN WI ASHLAND 0853 AM
11.70 4 N GRANTSBURG WI BURNETT 0742 AM
11.50 GILE WI IRON 1037 AM
11.50 GILE WI IRON 1239 PM
11.30 WRENSHALL MN CARLTON 0810 AM
11.00 6 NE CLOVERLAND WI DOUGLAS 0500 PM
11.00 SAXON WI IRON 0430 PM
11.00 MONTREAL WI IRON 0241 PM
11.00 2 NE MELLEN WI ASHLAND 1022 AM
10.50 5 WSW SOLON SPRINGS WI DOUGLAS 0730 PM
10.50 MAPLE WI DOUGLAS 0147 PM
10.30 7 NW TWO HARBORS MN LAKE 0710 AM
10.00 SILVER BAY MN LAKE 0810 AM
10.00 1 S SOLON SPRINGS WI DOUGLAS 0730 PM
10.00 1 W GORDON WI DOUGLAS 0700 PM
10.00 POPLAR WI DOUGLAS 0600 PM
10.00 S NAMEKAGON WI BAYFIELD 0530 PM
10.00 5 N TWO HARBORS MN LAKE 0500 PM
10.00 TRADE LAKE WI BURNETT 0427 PM
10.00 HERBSTER WI BAYFIELD 0200 PM
10.00 11 N BRULE WI DOUGLAS 0120 PM
10.00 BENNETT WI DOUGLAS 0920 AM
10.00 PINE CITY MN PINE 0840 AM
9.70 DULUTH MN ST. LOUIS 0637 AM
9.50 5 NW DULUTH MN ST. LOUIS 0600 PM
9.40 SAXON WI IRON 0851 AM
9.00 ALBORN MN ST. LOUIS 0540 PM
9.00 SAGINAW MN ST. LOUIS 0131 PM
9.00 2 N MELLEN WI ASHLAND 0851 AM
8.90 5 NW DULUTH MN ST. LOUIS 0200 PM
0.3 INCHES MEASURED IN THE PAST ONE HOUR.
8.20 UPSON WI IRON 1037 AM
8.10 BRAINERD MN CROW WING 1015 AM
8.00 2 NE DULUTH MN ST. LOUIS 0231 PM
8.00 ALBORN MN ST. LOUIS 1025 AM
7.70 PILLAGER MN CASS 0700 PM
7.70 12 N ISLE MN AITKIN 1232 PM
7.50 CLOQUET MN CARLTON 0131 PM
7.50 CLOQUET MN CARLTON 1218 PM
7.50 2 SSW POPLAR WI DOUGLAS 1025 AM
7.20 MOOSE LAKE WI DOUGLAS 0200 PM
7.00 BRAINERD MN CROW WING 1232 PM
7.00 TAMARACK MN AITKIN 1130 AM
6.70 2 S BRIMSON MN ST. LOUIS 0830 PM
6.50 PILLAGER MN CASS 1235 PM
6.10 HOLYOKE MN CARLTON 0903 AM
6.00 AITKIN MN AITKIN 1130 AM
6.00 11 N BRULE WI DOUGLAS 1045 AM
6.00 LEADER MN CASS 0920 AM
VSBY LESS THAN 1/4 MILE
5.80 3 N ILLGEN CITY MN LAKE 0714 AM
5.50 2 E PAYNE MN ST. LOUIS 0148 PM
4.50 PALISADE MN AITKIN 1130 AM
4.00 MCGREGOR MN AITKIN 0229 PM
4.00 DEERWOOD MN CROW WING 0150 AM
OVER PAST 4 HOURS
3.70 LITTLE MARAIS MN LAKE 0700 PM
3.50 BALL CLUB MN ITASCA 0131 PM
3.50 WARBA MN ITASCA 1025 AM
2.50 GRAND RAPIDS MN ITASCA 1138 AM
2.00 PINE RIVER MN CASS 0247 PM
1.30 7 S BIGFORK MN ITASCA 0207 PM
0.80 MCKINLEY MN ST. LOUIS 0228 PM