Snow Drought in Minnesota: 2006-07

A hundred acre cattail fire by Steamboat Bay at Leech Lake on January 17, 2007.
Courtesy: Minnesota Interagency Fire Center

 

The snow drought continues across much of Minnesota, especially in the Mississippi Headwaters area. The photo above was snapped during a 100 acre cattail fire on January 17, 2007 near Steamboat Bay of Leech Lake. Note the absence of snow in the photo. Some snow has fallen since this photo was taken. On February 18th Leech Lake Dam was reporting 5 inches on the ground. The median snow depth for February 18th in Leech Lake is about 16 inches.

The snow drought is the most prevalent from the Twin Cities northward, but even in southern Minnesota the total seasonal snowfall to date falls short of the historical normal.

                     Snowfall      Season          Season
                     Through       Normal by       Departure
Station              February 19   February 19     February 19

Duluth               23.9 inches   59.2 inches     -35.3 inches
International Falls  21.7 inches   52.4 inches     -30.7 inches
Fargo                14.5 inches   28.2 inches     -13.7 inches
Grand Forks          14.7 inches   33.1 inches     -18.4 inches
La Crosse            12.9 inches   24.3 inches     -11.4 inches
Minneapolis/St. Paul 12.2 inches   39.6 inches     -27.4 inches
Rochester            21.0 inches   29.3 inches      -8.3 inches
Saint Cloud           6.8 inches   33.6 inches     -26.8 inches
Sioux Falls          28.6 inches   37.1 inches      -8.5 inches