A sharp cold front marched across the state on October 28th, bringing the first measurable snowfall of the season to some locations. The high temperature of 47 degrees in Minneapolis, was recorded in the very early morning. By noon, temperatures were in the upper 30s and falling. Rain changed to a rain/snow mix around 6 p.m. across the metro, and continued to fall into the evening. The rain/snow mix changed to all snow after 8 p.m. at MSP airport and fell lightly for the next several hours. Officially, a trace of snow was recorded at the airport.
Warm surface temperatures prevented many areas from receiving any accumulating snow, although a coating on surfaces was observed just north of the immediate Twin Cities. The hot spot for snowfall totals was in central Minnesota, not far from Brainerd, where 2.2 inches fell, with neighboring communities reporting close to the same. Both the St. Cloud Regional Airport and the Rochester International Airport reported 0.2 inches of the white stuff.
Below is a list of snowfall reports gathered by the National Weather Service in Duluth.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN 1244 AM CDT SAT OCT 31 2015 ...OCTOBER 28-29 SNOWFALL TOTALS... LOCATION AMOUNT TIME/DATE PROVIDER --------------------------------------------------------------- 1 SE PHILLIPS 2.3 IN 0700 AM 10/29 AMATEUR RADIO 7 NW BRAINERD 2.2 IN 0700 AM 10/29 UCOOP CASS LAKE 0.5 IN 0800 AM 10/29 COOP SARONA 0.3 IN 0800 AM 10/29 UCOOP 1 N MOTLEY 0.3 IN 0753 PM 10/28 TRAINED SPOTTER 9 SE WEBSTER 0.2 IN 0800 AM 10/29 COOP 3 NE BRAINERD T IN 0548 AM 10/29 UCOOP 12 E BRAINERD T IN 0730 AM 10/29 COCORAHS DULUTH NWS T IN 0700 AM 10/29 OFFICIAL NWS OBS EMBARRASS T IN 0600 AM 10/29 COOP 10 NW GUNFLINT LAKE T IN 0700 AM 10/29 COOP 12 N ISLE T IN 0800 AM 10/29 COOP 3 NE NISSWA T IN 0700 AM 10/29 UCOOP 3 E ORR T IN 0600 AM 10/29 COOP PARK FALLS T IN 0800 AM 10/29 COOP 3 WSW SWAN RIVER T IN 0800 AM 10/29 UCOOP WINTER T IN 0900 AM 10/29 COOP 3 E WRIGHT T IN 0600 AM 10/29 COOP OBSERVATIONS ARE COLLECTED FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES WITH VARYING EQUIPMENT AND EXPOSURE. NOT ALL DATA LISTED ARE CONSIDERED OFFICIAL.
By: Climatology Volunteer Lucas Graunke