Record-Setting Heavy Snows, October 20, 2020

A swath of heavy snow spread over southern and central Minnesota on Tuesday October 20, 2020, leading to widespread accumulations of  6 to 9 inches, and breaking numerous early-season snowfall records in the process.

The snow formed on the front end of an advancing low pressure area that had plenty of moisture and cold air in place. With temperatures near freezing, and moisture surging into the region, snow broke out in far southwestern and western Minnesota near sunrise, and then spread eastward and northeastward throughout the day, reaching the Twin Cities just before noon, and the Duluth area by mid-afternoon.

From the middle of the day until around sunset, bands of moderate to heavy snow plastered about 60 percent of the state with large wet flakes. Visibilities fell to a quarter-mile or less at times, as snowfall rates approached and occasionally exceeded one inch per hour. The Twin Cities International Airport recorded the rare condition of "heavy snow" at two separate hourly observations.* The snow fell hard enough to overcome the warm autumn ground conditions, and it began accumulating not just on grassy surfaces, but also on sidewalks, driveways, and many roads.

By evening, the entire region was a snowy, slushy mess, as the wet snow compacted into thick sheets of ice on streets, and cars struggled to find adequate traction for driving. The weight of the snow knocked power out in parts of the eastern Twin Cities area, and snow-covered tree branches across Minnesota were visibly burdened by the early-season load. 

A large swath of 6-9 inches stretched west-to-east across the state, from Ortonville, through St. Cloud, the Twin Cities, Faribault, and Red Wing. Totals of 8 to occasionally over 9 inches were clustered from southern Twin Cities into Le Sueur, Rice, and Goodhue Counties, and also dotted parts west-central Minnesota near Glenwood, Ortonville, Beardsley, and Granite Falls.

The Twin Cities airport recorded 7.9 inches, making this the second largest October snowfall on record (behind 8.2 inches on October 31, 1991, at the beginning of the Halloween Blizzard), and by far the heaviest recorded snowfall so early during the season. Some other high totals recorded by National Weather Service cooperative observers included 8.2 inches at Rice, 7.5 inches at Redwood Falls, 7.4 inches at Willmar, 7.0 inches at St. Cloud, 6.8 inches at Milan, and 5.9 inches at Duluth.  A CoCoRaHS observer near New Prague reported 9.5 inches, and several in Scott and Dakota County reported totals around 9 inches.

A band of generally 3 to 6 inches surrounded the highest totals, and included most of the state north of I-90 and south of US Highway 2. As is often the case with snowfall events in Minnesota, a secondary region of higher totals stretched along the north shore of Lake Superior, with totals reaching 6+ inches in the Two Harbors area.

Snowfall of this intensity so early in the season is especially unusual for southern and central Minnesota Minnesota, where October daily totals exceeding four inches are rare. In addition to the records set in the Twin Cities, the 7.0 inches recorded in St. Cloud also broke the daily snowfall record for October 20th, along with the all-time daily snowfall record for any day in October. Indeed, this was either the earliest, or at least one of the earliest heavy snowfalls on record at long-term stations through southern and central Minnesota.

The following reports are courtesy of the National Weather Service forecast office in Chanhassen.

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN  
1155 AM CDT WED OCT 21 2020  
   
..SNOWFALL REPORTS FROM TUESDAY OCTOBER 20 UPDATED  
  
LOCATION                     AMOUNT    TIME/DATE       PROVIDER               
   
..MINNESOTA  
  
   
..ANOKA COUNTY  
  
2 WNW MOUNDS VIEW            6.4 IN    0600 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
CENTERVILLE 0.7 NE           6.0 IN    1010 PM 10/20   COCORAHS               
   
..BENTON COUNTY  
  
RICE                         8.2 IN    0700 AM 10/21   COOP                   
RICE 3.6 E                   7.1 IN    0700 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
SAUK RAPIDS                  6.5 IN    0635 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
RICE 6.5 SSE                 6.3 IN    0700 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
6 SW FOLEY                   6.0 IN    0811 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
   
..BLUE EARTH COUNTY  
  
MANKATO 1ESE                 6.0 IN    0700 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
SMITHS MILL                  5.9 IN    0459 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
1 WSW EAGLE LAKE             4.4 IN    0559 PM 10/20   COCORAHS               
1 ENE MANKATO                4.0 IN    0533 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
MANKATO 1.2 SE               4.0 IN    0700 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
   
..CARVER COUNTY  
  
VICTORIA 1WSW                8.4 IN    0700 AM 10/21   COCORAHS  
CHANHASSEN NWS               7.2 IN    0100 AM 10/21   OFFICIAL NWS OBS               
1 WSW CARVER                 7.0 IN    0641 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
1 NNW CHANHASSEN             7.0 IN    0705 PM 10/20   COCORAHS               
CHANHASSEN                   7.0 IN    0543 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
CHANHASSEN 1.7 NE            7.0 IN    0105 PM 10/20   COCORAHS               
NORWOOD/YOUNG AMERICA        7.0 IN    0650 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
VICTORIA                     7.0 IN    0450 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
WATERTOWN 0.5 NNW            7.0 IN    0415 AM 10/21   COCORAHS                    
2 WSW VICTORIA               6.7 IN    0604 PM 10/20   NWS EMPLOYEE           
CHASKA                       6.0 IN    0500 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
WACONIA                      6.0 IN    0445 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
WATERTOWN                    5.0 IN    0400 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
   
..CHIPPEWA COUNTY  
  
MONTEVIDEO 0.4 SSW           7.9 IN    0700 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
MILAN 1 NW                   6.8 IN    0600 PM 10/20   COOP                   
CLARA CITY                   6.0 IN    0300 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
   
..CHISAGO COUNTY  
  
NORTH BRANCH 1NNW            4.8 IN    0530 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
   
..DAKOTA COUNTY  
  
LAKEVILLE 2NNE               9.1 IN    0700 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
BURNSVILLE                   9.0 IN    0548 PM 10/20   BROADCAST MEDIA        
2 NE LAKEVILLE               9.0 IN    0730 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
LAKEVILLE                    9.0 IN    0600 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
COATES                       8.9 IN    0614 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
2 SW APPLE VALLEY            8.7 IN    0540 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
3 N APPLE VALLEY             8.5 IN    0845 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
APPLE VALLEY                 8.5 IN    0528 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
BURNSVILLE 3ENE              8.5 IN    0700 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
1 SE BURNSVILLE              8.0 IN    0600 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
FARMINGTON                   8.0 IN    0600 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
2 WNW HASTINGS               8.0 IN    0605 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
3 SSE LAKEVILLE              8.0 IN    0845 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
3 SSE EAGAN                  7.6 IN    0800 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
NORTHFIELD 2NE               7.6 IN    0652 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
3 S FARMINGTON               7.5 IN    0616 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
HASTINGS 0.3 ENE             7.5 IN    0730 PM 10/20   COCORAHS               
4 SSE EAGAN                  7.3 IN    0503 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
APPLE VALLEY 3ESE            7.0 IN    0600 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
3 SW INVER GROVE HEIGHT      6.9 IN    0615 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
ROSEMOUNT                    6.1 IN    0506 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
HASTINGS                     6.0 IN    0530 AM 10/21   COOP                   
1 NNW ROSEMOUNT              6.0 IN    0515 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
   
..GOODHUE COUNTY  
  
RED WING                     8.0 IN    0546 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
GOODHUE 0.2 S                7.0 IN    1000 PM 10/20   COCORAHS               
RED WING 3SE                 7.0 IN    0700 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
WANAMINGO                    6.8 IN    0800 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
RED WING LOCK AND DAM        6.0 IN    0700 AM 10/21   COOP                   
ZUMBROTA                     5.5 IN    0729 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
   
..HENNEPIN COUNTY  
  
1 SW BLOOMINGTON             7.9 IN    0930 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL AP      7.9 IN    0653 AM 10/21   OFFICIAL NWS OBS                   
2 ENE BLOOMINGTON            7.7 IN    0735 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
EDINA                        7.4 IN    0555 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
EDINA 1SE                    7.4 IN    0700 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
EDEN PRAIRIE 3SE             7.3 IN    0555 PM 10/20   COCORAHS               
2 W EXCELSIOR                7.2 IN    0907 PM 10/20   PUBLIC              
ROBBINSDALE 0.6 SSE          7.2 IN    0700 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
2 ESE EDEN PRAIRIE           7.0 IN    0600 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
GOLDEN VALLEY                6.9 IN    0930 PM 10/20   NWS EMPLOYEE           
2 ENE CHANHASSEN             6.8 IN    0535 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
NEW HOPE 2S                  6.8 IN    1030 PM 10/20   COCORAHS               
3 NNE RICHFIELD              6.8 IN    0700 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
RICHFIELD 1WNW               6.7 IN    0500 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
EDINA                        6.6 IN    0445 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
2 S MINNEAPOLIS              6.5 IN    0609 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
1 WNW ROGERS                 6.5 IN    0900 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
2 W EDEN PRAIRIE             6.3 IN    0715 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
EXCELSIOR                    6.3 IN    0500 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
1 S COLUMBIA HEIGHTS         6.3 IN    0920 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
NEW HOPE                     6.3 IN    0543 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
3 S MAPLE GROVE              6.1 IN    0445 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
2 SE CORCORAN                6.0 IN    0545 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
1 NNW HOPKINS                5.5 IN    0601 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
ROBBINSDALE                  5.3 IN    0412 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
2 ESE EDEN PRAIRIE           4.3 IN    0300 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
CHAMPLIN                     4.2 IN    0425 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
   
..ISANTI COUNTY  
  
1 N CAMBRIDGE                4.0 IN    0523 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
   
..KANDIYOHI COUNTY  
  
WILLMAR 5N                   7.4 IN    0600 AM 10/21   COOP                   
RAYMOND                      7.0 IN    0515 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
5 N WILLMAR                  6.9 IN    0518 PM 10/20   CO-OP OBSERVER         
   
..LE SUEUR COUNTY  
  
NEW PRAGUE 1ESE              9.5 IN    0630 PM 10/20   COCORAHS               
MONTGOMERY                   8.0 IN    0500 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
WATERVILLE 0.7 ESE           7.2 IN    0400 PM 10/20   COCORAHS               
LE CENTER                    6.6 IN    0520 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
   
..MCLEOD COUNTY  
  
PLATO                        7.7 IN    0510 PM 10/20   COCORAHS               
PLATO 0.3 ENE                7.7 IN    0700 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
HUTCHINSON 0.6 W             5.0 IN    0700 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
   
..MORRISON COUNTY  
  
LITTLE FALLS 3.0 N           7.5 IN    0600 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
LITTLE FALLS 1.2 SW          7.0 IN    0700 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
CAMP RIPLEY 4E               6.8 IN    0700 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
PINE CENTER 4SSE             4.6 IN    0700 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
   
..NICOLLET COUNTY  
  
ST. PETER                    5.2 IN    0513 PM 10/20   CO-OP OBSERVER         
NORTH MANKATO 0.8 SSW        5.0 IN    0703 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
NEW ULM 3SE                  4.9 IN    0545 AM 10/21   COOP                   
1 WNW NORTH MANKATO          4.0 IN    0424 PM 10/20   BROADCAST MEDIA        
   
..POPE COUNTY  
  
SEDAN                        10.8 IN   0605 PM 10/20   COCORAHS               
GLENWOOD                     7.5 IN    0330 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
   
..RAMSEY COUNTY  
  
2 NNW MENDOTA HEIGHTS        8.5 IN    0625 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
3 N MENDOTA HEIGHTS          6.6 IN    0700 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
1 SE FALCON HEIGHTS          6.5 IN    0600 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
3 NW MENDOTA HEIGHTS         6.3 IN    0819 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
ROSEVILLE                    6.0 IN    0500 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
2 E LITTLE CANADA            5.1 IN    0400 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
   
..REDWOOD COUNTY  
  
REDWOOD FALLS                7.5 IN    0700 AM 10/21   COOP                   
BELVIEW 0.3 S                6.1 IN    0630 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
REDWOOD FALLS                6.0 IN    0310 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
   
..RENVILLE COUNTY  
  
FAIRFAX 4.9 SSE              6.2 IN    0545 PM 10/20   COCORAHS               
1 SE OLIVIA                  5.8 IN    0310 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
   
..RICE COUNTY  
  
2 NNW FARIBAULT              8.5 IN    0635 PM 10/20   COCORAHS               
MONTGOMERY 3ENE              8.0 IN    0430 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
1 ESE NORTHFIELD             7.5 IN    0651 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
VESELI 1W                    7.5 IN    0500 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
NORTHFIELD                   6.5 IN    0434 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
2 NNW FARIBAULT              5.0 IN    0300 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
   
..SCOTT COUNTY  
  
1 NNW NEW PRAGUE             9.0 IN    0814 PM 10/20   PUBLIC             
PRIOR LAKE                   9.0 IN    0550 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
PRIOR LAKE 1WSW              9.0 IN    0700 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
2 WSW PRIOR LAKE             8.8 IN    0545 PM 10/20   NWS EMPLOYEE           
3 W SAVAGE                   8.8 IN    0528 PM 10/20   DEPT OF HIGHWAYS       
NEW PRAGUE                   7.5 IN    0620 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
1 WSW SHAKOPEE               7.5 IN    0457 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
2 NW PRIOR LAKE              7.3 IN    0415 PM 10/20   COCORAHS               
SAVAGE                       7.0 IN    0510 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
1 SSW JORDAN                 6.4 IN    0700 PM 10/20   CO-OP OBSERVER         
JORDAN 1SSW                  6.4 IN    0530 AM 10/21   COOP                   
ELKO NEW MARKET              6.0 IN    0400 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
3 NW PRIOR LAKE              4.8 IN    0225 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
   
..SIBLEY COUNTY  
  
6 SE GREEN ISLE              7.0 IN    0415 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
ARLINGTON                    6.5 IN    0714 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
WINTHROP                     6.0 IN    0500 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
   
..STEARNS COUNTY  
  
5 N SOUTH HAVEN              7.1 IN    0447 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
ST CLOUD                     7.0 IN    0600 AM 10/21   OFFICIAL NWS OBS              
7 W CLEARWATER               6.5 IN    0435 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
5 S ST. CLOUD                6.5 IN    0420 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
2 ESE ST. WENDEL             6.5 IN    0453 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
1 ESE ST. CLOUD              6.4 IN    0423 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
KIMBALL 3N                   5.5 IN    0600 AM 10/21   COOP                   
   
..STEELE COUNTY  
  
OWATONNA 0.8 E               4.6 IN    0700 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
   
..TODD COUNTY  
  
LONG PRAIRIE                 5.4 IN    0600 AM 10/21   COOP                   
   
..WASECA COUNTY  
  
WASECA 2.0 N                 5.0 IN    0600 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
   
..WASHINGTON COUNTY  
  
1 ESE ST. PAUL PARK          7.5 IN    0845 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
WOODBURY                     7.1 IN    0600 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
WOODBURY 1.7 N               7.0 IN    0700 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
MAHTOMEDI                    6.9 IN    1036 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
1 SSE OAKDALE                6.8 IN    0536 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
MAHTOMEDI 1.0 SSW            6.5 IN    0900 PM 10/20   COCORAHS               
STILLWATER 1NE               6.5 IN    0656 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
WOODBURY 0.3 NNW             6.4 IN    0638 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
WOODBURY 1.8 SSE             6.3 IN    0700 PM 10/20   COCORAHS               
FOREST LAKE                  6.0 IN    0545 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
HUGO                         6.0 IN    0725 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
   
..WATONWAN COUNTY  
  
ST. JAMES                    4.0 IN    0326 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
   
..WRIGHT COUNTY  
  
DELANO                       8.0 IN    0729 PM 10/20   NWS EMPLOYEE           
3 N WATERTOWN                7.4 IN    0545 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
2 NE MONTROSE                6.5 IN    0515 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
2 SE ALBERTVILLE             6.1 IN    0800 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
ST. MICHAEL 2ENE             6.1 IN    0630 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
BUFFALO                      6.0 IN    0500 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
OTSEGO                       5.8 IN    0545 PM 10/20   PUBLIC                 
OTSEGO 2.1 WSW               5.8 IN    0600 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
MAPLE LAKE 4.3 NNE           5.5 IN    0700 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
OTSEGO 1.8 ENE               5.1 IN    0600 AM 10/21   COCORAHS               
2 SE OTSEGO                  5.0 IN    0440 PM 10/20   COCORAHS               
5 NNE MAPLE LAKE             4.6 IN    0625 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
   
..YELLOW MEDICINE COUNTY  
  
1 W GRANITE FALLS            8.5 IN    0423 PM 10/20   CO-OP OBSERVER         
5 S GRANITE FALLS            8.3 IN    0445 PM 10/20   TRAINED SPOTTER        
               
  
OBSERVATIONS ARE COLLECTED FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES WITH VARYING  
EQUIPMENT AND EXPOSURES. WE THANK ALL VOLUNTEER WEATHER OBSERVERS   
FOR THEIR DEDICATION. NOT ALL DATA LISTED ARE CONSIDERED OFFICIAL. 

*In the world of official real-time and hourly weather observations, the term "heavy snow" implies snow falling with sufficient intensity to reduce visibility to 1/4 mile or less. This is a rare condition that occurs in just a handful of hourly observations most winters--with some winters never seeing any official heavy snow at all. This term is somewhat different from the "heavy snow" used in forecasts or by climatologists, or in casual conversation, to describe snow that exceeds particular accumulation thresholds, regardless of visibility at specific observation times. 

Last modified October 23, 2020