A dramatic turn towards below-normal temperatures in the second half of the month led to multiple accumulating snowfall events that broke a slew of monthly records for October at stations throughout Minnesota.
Of Minnesota's five long-term, "first-order" observing stations, St. Cloud and the Twin Cities broke their October monthly snowfall records.
Records also fell at over three dozen other stations with at least 30 years of record, including two of the University of Minnesota's marquee observing sites, at Lamberton and Waseca.
Much of the snow came during a historically cold period in late October. After a run above-average warmth earlier in the month, October 16-31 was the coldest on record in Rochester and International Falls, and the 2nd coldest on record at Duluth, St. Cloud, and the Twin Cities. The month easily finished among the ten coldest Octobers on record at stations throughout Minnesota.
Following are the observed October 2020 snowfall totals, and old records at Duluth, International Falls, Rochester, St. Cloud, and the Twin Cities.
| Station |
October 2020 Snowfall (in) Bold/Italics=new record |
(Previous) October Record Snowfall (in) | Year |
| Duluth | 12.0 | 14.0 | 1933 |
| International Falls | 3.8 | 10.5 | 1917 |
| Rochester | 4.2 | 7.9 | 2009 |
| St. Cloud | 7.8 | 6.4 | 2002 |
| Twin Cities | 9.3 | 8.2 | 1991 |
Modified November 2, 2020