Heavy snow blanketed central and northern Minnesota, while thunderstorms, sleet, and mixed precipitation affected southern parts of the state.
Following on the heels of a historic early-season snowstorm just two days earlier, a low-pressure system moved from northeastern Kansas into southeastern Wisconsin on Thursday October 22, 2020. With temperatures in the 20s and 30s throughout Minnesota and deep moisture streaming into the region, the atmosphere was primed once again for significant accumulating snowfall.
During the early morning, a band of snow developed from northern South Dakota into west-central and central Minnesota, remaining nearly stationary through much of the day. Scattered sleet, snow, and rain squalls with occasional lightning and thunder lifted out of southern Minnesota, eventually expanding and reinforcing the swath of steady snows falling across central Minnesota, just north of St. Cloud.
The snow fell hardest and most persistently from near Beardsley to Detroit Lakes, and then eastward through the Brainerd Lakes area and towards Duluth. Accumulations were predominantly 3-7 inches within this swath, but the National Weather Service cooperative observer at Long Prairie reported a storm total of 9.4 inches, and a CoCoRaHS observer at Beardsley reported 10.7 inches, with 9.5 inches reported at Alexandria.
The southern extent of this heavy snow area overlapped with the northern extent of Tuesday's heavy snow area, and between the two systems, a narrow corridor of central Minnesota received in excess of 12 inches of snow.
Following are are courtesy of the National Weather Service forecast offices in Duluth and Grand Forks.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN 905 AM CDT FRI OCT 23 2020 ..SNOWFALL REPORTS LOCATION AMOUNT TIME/DATE LAT/LON ..MINNESOTA ..AITKIN COUNTY TAMARACK 1.4 SW 1.3 IN 0700 AM 10/23 46.64N/93.15W ..CARLTON COUNTY BARNUM 4.3 W 4.8 IN 0600 AM 10/23 46.50N/92.78W CLOQUET 3.4 ENE 3.5 IN 0700 AM 10/23 46.74N/92.43W 2 ENE KETTLE RIVER 3.3 IN 0830 AM 10/23 46.50N/92.84W 3 E WRIGHT 3.1 IN 0600 AM 10/23 46.68N/92.95W 1 SW CLOQUET 3.0 IN 1000 PM 10/22 46.71N/92.47W WRENSHALL 9.7 SSE 2.7 IN 0700 AM 10/23 46.49N/92.34W 1 NNE CLOQUET 2.7 IN 0950 PM 10/22 46.73N/92.45W CLOQUET 2.3 IN 0825 PM 10/22 46.72N/92.46W ..CASS COUNTY MOTLEY 9.6 NNE 7.2 IN 0700 AM 10/23 46.47N/94.59W PILLAGER 5.1 N 5.5 IN 0700 AM 10/23 46.40N/94.46W 2 N PILLAGER 5.0 IN 0807 AM 10/23 46.35N/94.47W FEDERAL DAM 3 WNW 3.0 IN 0800 AM 10/23 47.25N/94.22W EAST GULL LAKE 1.0 IN 0800 AM 10/23 46.41N/94.35W ..COOK COUNTY GRAND MARAIS 4.4 W 0.9 IN 0600 AM 10/23 47.75N/90.44W GRAND MARAIS 4.4 WSW 0.5 IN 0700 AM 10/23 47.74N/90.44W ..CROW WING COUNTY CROSS LAKE DAM 5.5 IN 0800 AM 10/23 46.67N/94.11W 5 SE SAINT MATHIAS 5.5 IN 0805 PM 10/22 46.17N/94.19W CROSBY 1.1 SW 4.1 IN 0600 AM 10/23 46.48N/93.97W 1 SW CROSBY 4.1 IN 1100 PM 10/22 46.48N/93.97W TROMMALD 6.1 NW 3.4 IN 0800 AM 10/23 46.56N/94.12W 3 NE NISSWA 1.5 IN 0840 AM 10/23 46.54N/94.25W ..ITASCA COUNTY GRAND RAPIDS 6.2 SSW 3.5 IN 0600 AM 10/23 47.14N/93.57W 6 SE LA PRAIRIE 3.0 IN 1050 PM 10/22 47.18N/93.39W 5 SE LA PRAIRIE 3.0 IN 1049 PM 10/22 47.17N/93.42W DEER RIVER 3.7 W 2.5 IN 0800 AM 10/23 47.34N/93.88W KEEWATIN 0.2 SSE 2.0 IN 0800 AM 10/23 47.40N/93.08W BOVEY 13.4 N 1.8 IN 0654 AM 10/23 47.49N/93.44W ..LAKE COUNTY TWO HARBORS 3.6 WNW 2.2 IN 0700 AM 10/23 47.04N/91.75W ELY 25 E 0.7 IN 0655 AM 10/23 47.97N/91.45W TWO HARBORS 0.3 IN 0700 AM 10/23 47.02N/91.66W ..ST. LOUIS COUNTY NWS DULUTH 4.2 IN 0700 AM 10/23 46.84N/92.21W DULUTH 4.1 NNE 4.0 IN 0600 AM 10/23 46.84N/92.07W TWO HARBORS 11.7 WSW 3.5 IN 0600 AM 10/23 46.96N/91.90W DULUTH 11.8 NNE 3.0 IN 0730 AM 10/23 46.95N/92.04W WRIGHT 9.2 NNE 2.5 IN 0700 AM 10/23 46.79N/92.93W CHISHOLM 0.4 WSW 2.4 IN 0700 AM 10/23 47.49N/92.89W DULUTH 4.6 NE 2.1 IN 0730 AM 10/23 46.84N/92.05W DULUTH 17.6 NNW 2.0 IN 0615 AM 10/23 46.99N/92.31W EMBARRASS 2.0 IN 0600 AM 10/23 47.66N/92.20W 3 E PAYNE 1.8 IN 0726 PM 10/22 47.10N/92.53W CANYON 4.6 NNE 1.5 IN 0700 AM 10/23 47.10N/92.42W DULUTH 15.4 NNW 1.3 IN 0700 AM 10/23 46.99N/92.24W 3 W IRON JUNCTION 1.3 IN 1022 PM 10/22 47.42N/92.66W BABBITT 1.2 IN 0700 AM 10/23 47.71N/91.95W WINTON 0.1 WSW 0.9 IN 0730 AM 10/23 47.93N/91.80W COOK 8NE 0.5 IN 0600 AM 10/23 47.85N/92.69W ORR 3 E 0.2 IN 0600 AM 10/23 48.06N/92.75W --- PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND 1010 AM CDT WED OCT 21 2020 ..SNOWFALL REPORTS LOCATION AMOUNT TIME/DATE PROVIDER VERNDALE 7.0 IN 0750 AM 10/21 PUBLIC SEBEKA MN 6.0 IN 0700 AM 10/21 COOP DEER CREEK MN 2.0 WSW 5.8 IN 0700 AM 10/21 COCORAHS LAKE PARK MN 6.0 S 5.2 IN 0700 AM 10/21 COCORAHS LAKE PARK MN 9.9 S 5.2 IN 0800 AM 10/21 COCORAHS CAVALIER 5.0 IN 0905 AM 10/21 CO-OP OBSERVER RICHVILLE MN 5.8 SSW 4.9 IN 0800 AM 10/21 COCORAHS BATTLE LAKE MN 3.3 SSE 4.5 IN 0700 AM 10/21 COCORAHS DETROIT LAKES MN 5.7 N 4.5 IN 0430 AM 10/21 COCORAHS HAWLEY MN 5.2 WNW 4.5 IN 0700 AM 10/21 COCORAHS OTTERTAIL MN 4.5 IN 0446 AM 10/21 COOP WEST FARGO ND 3.8 SSE 4.4 IN 0700 AM 10/21 COCORAHS FERGUS FALLS 4.3 IN 0144 AM 10/21 PUBLIC NEW YORK MILLS 4.3 IN 0821 AM 10/21 CO-OP OBSERVER 3 S FARGO 4.2 IN 0700 AM 10/21 CO-OP OBSERVER SABIN MN 4.1 IN 0720 AM 10/21 COOP ABERCROMBIE ND 0.2 NW 4.0 IN 0600 AM 10/21 COCORAHS BATTLE LAKE MN 2.0 S 4.0 IN 0700 AM 10/21 COCORAHS FERGUS FALLS MN 6.3 SE 4.0 IN 0700 AM 10/21 COCORAHS LIDGERWOOD ND 4.0 IN 0700 AM 10/21 COOP MCLEOD 4.0 IN 0821 AM 10/21 CO-OP OBSERVER 1 SE WEST FARGO 4.0 IN 0755 AM 10/21 PUBLIC MOORHEAD MN 2.0 N 3.9 IN 0700 AM 10/21 COCORAHS LISBON ND 3.6 IN 0700 AM 10/21 COOP FARGO 3.5 IN 0711 PM 10/20 CO-OP OBSERVER MENTOR MN 2.5 SSW 3.5 IN 0700 AM 10/21 COCORAHS PELICAN RAPIDS 3.5 IN 0813 AM 10/21 PUBLIC PENN 3.5 IN 0910 AM 10/21 CO-OP OBSERVER PENN ND 6 SE 3.5 IN 0700 AM 10/21 COOP THIEF RIVER FALLS MN 0.6 NW 3.5 IN 0700 AM 10/21 COCORAHS TWIN VALLEY MN 0.1 NE 3.4 IN 0800 AM 10/21 COCORAHS 5 NNE LUVERNE 3.3 IN 0956 PM 10/20 PUBLIC WALHALLA ND 3.6 SSE 3.2 IN 0600 AM 10/21 COCORAHS BEMIDJI MN 4.8 NNE 3.1 IN 0700 AM 10/21 COCORAHS BEMIDJI MN 7.8 ENE 3.1 IN 0700 AM 10/21 COCORAHS FARGO ND 3.6 NNE 3.0 IN 0700 AM 10/21 COCORAHS KARLSTAD MN 0.2 SSW 3.0 IN 0720 AM 10/21 COCORAHS 4 SW OBERON 3.0 IN 1244 PM 10/20 PUBLIC THIEF RIVER FALLS 3.0 IN 0847 AM 10/21 DEPT OF HIGHWAYS WOLVERTON MN 1.1 ENE 3.0 IN 0700 AM 10/21 COCORAHS LANGDON ND 1.4 ESE 2.8 IN 0700 AM 10/21 COCORAHS 5 NE BECIDA 2.5 IN 0526 PM 10/20 PUBLIC BRECKENRIDGE 2.5 IN 0841 AM 10/21 PUBLIC LISBON ND 0.5 ENE 2.5 IN 0419 PM 10/20 COCORAHS MAYVILLE 2.5 IN 0821 AM 10/21 CO-OP OBSERVER PEMBINA ND 2.5 IN 0700 AM 10/21 COOP WARROAD MN 4 W 2.5 IN 1000 PM 10/20 COOP LARIMORE ND 0.4 SE 2.2 IN 0700 AM 10/21 COCORAHS GOODRIDGE MN 7.4 SW 2.1 IN 0700 AM 10/21 COCORAHS LANKIN ND 6 E 2.0 IN 0700 AM 10/21 COOP TURTLE RIVER MN 3.6 E 2.0 IN 0700 AM 10/21 COCORAHS MOORHEAD 1.8 IN 0347 PM 10/20 BROADCAST MEDIA 5 NNE LUVERNE 1.6 IN 0205 PM 10/20 PUBLIC GRAND FORKS 1.5 IN 0700 AM 10/21 CO-OP OBSERVER MICHIGAN ND 1.5 IN 0500 AM 10/21 COOP GRAND FORKS ND 3.4 SSE 1.4 IN 0700 AM 10/21 COCORAHS FORT RANSOM 1.0 IN 1128 AM 10/20 NWS EMPLOYEE GRAND FORKS ND 3.7 SSE 1.0 IN 0700 AM 10/21 COCORAHS MOORHEAD 0.6 IN 1205 PM 10/20 PUBLIC 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.
Modified October 23, 2020