Winter’s 1st salvo dumps 12″+; Metro frost ahead; 60s by Monday?
Slop storm - several inches to over 1 foot of wet sloppy snow & rain mix in Red River Valley & northwest Minnesota.
Sloppy Day in Grand Forks
Source: UND Web cam
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The storm dumped a general area of 3" to 7" with some totals over a foot....a cool 14" in Roseau County in Northwest Minnesota.
Details from the Grand Forks NWS.
Snow Totals From Early Season Snow Event
An early season snow event produced significant snow amounts for northeast North Dakota into northwest Minnesota for early October. The heaviest snow fell in Roseau county where around a foot of heavy wet snow has been reported as of 3 pm Thursday October 4. This heavy wet snow has also produced numerous power outages across this area.
These snow amounts appear to be record amounts for this early in the season for many areas. The previous record snowfall for October 4 or earlier at the NWS in Grand Forks was 2 inches on October 2, 1950. The NWS at Grand Forks reported 3.5 inches of snow with this storm on October 4, 2012. While records from around the area indicate that the October 2, 1950 storm produced about 2-5 inches around the region with localized higher amounts, with Leeds, ND receiving 7.0 inches on October 2, 1950, and Hallock 4.5 inches.
MINNESOTA
HALLOCK (KITTSON CO.) 4 INCHES
KARSLSTAD (KITTSON CO.) 6 INCHES
2W BADGER (ROSEAU CO.) 12 INCHES
10NNW BADGER (ROSEAU CO.) 14 INCHES
ROSEAU (ROSEAU CO.) 7 INCHES
STEPHEN (MARSHALL CO.) 5 INCHES
MIDDLE RIVER (MARSHALL CO.) 8 INCHES (VARIABLE 4-8)
GRYGLA (MARSHALL CO.) 3 INCHES
THIEF RIVER FALLS 4 INCHES (VARIABLE 3-6)
(PENNINGTON CO.)
RED LAKE FALLS 4 INCHES
(RED LAKE CO.)
3S ANGUS (POLK CO.) 8 INCHES (VARIABLE 4-8)
3SE CROOKSTON (POLK CO.) 6 INCHES
ADA (NORMAN CO.) 4 INCHES (VARIABLE 3-4)
MOORHEAD (CLAY CO.) 1.4 INCHES (AS OF 7AM)
-Latest snow totals here
Definition of a "slop storm:"
Take one part rain, two parts heavy wet snow, and throw in temps above freezeng and warm ground underneath and what do you get?
A world class slop storm.
Temps just above freezing meant a mix of rain and heavy wet snow that downed some branches in northwest Minnesota & the Red River Valley Thursday.
The good news?
A big swath of 1"+ rainfall & sloppy snow made for a pretty effective "fire extinguisher" in northwest Minnesota Thursday. The "peat bog" originated fires that burn in the ground are not out...but at least the landscape is wet. Talk about effective (if temporary) fire suppression.
Frosty weekend aheadseason's 1st frost for metro inner core
As cold air pours into Minnesota through the weekend, clearing skies and lighter wind will lead to the season's 1st frost in the inner metro core both Saturday and Sunday AM.
Source: Twin Ciities NWS
Cover it or lose it this weekend!
PH