Duluth blizzard rages; Wettest storm since Aug; 50s – even 60 next 2 weeks?

17" so far at Sawyer southwest of Duluth near Cloquet

Blizzard rages in Duluth gradually easing overnight

Rising rivers due to heavy rain and snowmelt

Major warming trend next week

50s and (even 60s) possible in the next 2 weeks?

Ground Zero Duluth:

The brunt of the storm shifted to Duluth Wednesday.

Blizzard conditions hammered the area all day, with wind gusts recorded in excess of 50 mph most of the day.

Snowfall totals exceed 10" in many areas near Duluth and northwest Wisconsin.

Blizzard to near blizzard conditions will gradually ease overnight, but travel is going to be very difficult into early Thursday.

More than a foot of snow:

The storm produced more than a foot of snow in many locations. Overall the heaviest snow band ran from Alexandra to Rush/Pine City along I-35 north to near Duluth and east into northwest Wisconsin.

Butternut in Ashland County has recorded an amazing 19" of snow so far!

Here is a list of snow fall totals from Duluth and Twin Cities NWS offices.

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN

332 PM CST WED FEB 29 2012

...SNOWFALL TOTALS FROM THE FEBRUARY 28-29TH WINTER STORM...

SNOW REPORTS LISTED BY AMOUNT

INCHES LOCATION ST COUNTY TIME

------ ----------------------- -- -------------- -------

15.90 13 NNE BRUCE WI RUSK 0840 AM

13.50 2 S RICE LAKE WI BARRON 0802 AM

13.00 HAUGEN WI BARRON 0142 PM

13.00 CUMBERLAND WI BARRON 0826 AM

12.50 4 S ISLAND LAKE WI CHIPPEWA 0812 AM

12.00 CHETEK WI BARRON 0953 AM

12.00 1 NW RICE LAKE WI BARRON 0915 AM

12 INCHES ESTIMATED...STILL SOME FALLING

LIGHT SNOW

12.00 6 NW RICE LAKE WI BARRON 0811 AM

12.00 3 SW CARLOS MN DOUGLAS 0721 AM

12.00 RUSH CITY MN CHISAGO 0720 AM

12.00 ALEXANDRIA MN DOUGLAS 0414 AM

APPROXIMATELY ONE FOOT OF SNOW SO FAR.

11.50 MILLERVILLE MN DOUGLAS 1122 AM

11.50 BOWLUS MN MORRISON 0700 AM

10.50 CAMBRIDGE MN ISANTI 1250 PM

10.50 NORTH BRANCH MN CHISAGO 1236 PM

10.50 MORA MN KANABEC 1006 AM

10.40 CHETEK WI BARRON 0621 AM

10.00 BLOOMER WI CHIPPEWA 0215 PM

10.00 KIMBALL MN STEARNS 1101 AM

10.00 3 N BOYCEVILLE WI DUNN 0700 AM

9.80 3 N MENOMONIE WI DUNN 0742 AM

9.70 COLFAX WI DUNN 0600 AM

9.50 ST CLOUD MN STEARNS 1115 AM

9.40 8 NW MORA MN KANABEC 1214 PM

9.00 WHEELER WI DUNN 0146 PM

9.00 4 W CORNELL WI CHIPPEWA 0925 AM

9.00 ISANTI MN ISANTI 0845 AM

9.00 BLOOMER WI CHIPPEWA 0835 AM

9.00 10 N CENTER CITY MN CHISAGO 0800 AM

8.80 5 E CLAYTON WI BARRON 1043 AM

MEASURED OFF THE TOP OF THE CAR...

8.50 ANDOVER MN ANOKA 0201 PM

8.00 ELK MOUND WI DUNN 0920 AM

8 INCHES OF SNOW...0.75 INCHES OF RAIN PRIOR

TO THE SNOWFALL

8.00 2 N SAUK CENTRE MN STEARNS 0908 AM

8.00 SAUK RAPIDS MN BENTON 0908 AM

8.00 ELK RIVER MN SHERBURNE 0835 AM

8.00 SARTELL MN STEARNS 0700 AM

7.90 CHIPPEWA FALLS WI CHIPPEWA 0742 AM

7.80 ST CLOUD MN STEARNS 1215 PM

MEASURED AT THE PRISON.

7.80 CLAYTON WI POLK 0812 AM

7.80 MENOMONIE WI DUNN 0726 AM

7.50 ANDOVER MN ANOKA 0812 AM

7.50 FALL CREEK WI EAU CLAIRE 0742 AM

7.20 MONTICELLO MN WRIGHT 1215 PM

7.20 7 S HILLMAN MN MORRISON 1111 AM

7.00 GLENWOOD MN POPE 1232 PM

PRECIPITATION AMOUNT 0.65 INCHES.

7.00 LORETTO MN HENNEPIN 1214 PM

7.00 STANLEY WI CHIPPEWA 0835 AM

7.00 MILACA MN MILLE LACS 0835 AM

7.00 OSCEOLA WI POLK 0834 AM

7.00 KIMBALL MN STEARNS 0600 AM

7.00 LADYSMITH WI RUSK 0453 AM

7.00 BARRON WI BARRON 0416 AM

6.50 CLEAR LAKE WI POLK 0749 AM

6.50 ANDOVER MN ANOKA 0652 AM

6.50 1 N LITTLE FALLS MN MORRISON 0630 AM

6.50 2 SSW CAMBRIDGE MN ISANTI 0547 AM

6.50 MENOMONIE WI DUNN 0503 AM

6.20 MAPLE GROVE MN HENNEPIN 0702 AM

6.00 NORTH BRANCH MN CHISAGO 1122 AM

WATER EQUIVALENT OF .96 INCHES.

6.00 2 N GILMAN MN BENTON 1043 AM

6.00 SAUK RAPIDS MN BENTON 0630 AM

6.00 LITCHFIELD MN MEEKER 0628 AM

6.00 DELANO MN WRIGHT 0545 AM

5.60 MONTICELLO MN WRIGHT 0600 AM

5.50 SAUK RAPIDS MN BENTON 0610 AM

5.50 JIM FALLS WI CHIPPEWA 0514 AM

5.30 ALBANY MN STEARNS 0517 AM

5.00 BLAINE MN ANOKA 1101 AM

5.00 CHAMPLIN MN HENNEPIN 0520 AM

4.80 EAU CLAIRE WI EAU CLAIRE 0743 AM

4.70 8 S HILLMAN MN MORRISON 0439 AM

4.50 GLENCOE MN MCLEOD 1101 AM

4.50 WILLMAR MN KANDIYOHI 0600 AM

4.50 ANNANDALE MN WRIGHT 0541 AM

4.40 MURDOCK MN SWIFT 0250 PM

4.40 NEW HOPE MN HENNEPIN 0639 AM

4.30 CHANHASSEN MN CARVER 1215 PM

MEASURED AT THE NWS OFFICE.

4.30 LESTER PRAIRIE MN MCLEOD 0835 AM

4.20 WATERTOWN MN CARVER 0908 AM

4.10 ST LOUIS PARK MN HENNEPIN 1214 PM

4.10 LONG PRAIRIE MN TODD 0630 AM

4.00 BROWNTON MN MCLEOD 1015 AM

1.7 INCHES WATER EQUIVALENT.

4.00 ST CROIX FALLS WI POLK 0835 AM

4.00 CHASKA MN CARVER 0600 AM

3.70 COON RAPIDS MN ANOKA 0617 AM

3.50 EAU CLAIRE WI EAU CLAIRE 0600 AM

3.40 FOREST LAKE MN WASHINGTON 0835 AM

3.10 5 NW MINNEAPOLIS MN HENNEPIN 0600 AM

3.00 VESTA MN REDWOOD 1031 AM

1.28 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION.

3.00 NORTH ST PAUL MN RAMSEY 0930 AM

3.00 LITCHFIELD MN MEEKER 0417 AM

2.80 MINNEAPOLIS MN HENNEPIN 1215 PM

MEASURED AT THE MINNEAPOLIS INTERNATIONAL

AIRPORT.

2.80 WACONIA MN CARVER 0910 AM

2.70 2 NE MINNEAPOLIS MN HENNEPIN 0720 AM

2.50 WINTHROP MN SIBLEY 0730 AM

2.30 HAMBURG MN CARVER 0835 AM

2.00 INVER GROVE HEIGHTS MN DAKOTA 0139 PM

1.70 REDWOOD FALLS MN REDWOOD 0500 AM

1.60 2 W PRIOR LAKE MN SCOTT 0700 AM

1.50 SHAKOPEE MN SCOTT 1031 AM

1.20 GAYLORD MN SIBLEY 0835 AM

1.00 JORDAN MN SCOTT 0835 AM

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN

305 PM CST WED FEB 29 2012

...PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...

THE TOTALS BELOW ARE SEPARATED INTO SNOW...AND ICE AND SLEET

CATEGORIES...THEN BY AMOUNT...AND ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE FINAL

AMOUNT FOR EACH LOCATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR REPORTS.

SNOW REPORTS LISTED BY AMOUNT

INCHES LOCATION ST COUNTY TIME

------ ----------------------- -- -------------- -------

19.00 3 N BUTTERNUT WI ASHLAND 1246 PM

17.00 9 NNE SAWYER MN ST. LOUIS 1200 PM

17.00 WINTER WI SAWYER 0839 AM

4 TO 6 FOOT DRIFTS.

16.50 13 SW MELLEN WI ASHLAND 1034 AM

MEASURED AT CLAM LAKE.

16.50 2 N FIFIELD WI PRICE 1012 AM

16.00 SARONA WI WASHBURN 1030 AM

16.00 4 SE PARK FALLS WI PRICE 0900 AM

15.50 5 SW PHILLIPS WI PRICE 0731 AM

15.00 BENOIT WI BAYFIELD 1238 PM

15.00 IRON BELT WI IRON 0935 AM

14.50 4 N GRANTSBURG WI BURNETT 1110 AM

7 INCHES SINCE 730 AM.

14.30 SHELL LAKE WI WASHBURN 1055 AM

14.00 1 N SPOONER WI WASHBURN 1200 PM

14.00 SHELL LAKE WI WASHBURN 1050 AM

14.00 3 SW GORDON WI DOUGLAS 1049 AM

14.00 2 W HAYWARD WI SAWYER 1025 AM

13.00 5 N WEBSTER WI BURNETT 0900 AM

13.00 12 NE WEBSTER WI BURNETT 0853 AM

13.00 2 W HAYWARD WI SAWYER 0830 AM

12.30 1 SW HINCKLEY MN PINE 1134 AM

12.00 MASON WI BAYFIELD 1220 PM

12.00 ASHLAND WI ASHLAND 1010 AM

8.1 INCHES SINCE 700 AM

12.00 PHILLIPS WI PRICE 0941 AM

12.00 ASKOV MN PINE 0900 AM

VSBY LESS THAN QUARTER MILE

12.00 GLIDDEN WI ASHLAND 0853 AM

11.50 GILE WI IRON 1239 PM

11.00 MONTREAL WI IRON 0241 PM

10.50 MAPLE WI DOUGLAS 0147 PM

10.00 HERBSTER WI BAYFIELD 0200 PM

10.00 11 N BRULE WI DOUGLAS 0120 PM

10.00 BENNETT WI DOUGLAS 0920 AM

10.00 PINE CITY MN PINE 0840 AM

9.40 SAXON WI IRON 0851 AM

9.00 5 NW DULUTH MN ST. LOUIS 0255 PM

0.1 INCHES IN THE PREVIOUS ONE HOUR.

9.00 SAGINAW MN ST. LOUIS 0131 PM

9.00 ALBORN MN ST. LOUIS 0116 PM

8.00 2 NE DULUTH MN ST. LOUIS 0231 PM

8.00 ESKO MN CARLTON 1257 PM

8.00 SOLON SPRINGS WI DOUGLAS 1109 AM

7.70 12 N ISLE MN AITKIN 1232 PM

7.50 CLOQUET MN CARLTON 0131 PM

7.50 CLOQUET MN CARLTON 1218 PM

7.50 2 SSW POPLAR WI DOUGLAS 1025 AM

7.20 MOOSE LAKE WI DOUGLAS 0200 PM

7.00 BRAINERD MN CROW WING 1232 PM

Drought Buster?

Folks have asked if this is a drought busting storm. My answer is yes, and no.

The excessive rainfall and snowfall totals dumped 2" of liquid on a huge chunk of the southern 2/3 of Minnesota. That runoff (and recent storms) will help recharge rivers and lakes in Minnesota. So it will help abate, but not totally alleviate the "hydrologic" (rivers & lakes) part of the drought.

What it will not help much are the soils. With frozen ground not too much of this moisture will soak in. We need ample (even excessive) rain after the thaw to fully recharge drought stricken soils.

Next snow Friday?

After a quiet Thursday, there is a chance of light snow Friday in Minnesota. The system looks small compared to our mid-week blitz, but a couple of inches is a possibility Friday.

Major warm up next week?

The overall weather pattern looks much warmer starting next week.

A mild southwest flow looks to set up next week. That could boost temps significantly above average again. Once we melt off the snow, temps could soar into the 50s.

Looking ahead, it looks like an even warmer pattern may return after a brief cool down.

The GFS is cranking out temperatures in...the 60s by around March 10th-13th!

Let's see if that pattern holds up.

Stay tuned...and stay dry after our epic "Slopacolyypse!"

PH