Overview
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A powerful spring storm system brough heavy snow and strong winds to areas west of the Mississippi River during the morning of March 5. Moderate rainfall preceded the snow during the day on March 4, with most locations seeing 1 to 1.50" of total precipitation (rain and snow). The day started warm, but as the center of the low pressure system tracked by, winds quickly switched to the north and increased in intensity, brining colder air back into the region. The strongest winds and heaviest snow fell west of the Mississippi River, leading to periods of blizzard conditions across exposed locales. The worst conditions were west of a Rochester, MN to Waterloo, IA line were multiple roads were closed and numerous accidents reported. |
 Radar loop and precipitation type from March 5-6 2025 |
Snow Reports
 Total snowfall from March 5-6, derived from reports during the event. |
Location Amount Time/Date
...Iowa...
...Allamakee County...
Harpers Ferry 6.4 SSW 1.0 in 0700 AM 03/06
Postville 5.5 NE 0.2 in 0700 AM 03/06
...Chickasaw County...
New Hampton 0.4 SW 1.7 in 0700 AM 03/06
Fredericksburg 0.3 S 0.6 in 0800 AM 03/05
Ionia 2W 0.3 in 0700 AM 03/05
...Clayton County...
Elkader 6.8 WSW 1.2 in 0630 AM 03/06
Guttenberg Dam 10 1.0 in 0600 AM 03/06
Monona 0.2 WNW 0.3 in 0630 AM 03/06
Strawberry Point 0.5 in 0700 AM 03/05
...Fayette County...
Waucoma 1 WNW 4.0 in 0700 AM 03/06
Oelwein 1 E 2.3 in 0630 AM 03/06
Fayette 1.6 in 0700 AM 03/06
...Floyd County...
Charles City 1.0 in 0700 AM 03/05
Nashua 2SW T in 0700 AM 03/05
...Mitchell County...
St Ansgar 3.4 in 0630 AM 03/06
Osage 2.0 in 0700 AM 03/06
...Winneshiek County...
7 ENE Decorah 0.9 in 0850 AM 03/05
...Minnesota...
...Dodge County...
1 NE Kasson 6.5 in 1226 PM 03/05
Mantorville 5.0 in 0521 AM 03/05
Mantorville 1.9 ESE 4.6 in 0700 AM 03/06
Hayfield 0.3 SSE 3.4 in 1130 AM 03/05
...Fillmore County...
Ostrander 2.0 in 1058 AM 03/05
2 WSW Fillmore 1.6 in 1030 AM 03/05
Wykoff 3.1 NW 1.6 in 0700 AM 03/06
Mabel 1.5 in 0700 AM 03/06
Lanesboro 0.2 SSW 1.4 in 0600 AM 03/06
Chatfield 9.0 ESE 1.2 in 0700 AM 03/06
Spring Valley 0.9 NNW 0.5 in 0700 AM 03/05
...Houston County...
Brownsville 1.0 in 0121 PM 03/05
La Crescent 5.6 S 0.8 in 0752 AM 03/05
Caledonia 5.4 S 0.5 in 0800 AM 03/05
1 ENE Mound Prairie 0.1 in 0700 AM 03/05
Hokah 4 NW 0.1 in 0700 AM 03/05
Caledonia 0.1 in 0600 AM 03/05
...Mower County...
Waltham 2.0 SE 4.0 in 0800 AM 03/05
Austin 2.4 W 3.9 in 0655 AM 03/05
4 WSW Austin 3.5 in 0700 AM 03/05
Austin Waste Water Treatment 2.0 in 0700 AM 03/05
Austin 1.1 ESE 1.5 in 0700 AM 03/05
Austin 1.9 ENE 1.0 in 0830 AM 03/05
...Olmsted County...
1 SSW Rochester 4.0 in 0941 AM 03/05
2 NE Rochester 4.0 in 0530 AM 03/06
Rochester 4.7 N 3.5 in 0700 AM 03/05
4 N Rochester 3.1 in 1124 AM 03/05
2 NNW Rochester 3.0 in 0700 AM 03/06
Rochester Intl Airport 2.6 in 0216 PM 03/05
Stewartville 4.3 E 2.5 in 0600 AM 03/06
Rochester 3.9 ESE 2.5 in 0700 AM 03/06
Chatfield 2.7 NNW 2.2 in 0800 AM 03/05
4 SE Douglas 2.0 in 0700 AM 03/05
Byron 5.5 SE 1.5 in 0710 AM 03/05
5 SW Elba 1.2 in 0126 PM 03/05
...Wabasha County...
Lake City 0.7 SE 2.8 in 0800 AM 03/05
2 ESE Wabasha 2.0 in 1043 AM 03/05
Zumbro Falls 3.5 SSW 1.4 in 0715 AM 03/05
...Winona County...
La Crescent 4.0 NNW 1.7 in 0700 AM 03/06
Altura 5w 1.5 in 0700 AM 03/05
1 NNW Winona 1.0 in 1227 PM 03/05
Lewiston 1.0 in 1058 AM 03/05
2 NNW Wilson 1.0 in 0821 AM 03/05
La Crescent 4.0 NNW 0.8 in 0710 AM 03/05
Winona 6.9 ESE 0.7 in 0700 AM 03/05
Winona 0.5 in 0938 AM 03/05
Winona 2.0 ESE 0.6 in 0700 AM 03/05
Winona 1.9 ESE 0.3 in 0740 AM 03/05
4.2 N Rollingstone 0.2 in 0719 AM 03/05
...Wisconsin...
...Adams County...
Strongs Prairie 1.5 in 1133 AM 03/05
Oxford 4.0 W 1.0 in 0700 AM 03/06
0.6 W Friendship T in 0700 AM 03/05
...Buffalo County...
Mondovi 2.3 in 1151 AM 03/05
Alma 2.0 in 1230 PM 03/05
7 NW Urne 1.5 in 1148 AM 03/05
...Clark County...
Thorp 10.1 S 3.0 in 0600 AM 03/06
4 SSE Riplinger 2.0 in 0146 PM 03/05
Thorp 10.1 S 0.5 in 0600 AM 03/05
...Crawford County...
Eastman 0.5 in 0223 PM 03/05
...Jackson County...
Melrose 3.6 W 2.0 in 0700 AM 03/06
Black River Falls 0.5 in 0805 AM 03/05
...Juneau County...
1.0 E Mauston 3.0 in 0630 AM 03/06
New Lisbon 2.8 in 1029 AM 03/05
...La Crosse County...
NWS La Crosse 2.3 in 1203 PM 03/05
Onalaska 1.9 E 2.0 in 0700 AM 03/06
La Crosse 1.5 SSE 2.0 in 0700 AM 03/06
Coon Valley 4.5 NNW 1.9 in 0700 AM 03/06
Onalaska 0.5 WSW 1.3 in 0700 AM 03/06
4 SW Mindoro 1.0 in 1136 AM 03/05
1 NNW Holmen 0.5 in 1023 AM 03/05
1 WSW West Salem 0.5 in 1009 AM 03/05
La Crosse 4NNW 0.3 in 0730 AM 03/05
...Monroe County...
Warrens 4.7 WSW 4.0 in 0700 AM 03/06
Cataract 4.0 in 0122 PM 03/05
Cashton 3 NNW 2.8 in 0750 AM 03/06
Tomah 1.5 in 0208 PM 03/05
Sparta 1.0 in 1114 AM 03/05
Tomah 7.5 SSW 0.5 in 0800 AM 03/05
...Richland County...
Richland Center 4 N T in 0800 AM 03/05
...Taylor County...
Westboro 4.5 in 0739 AM 03/05
Medford 0.8 ENE 2.4 in 0700 AM 03/06
4 E Perkinstown 1.5 in 1153 AM 03/05
2 N Dorchester 1.5 in 1138 AM 03/05
...Trempealeau County...
Ettrick 4.0 WNW 3.1 in 0730 AM 03/06
2 SSE Elk Creek 2.5 in 1236 PM 03/05
Galesville 3 ENE 0.4 in 0745 AM 03/05
...Vernon County...
Stoddard 4.7 NNE 2.1 in 0700 AM 03/06
Viroqua 2.0 in 1136 AM 03/05
Viroqua 0.8 ESE 1.1 in 0700 AM 03/06
1 SSE Cashton 0.7 in 0700 AM 03/06
0.5 E Viroqua 0.4 in 0700 AM 03/05
Stoddard 4.7 NNE 0.1 in 0625 AM 03/05
Wind and Visibility
 Highest wind gusts (mph) observed during the day on March 5 |
 Visibilities (miles) at 8am on March 5 during the peak of the worst conditions |
...HIGHEST WIND REPORTS TODAY... Location Speed Time/Date Charles City Airport 55 MPH 1035 AM 03/05 Saratoga 54 MPH 0525 AM 03/05 Preston Airport 53 MPH 1135 AM 03/05 U.s.63 - Lake City - Mp 62.9 53 MPH 0900 AM 03/05 Rochester International Airp 52 MPH 0646 AM 03/05 U.s.14 - Byron - Mp 200 52 MPH 0400 AM 03/05 U.s.218 - Lyle - Mp 4 52 MPH 1250 PM 03/05 Hawkeye 51 MPH 1235 PM 03/05 U.s.63 - Le Roy - Mp 0.5 51 MPH 0630 AM 03/05 Greene 50 MPH 1205 PM 03/05 Saratoga 50 MPH 0100 PM 03/05 I-90 - Dexter - Mp 195 50 MPH 0455 AM 03/05 Oelwein Municipal Airport 48 MPH 1115 AM 03/05 New Hampton 48 MPH 1115 AM 03/05 Austin Municipal Airport 47 MPH 1035 AM 03/05 Decorah Municipal Airport 47 MPH 1115 AM 03/05 U.s.63 - Stewartville - Mp 3 47 MPH 0110 PM 03/05 La Crosse Regional Airport 46 MPH 1008 AM 03/05 I-90 - Eyota - Mp 226 46 MPH 1245 PM 03/05 T.h.52 - Canton - Mp 2 46 MPH 1205 PM 03/05 I-90 Eb At Ush 53 Nb 46 MPH 1101 AM 03/05 U.s.61 - Kellogg - Mp 53 45 MPH 0745 AM 03/05 Mayo Helipad 44 MPH 1006 AM 03/05 Dodge Center Airport 44 MPH 0415 AM 03/05 I-90 - Ridgeway - Mp 261 42 MPH 0800 AM 03/05 Decorah 42 MPH 1105 AM 03/05 ROCHESTER 40 MPH 0530 AM 03/05 Montana 40 MPH 0815 AM 03/05 3 NE Lublin 39 MPH 0114 PM 03/05 New Hampton 39 MPH 1057 AM 03/05 Viroqua Municipal Airport 39 MPH 1235 PM 03/05 Riceville 38 MPH 1230 PM 03/05 Hokah 38 MPH 0915 AM 03/05 Medford Airport 38 MPH 0115 PM 03/05 Boscobel Airport 38 MPH 1213 PM 03/05 Austin 37 MPH 0145 AM 03/05 Platteville Municipal Airpor 37 MPH 1235 PM 03/05 Soldiers Grove 37 MPH 1130 AM 03/05 Lyle 36 MPH 1015 AM 03/05 Hayfield 36 MPH 0557 AM 03/05 Prairie Du Chien Airport 36 MPH 0855 AM 03/05 Volk Field 36 MPH 1245 PM 03/05 Lancaster 36 MPH 1241 PM 03/05 Steuben 35 MPH 1155 AM 03/05 Onalaska 35 MPH 1024 AM 03/05 I-90 - La Crescent - Mp 276. 35 MPH 0530 AM 03/05 Osseo 34 MPH 1040 AM 03/05 Byron 33 MPH 0710 AM 03/05 Winona Municipal Airport 33 MPH 1215 PM 03/05 Necedah 33 MPH 1248 PM 03/05 La Farge 33 MPH 1105 AM 03/05 Calmar 32 MPH 1135 AM 03/05 Lake City 32 MPH 1245 PM 03/05 Westboro 32 MPH 1230 PM 03/05 Mauston Airport 32 MPH 1255 PM 03/05 Sparta/Fort McCoy Airport 32 MPH 0105 PM 03/05 La Crosse 31 MPH 1215 PM 03/05 Rochester 31 MPH 0831 AM 03/05 U.s.61 - Winona 31 MPH 0935 AM 03/05 Us18 Wb At Mississippi River 31 MPH 1210 PM 03/05 Monroe Co. I-94 Wb At Us 12 31 MPH 0100 PM 03/05 Cutler 31 MPH 0635 AM 03/05 Richland Center 31 MPH 1045 AM 03/05 Rochester 30 MPH 1235 PM 03/05 1 E Black River Falls 30 MPH 1215 PM 03/05 Osage 30 MPH 1155 AM 03/05 Medford 30 MPH 1215 PM 03/05 Trempealeau 30 MPH 1010 AM 03/05 Crawford Co. Sth 27 Sb 0.25 30 MPH 0109 PM 03/05
Service
Warnings and advisories issued by the National Weather Service for this event.
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| March 2: Rainfall and snowfall outlook | March 4: Graphic discussing snow and blizzard potential | March 4: Graphic discussing heavy rainfall potential | March 5: Timing graphic for when the rain will transition to snow |
| Snow Forecast Accuracy: To the right is the March 4 2pm issued snow forecast for the storm versus the observed snow amount. The high snow amount axis through Minneapolis turned out to be slightly further west. In Wisconsin, near and north of I-90, slightly warmer temperatures (=more melting), a 2-hour delay in the rain changing to snow, and lighter daytime snow rates all contributed to less snow overall. Much of northeast Iowa and southwest Wisconsin verified the forecast well. |
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| Wind Gust Forecast Accuracy: To the right is the March 4 2pm issued wind gust forecast with the max observed wind gust in the black circles. Generally wind gusts were overforecast by about 20% (7-10 mph) with the strongest values generally over northeast Iowa. |  |
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