National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Overview

A low pressure system exited southeast South Dakota and tracked across southern Minnesota through the day Sunday, December 9th. Snow became widespread across the entire state of Minnesota through the early morning hours of the 9th, persisting into the evening for most areas. Snow lingered in the Minnesota Arrowhead region and across northern Wisconsin overnight.

Impressive snowfall amounts were associated with this winter storm. Totals in excess of one foot were found over portions of central Minnesota into west central Wisconsin. By Sunday evening, the Northland saw snowfall amounts ranging from over 8 inches in southern Pine county, around 6 inches in the Brainerd to Aitkin area, and generally 5 to 6 inches across the Twin Ports.

As the low pressure center moved southeastward through southern Minnesota and into Wisconsin, northwesterly winds allowed for additional lake effect snow along the southern shore of Lake Superior. Areas along the shore reached storm totals ranging from 6 to 12 inches for both the snow that fell on the 9th during the day and overnight and during the lake effect snow effect on the 10th.

Interestingly...a relatively strong meso-vortex (relatively small area of circulation) formed in the general flow over the tip of Lake Superior, creating an area of heavy snow just along the north shore from Two Harbors to Silver Bay. The snow out of this atmospheric disturbance was falling at one inch per hour at one point.

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