Overview
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A strong early-April low pressure system brought multiple rounds of heavy snow, sleet, and rain to the Upper Mississippi River Valley. The first round of snow moved into western and central Minnesota early on Tuesday, April 1st. Later in the day, a broad swath of heavy snowfall developed over south-central Minnesota and spread northeast into east-central Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Heavy snowfall occurred under this band with snowfall rates around an inch per hour reported. Visibilities were significantly reduced and travel was impacted Friday evening. Roughly 2 to 3 inches of wet, slushy snow fell across the Twin Cities metro, and 3 to 5 inches fell across west-central Minnesota.
As the system occluded, a deformation band set up over western Minnesota, leading to another period of heavy snowfall rates around an inch per hour during much of Wednesday morning on April 2nd. To the east, cold rain fell on top of the fresh snow which contributed to it melting almost completely within a day. A period of sleet occurred across south-central into central Minnesota between the band of heavy snow the west and rain to the east. These storms had enough convective energy to result in thunderstorms to the south and thundersnow to the north. An additional 4 to 8 inches of snow fell over west-central Minnesota, leading to several double digit totals over the two day event. |
 There were multiple rounds of heavy snow that occurred from the morning of Tuesday, April 1st through the morning of Thursday, April 3rd. The highest snowfall amounts over the 48 hours were reported across west-central Minnesota. |
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| MNDOT road camera near Holloway, MN during the afternoon on April 1st. Heavy snowfall rates around an inch per hour significantly reduced visibilities throughout the 2-day storm, leading to quick accumulations of slushy wet snow on roadways. | Image from the morning of April 2nd in Medina, MN courtesy of Andrew Erickson. |
Summary
This particularly strong spring system brought a variety of precipitation types and hazards to the Upper Midwest, including severe thunderstorms, icing, and blizzard conditions.
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| A burst of heavy, wet snow fell Tuesday evening, impacting visibility and travel conditions in the Twin Cities metro. | Image of fresh snowfall from the Tuesday evening burst of heavy snow that fell across portions of south and east central Minnesota into western Wisconsin. Image is from the morning of April 2nd in Plymouth, MN (courtesy of Ronica Hopkins). | The combination of heavy snow and rain brought well-needed moisture to the region, especially for a portion of western Minnesota that is in a "Severe Drought" as of April 1st, 2025. |
Snowfall Reports
...SNOWFALL REPORTS... Snowfall reports from the April 1-2 Storm of 2 inches or more are listed below by county. Observations with a time/date of April 3 are 48 hour totals, while observations from April 2 are generally 24 hour totals. Location Amount Time/Date Provider ...Minnesota... ...Anoka County... Blaine 2.7 WSW 2.8 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Nowthen 2.9 SSE 2.5 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Fridley 0.4 WSW 2.5 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Andover 1.9 W 2.3 in 0600 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Anoka 0.9 SSW 2.0 in 0625 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Oak Grove 2.7 SSW 2.0 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Wyoming 9.5 W 2.0 in 0701 AM 04/02 COCORAHS ...Benton County... Rice 8.0 in 0700 AM 04/03 COOP Rice 6.5 SSE 5.6 in 0700 AM 04/03 COCORAHS Rice 3.6 E 3.6 in 0700 AM 04/03 COCORAHS Rice 2.8 in 0700 AM 04/02 COOP ...Blue Earth County... Mankato 1ESE 2.0 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS ...Carver County... Victoria 2ENE 3.2 in 0800 AM 04/02 COCORAHS 0 N Chanhassen NWS 2.8 in 0653 AM 04/02 Official NWS Obs Carver 1W 2.4 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Chanhassen 1.7 S 2.2 in 0600 AM 04/02 COCORAHS 1 NNW Chaska 2.0 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS ...Chippewa County... 4 SSE Milan 5.0 in 0400 PM 04/02 Public ...Chisago County... Rush City 0.3 SSW 4.5 in 0700 AM 04/03 COCORAHS Rush City 0.3 SSW 2.5 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Stanchfield 4.7 SE 2.3 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Chisago City 1.6 ENE 2.0 in 0630 AM 04/02 COCORAHS ...Dakota County... 5 S Lakeville 3.5 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Eagan 3.0 in 1010 PM 04/01 Trained Spotter 1 ENE Lakeville 3.0 in 1215 AM 04/02 Trained Spotter Lakeville 2.4 NNE 3.0 in 0640 AM 04/02 COCORAHS 3 NW Farmington 2.8 in 1030 PM 04/01 Trained Spotter Hastings 1.6 NW 2.8 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS 2 SW St. Paul Park 2.6 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Farmington 1.7 NNW 2.5 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Rosemount 3WNW 2.5 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS 2 NNW Apple Valley 2.2 in 1015 PM 04/01 Trained Spotter Eagan 2.2 SW 2.1 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Burnsville 2.1 ENE 2.0 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS ...Douglas County... 3 SE Garfield 12.5 in 0645 AM 04/03 Trained Spotter Brandon 0.4 WNW 10.0 in 0700 AM 04/03 COCORAHS 3 SE Garfield 9.5 in 0800 PM 04/02 Trained Spotter Kensington 8.0 in 0400 PM 04/02 Trained Spotter Farwell 5N 6.7 in 0745 AM 04/03 COCORAHS 3 SE Garfield 5.0 in 0908 AM 04/02 Trained Spotter 6 NE Farwell 4.5 in 0513 PM 04/02 Trained Spotter Carlos 3.0 WSW 4.0 in 0632 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Alexandria 2.6 WSW 3.5 in 0800 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Alexandria 4.0 NE 2.6 in 0800 AM 04/02 COCORAHS ...Goodhue County... Red Wing 3.0 in 1013 PM 04/01 Trained Spotter 3 W Red Wing 3.0 in 1020 PM 04/01 Trained Spotter Zumbrota 0.5 N 2.5 in 0400 AM 04/02 COCORAHS ...Hennepin County... Corcoran 2.2 W 3.5 in 0500 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Minneapolis 4.7 SSW 3.5 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Minneapolis 3.8 NNE 3.0 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Long Lake 0.2 WSW 3.0 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Brooklyn Center 0.9 WSW 3.0 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Maple Grove 1.4 WSW 2.9 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Minneapolis 4.5 SSW 2.8 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS 1 ENE Maple Plain 2.5 in 1230 AM 04/02 Trained Spotter Brooklyn Park 1.5 NNE 2.5 in 0630 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Plymouth 2ENE 2.5 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Champlin 1SW 2.5 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Minneapolis 0.9 ESE 2.5 in 0715 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Maple Plain 4.2 W 2.3 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Maple Grove 2.2 SSW 2.2 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Plymouth 2.6 E 2.2 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Osseo 1W 2.2 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS 0 N MSP Airport 2.1 in 0700 AM 04/02 Official NWS Obs Champlin 1.8 E 2.1 in 0745 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Brooklyn Center 1E 2.0 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Edina 0.7 SE 2.0 in 0743 AM 04/02 COCORAHS ...Isanti County... 1 N Isanti 2.5 in 1050 PM 04/01 Trained Spotter Bradford 2.5 in 0700 AM 04/02 Trained Spotter ...Kanabec County... Mora 2.5 S 3.4 in 0700 AM 04/03 COCORAHS ...Kandiyohi County... New London 4.0 ENE 4.5 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Willmar 3.5 in 1030 PM 04/01 Public ...Lac qui Parle County... Montevideo 5.1 WSW 5.5 in 0700 AM 04/03 COCORAHS ...Le Sueur County... 1 N Montgomery 2.8 in 0446 AM 04/02 Montgomery 1.8 NE 2.5 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS ...McLeod County... Plato 0.3 ENE 3.5 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Plato 0.3 ENE 3.5 in 0700 AM 04/03 COCORAHS Hutchinson 5N 3.0 in 0600 AM 04/03 COCORAHS Hutchinson 5N 2.5 in 0600 AM 04/02 COCORAHS 2 WNW Hutchinson 2.5 in 0730 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Lester Prairie 0.4 W 2.4 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS ...Meeker County... Eden Valley 2.2 WSW 10.0 in 0630 AM 04/03 COCORAHS Litchfield 0.4 ESE 5.7 in 0700 AM 04/03 COCORAHS Dassel 0.4 S 5.6 in 0700 AM 04/03 COCORAHS Dassel 0.4 S 4.2 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS ...Morrison County... Little Falls 1.2 SW 8.0 in 0700 AM 04/03 COCORAHS Upsala 8.0 in 0800 AM 04/03 Public 2 NNW Little Falls 7.5 in 0535 PM 04/02 Trained Spotter Camp Ripley 4E 4.2 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS 2 W Upsala 4.0 in 0908 AM 04/02 Trained Spotter Little Falls 9.3 WNW 3.6 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Little Falls 1.2 SW 2.0 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS ...Pope County... 1 ENE Starbuck 7.0 in 0511 PM 04/02 Trained Spotter ...Ramsey County... Falcon Heights 0.8 NE 3.0 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Roseville 1.8 E 2.6 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Saint Paul 1.1 SW 2.5 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Shoreview 1.4 ESE 2.5 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS White Bear Lake 1.7 S 2.4 in 0600 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Saint Paul 3.8 WSW 2.3 in 0626 AM 04/02 COCORAHS North St. Paul 1WNW 2.2 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Shoreview 2.5 N 2.2 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS ...Renville County... Danube 2WNW 4.8 in 0700 AM 04/03 COCORAHS Olivia 0.9 ESE 3.0 in 0430 AM 04/03 COCORAHS Olivia 0.9 ESE 2.0 in 0600 AM 04/02 COCORAHS ...Rice County... Northfield 0.4 SSW 2.0 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Dundas 0.4 SW 2.0 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS ...Scott County... 6 N Veseli 3.0 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Savage 1.0 NNE 2.0 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS ...Sherburne County... Clear Lake 3.9 SSE 6.7 in 0600 AM 04/03 COCORAHS Orrock 2SE 4.3 in 0700 AM 04/03 COCORAHS Clear Lake 3.9 SSE 3.0 in 0600 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Orrock 2SE 2.3 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Elk River 2.0 in 0700 AM 04/02 COOP ...Sibley County... Winthrop 2.0 in 0535 AM 04/02 Trained Spotter ...Stearns County... Melrose 2.1 NNW 10.5 in 0600 AM 04/03 COCORAHS Saint Cloud 7.6 SW 7.6 in 0700 AM 04/03 COCORAHS St Augusta 2.1 S 7.4 in 0700 AM 04/03 COCORAHS Kimball 3N 7.0 in 0530 AM 04/03 COOP Cold Spring 0.8 W 7.0 in 0700 AM 04/03 COCORAHS Paynesville 1SSW 7.0 in 0700 AM 04/03 COCORAHS St Cloud 6.0 in 0600 AM 04/03 UCOOP Melrose 2.1 NNW 5.0 in 0600 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Albany 5.0 in 0334 PM 04/02 Public Saint Joseph 0.2 N 4.6 in 0700 AM 04/03 COCORAHS 2 ESE St. Joseph 4.5 in 0336 PM 04/02 Public Sartell 1SSE 4.2 in 0700 AM 04/03 COCORAHS Kimball 3N 4.0 in 0530 AM 04/02 COOP St Augusta 2.1 S 3.5 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Sauk Centre 0.8 WNW 3.5 in 0705 AM 04/02 COCORAHS St. Augusta 3.3 in 0845 AM 04/02 Trained Spotter Saint Cloud 7.6 SW 3.1 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Cold Spring 0.8 W 3.0 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Paynesville 1SSW 2.5 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Kimball 6.5 N 2.3 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS St Cloud 2.0 in 0600 AM 04/02 UCOOP 1 ESE St. Cloud 2.0 in 0600 AM 04/02 CO-OP Observer Melrose 2.0 in 0700 AM 04/02 COOP St Joseph 2.7 NW 2.0 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS ...Stevens County... 3 NW Donnelly 6.0 in 0510 PM 04/02 Trained Spotter Donnelly 2WNW 6.0 in 0700 AM 04/03 COCORAHS ...Swift County... Benson 0.4 SSW 8.0 in 0700 AM 04/03 COCORAHS Benson 0.1 SW 3.0 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Benson 0.4 SSW 2.0 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS ...Todd County... Long Prairie 10.3 in 0600 AM 04/03 COOP Bertha 8.4 in 0500 AM 04/03 Trained Spotter Osakis 2.5 SE 7.9 in 0700 AM 04/03 COCORAHS Long Prairie 4.1 in 0600 AM 04/02 COOP 4 S Round Prairie 3.4 in 0643 PM 04/01 ...Washington County... Woodbury 3.0 in 1110 PM 04/01 Trained Spotter Woodbury 3.3 SW 3.0 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Hugo 3.1 SSE 2.5 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Stillwater 5.4 NW 2.4 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Stillwater 0.8 SW 2.3 in 0730 AM 04/02 COCORAHS St Paul Park 0.6 NNE 2.2 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Afton 1E 2.0 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Woodbury 1.7 N 2.0 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS ...Wright County... Maple Lake 5.5 in 0700 AM 04/03 COCORAHS Maple Lake 4.0 in 0700 AM 04/02 COCORAHS Maple Lake 3.0 in 0945 PM 04/01 1 N Albertville 3.0 in 0800 AM 04/02 Cocorahs Monticello 2.3 E 2.1 in 0649 AM 04/02 COCORAHS ...Wisconsin... ...Dunn County... Menomonie 0.9 NW 2.3 in 0730 AM 04/02 COCORAHS ...Eau Claire County... 0 N Eau Claire 2.3 in 0600 AM 04/02 Official NWS Obs ...Pierce County... River Falls 3.3 S 2.3 in 0657 AM 04/02 COCORAHS 1 WNW River Falls 2.0 in 1019 PM 04/01 ...St. Croix County... Woodville 3.0 in 0700 AM 04/02 Trained Spotter 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.
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