Svea, Minnesota

... Winter Storm Warning remains in effect from 9 PM this evening
to 6 am CST Saturday...

A Winter Storm Warning remains in effect from 9 PM this evening
to 6 am CST Saturday.

* Timing... snow will begin late this afternoon into early this
evening... with accumulating snow most likely after 9 PM
tonight. The snow will continue through Friday night. Some
sleet is also possible from late Wednesday night into Thursday
afternoon... mainly in east central Minnesota and western
Wisconsin.

* Accumulations... significant amounts of snow will occur with
periods of heavy snow likely as the storm intensifies Thursday
afternoon into Friday. Snow amounts by Thursday morning of two
to five inches are expected. Total snowfall accumulations by
Saturday morning will likely exceed one foot in many areas...
with scattered totals in excess of 20 inches probable. This
event may become comparable to the Halloween snow storm of
1991.

* Surface visibility will be reduced as the event continues due
to increasing wind speeds and blowing snow... mainly in open
rural areas.

Precautionary/preparedness actions...

A Winter Storm Warning for heavy snow means severe winter weather
conditions are expected or occurring. Significant amounts of
snow are forecast that will make travel dangerous. Only travel in
an emergency. If you must travel... keep an extra flashlight...
food... and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency.

**********************************************************************
* Minneapolis/St Paul international Airport *
* extremes of snowfall *
**********************************************************************
* maximum "monthly" snowfall* "maximum" snowfall *
* ------- * ------- *
* "descending" order * inches *
* ---------- * 24-hours ... ..Oct 31-Nov 1 1991 21.0 *
* Nov 1991 ... 46.9 inches * single storm..Oct 31-Nov 3 1991..28.4 *
* Jan 1982 ... 46.4 * single month... Nov 1991 ... ... . 46.9 *
* Mar 1951 ... 40.0 * single season.. 1983-84 ... ... ... 98.6 *
* Dec 1969 ... 33.2 * single calender year... 1983 ... .101.5 *
* Feb 1962 ... 26.5 ******************************************
* Apr 1983 ... 21.8 * "minimum" snowfall *
* Oct 1991 ... . 8.2 * ------- *
* may 1946 ... . 3.0 * inches *
* Sep 1942 ... . 1.7 * single season ... ... .. 1931-32 14.2 *
* Jun-Jul-Aug no snow * single year ... ... ... . 1931 ... . 12.5 *
**********************************************************************
* maximum "snow-depth" * "earliest" snowfall *
* ---------- * -------- *
* * inches *
* Jan 1982 ... 38.0 inches * trace ... ... .. Sep 16 1916 ... . trace *
* Feb 1967 ... 31.0 * measurable ... Sep 24 1985 ... .. 0.4 *
* Mar 1917 ... 31.0 * 1" or more ... Sep 26 1942 ... .. 1.7 *
* Dec 1968 ... 21.0 * 4" or more ... Oct 29 1905 ... .. 5.5 *
* Nov 1991 ... 25.0 ******************************************
* Apr 1983 ... 10.0 * "latest" snowfall *
* Oct 1905 ... 5.5 * ------ *
* may 1946+... 3.0 * inches *
* Sep -----... trace * trace... ... ... May 28 1965 ... trace *
* Jun-Jul-Aug no snow * measurable ... may 25 1925 ... . 0.1 *
***************************** 1" or more ... may 20 1892 ... . 3.0 *
* average number of days * 4" or more ... Apr 29 1984 ... . 6.6 *
* with snow "on ground" ******************************************
* --------------- * avg. Date for first inch of snow cover *
* days inches * ---- ---- ----- ---- ---------- *
* 100 ... 1 * November 22 *
* 79 ... 3 ******************************************
* 54 ... 6 * avg. Date for last inch of snow cover *
* 34 ... 9 * ---- ---- ---- ---- ---------- *
* 24 ... 12 * April 2 *
**********************************************************************
* top five snowstorms * *
* for the Twin Cities * *
* ------------------- * *
* inches * *
* 1. Oct 31-Nov 3 1991 28.4 * *
* 1. Jan 22-23 1982 .. 20.0 * *
* 2. Jan 20-21 1982 .. 17.4 * *
* 3. Nov 11-12 1940 .. 16.8 * *
* 4. Mar 3-4 1985 .. 16.7 * *
**********************************************************************
* 10 heaviest seasonal snowfalls / 10 lightest seasonal snowfalls *
* ------------------------------ / ------------------------------ *
* inches / inches *
* 1. 1983-84 ... ... . 98.6 / 1. 1930-31 ... ... . 14.2 *
* 2. 1981-82 ... ... . 95.0 / 2. 1888-89 ... ... . 14.7 *
* 3. 1950-51 ... ... . 88.9 / 3. 1894-95 ... ... . 16.2 *
* 4. 1916-17 ... ... . 84.9 / 4. 1986-87 ... ... . 17.4 *
* 5. 1991-92 ... ... . 84.1 / 5. 1967-68 ... ... . 17.5 *
* 6. 1961-62 ... ... . 81.3 / 6. 1958-59 ... ... . 19.1 *
* 7. 1951-52 ... ... . 79.0 / 7. 1920-21 ... ... . 20.6 *
* 8. 1966-67 ... ... . 78.4 / 8. 1980-81 ... ... . 21.1 *
* 9. 1982-83 ... ... . 74.4 / 9. 1957-58 ... ... . 21.2 *
* 10. 1964-65 ... ... . 73.7 / 10. 1901-02 ... ... . 22.4 *
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