Heavy Snow — Southern Cook, Minnesota

2026-01-04 to 2026-01-05 · Southern Cook, Minnesota

Event narrative

Snow was heavier than expected and quickly piled up along the North Shore of Lake Superior. Snowfall totals of 6 to 8 inches were received with a high report of 9.5 inches from 3.8 miles north-northeast of Grand Marais.

Wider weather episode

An area of low pressure moved across the Upper Midwest the afternoon of the 4th into the early morning of the 5th. This brought a wintry mix to the Northland with snow, sleet, and freezing drizzle. An area of heavy banded snow along the lake and terrain enhancement set up along the North Shore around Grand Marais and areas further inland in northern Cook County. This led to snowfall amounts of 5 to 8 inches in this area with upwards of 9 inches reported near Grand Marais in about 6 hours.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1310904. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.