Winter Weather — Stearns, Minnesota

2026-01-16 to 2026-01-17 · Stearns, Minnesota

Event narrative

Strong winds gusting to 30 mph at KD39 and scattered snow showers resulted in periodic reductions in visibility as low as a 1/4 mile at times. Total snow accumulation was under an inch, which limited overall impacts from the storm.

Wider weather episode

A strong cold front resulted in gusty winds and light snow from the morning of the 16th through the afternoon of the 17th. Since there was little to no snowpack on the ground, any reductions in visibility depended on how heavy the falling snow was and how strong winds were. Conditions were generally worst in open, rural areas where the snowfall was able to blow around easier.

Winds gusted over 40 mph in parts of western and southern Minnesota, and generally under an inch of snow fell across the region. Visibilities dropped to 1/4 mile in several locations, though it was often brief due to the showery nature of the snowfall. Two counties, Stevens and Watonwan, experienced blizzard conditions, with prolonged reductions in visibility at or below 1/4 mile and very strong winds.

The strongest measured wind gusts from January 16-17 were:

44 mph at KMOX in Morris, MN.

43 mph at KULM in New Ulm, MN

43 mph at KRWF in Redwood Falls, MN.

43 mph at KJYG in St James, MN.

41 mph at KBBB in Benson, MN.

39 mph at KBDH in Willmar, MN.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1312633. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.