Strong Wind — Cottonwood, Minnesota

2026-01-16 · Cottonwood, Minnesota

Event narrative

Sustained winds reached 30 to 36 mph at times with a peak gust of 48 mph at a Minnesota Road Weather Information System site 4 miles east-northeast of Jeffers and 46 mph near Mountain Lake.

Wider weather episode

Northwest winds surged behind a strong arctic cold front which moved across the region early on January 16. Winds persisted into the midday on January 17, with occasional gusts as high as 35 to 50 mph. Areas of light snowfall generally on the order of a dusting to an inch fell before and concurrent with the strong winds, and locations mainly near Highway 71 experienced considerable time with visibility near or below one quarter mile with travel not recommended in areas surrounding Windom.

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1314129. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.