Blizzard in Blue Earth, Minnesota

MNDOT RWIS sites reported visibilities at or below 1/4 mile for several hours as heavy snow fell and sustained winds were 15 to 25 mph with frequent gusts over 35 mph. The 2-day snowfall reports ranged from about 6 to 11 inches throughout the county, with the highest report being 11 inches 2 miles east of Mankato. The DOT also issued a travel advisory across much of Southern Minnesota on Sunday due to the blizzard conditions.

A large scale spring storm brought a round of heavy snow to the Upper Mississippi Valley from Saturday, March 14th through Sunday, March 15th. The footprint of the greatest totals stretched from southeast MN into central WI, where many places saw at least a foot of snowfall. The heavy snow combined with strong northwesterly winds resulted in reduced visibilities, often at one mile or less in the heaviest hit areas. Persistent blizzard conditions were most widespread in southern Minnesota, severely deteriorating road conditions. This led to a widespread travel advisory issued by MNDOT for much of the southern portion of the state, including the closure of the southbound lanes of I-35 near Albert Lea.

The highest snowfall reports were:

19.0 inches in Zumbrota, MN (Goodhue).

16.9 inches in Rosemount, MN (Dakota).

16.0 inches in Pine Island, MN (Goodhue).

14.8 inches in Elko New Market, MN (Scott).

14.5 inches in Lakeville, MN (Dakota).

14.5 inches in Prior Lake, MN (Scott).

14.0 inches in western Bloomington, MN (Hennepin).