Cottonwood storm history

Steady snow accumulated 3 to 5 inches. The resulting slippery roads contributed to a 2 vehicle accident just east of Bingham Lake on Minnesota Highway 60 in which a 71 year old driver was killed and at least 3 others were injured.

Rainfall amounts across Cottonwood County from June 20-22 ranged from 6 to 9 inches. Overland flooding ensued with additional major to record flooding along the West Fork Des Moines River. County-wide, there were significant impacts to personal property with an estimated 1,000 pl…

Rainfall of 3 to 5 inches (locally 5 to 10 inches upstream) during the first three days of July exacerbated flooding through the Des Moines River basin. A state of emergency was declared in the City of Windom with water breaching Island Park, the golf course, and several homes. S…

An extended period of precipitation began with freezing rain quickly producing heavy ice accumulations, ranging up to a half inch. The precipitation then changed to sleet and then snow, with sleet and snow accumulations reaching 7.4 inches at Windom. Many branches, limbs, whole t…

Two episodes of extended blizzard conditions occurred over a slightly less than 24 hour period, with a slight improvement in conditions during the late afternoon to early evening. Gusty northwest winds from 35 to 50 mph were concurrent with light to moderate snowfall, which total…

Sustained winds occasionally reached 30 to 37 mph with a peak gust of 56 mph 4 miles west-southwest of Mountain Lake, 55 mph 4 miles east-northeast of Jeffers and 48 mph at Windom.

Whiteout conditions became common as northwest winds reached 35 to 55 mph and interacted with periods of light snow during the very late morning and afternoon.

Synoptic northwest winds were occasionally sustained from 40 to 45 mph at Minnesota Road Weather Information System sites 4 miles northeast of Jeffers and 3 miles west southwest of Mountain Lake, as well as at an Automated Weather Observing System site at Windom.

Snowfall totaled 1.4 inches at Windom.

A long-duration snowfall totaled 9.0 inches at Windom.

Sustained winds reached around 40 mph at times at an Automated Weather Observing System site at Windom, and Minnesota Road Weather Information System sites near Mountain Lake and Jeffers.

Gusty winds from 40 to 60 mph and a period of evening light snowfall led to several hours with visibility reduced to one mile or less, briefly from one-quarter to one-half mile at Windom and Mountain Lake.

Hail was quarter size or smaller.

Several three-inch tree limbs were broken off by thunderstorm wind gusts.

Dangerous heat index readings reached an afternoon peak on July 27 as high as 107 degrees near Mountain Lake.

Dangerous heat index readings reached afternoon peaks as high as 111 degrees 6 miles south of Westbrook on July 22.

Daily afternoon and evening heat indices ranged from 105 to 112 degrees with a maximum heat index of 112 degrees at a personal weather station near Westbrook on June 20, 111 degrees at a personal weather station near Storden on June 21, 107 degrees near Jeffers and 106 degrees ne…

Sustained easterly winds reached 30 to 39 mph with gusts as high as 49 mph near Mountain Lake and 47 mph near Jeffers.

An extended period of gusty winds reached speeds as high as 66 mph 11 miles north of Mountain Lake, 64 mph near Bingham Lake, 62 mph 5 miles east-northeast of Dundee, 61 mph 4 miles east-northeast of Jeffers, and 60 mph at Windom and near Mountain Lake. One mile west of Windom, w…

While the highest winds were inconsistent over the period, winds did gust at times up to 59 mph near Mountain Lake and 58 mph near Jeffers.

An abundance of dime to nickel size hail fell.

After a period of evening rainfall, snow developed and became briefly heavy with a difficult to measure accumulation of 4.0 inches at Jeffers. As northwest winds increased to a sustained 30 to 40 mph at times at Windom and near Jeffers and Mountain Lake, with gusts as high as 54 …

Sustained winds reached as high as 43 mph near Windom and 42 mph near Mountain Lake, with numerous gusts from 50 to 55 mph.

Snowfall only totaled 2.0 inches at Windom and northwest winds were sustained from 40 to 43 mph with gusts frequently up to 55 mph at Windom and Mountain Lake. Wind and snowfall combined to result in widespread white-out conditions, especially in rural areas. Roads were closed du…

Winds were sustained at times from 40 to 43 mph with a peak gust of 62 mph near Mountain Lake, 59 mph near Jeffers, and 49 mph at Windom.

The lowest wind chills ranged from 35 to 42 below zero with 42 below zero observed at the Windom Municipal Airport (KMWM) and at the Minnesota Department of Transportation sites near Mountain Lake and Jeffers.

The lowest wind chills ranged from 35 to 38 below zero with 38 below zero observed at the Windom Municipal Airport (KMWM).

The lowest wind chills ranged from 35 to 41 below zero with 41 below zero observed at the Minnesota Department of Transportation site near Mountain Lake.

A couple periods of snowfall totaled 3.4 inches at Windom. While most of the snowfall occurred prior to onset of strongest winds, some visibility of one mile or less occurred during heavier snowfall. Winds gusted at times from 25 to 40 mph.

Winds were sustained from 30 to 40 mph with gusts as high as 52 mph near Jeffers and Mountain Lake, and 45 mph at Windom.

Occasional wind gusts up to 48 mph were measured near Mountain Lake.

Severe (D2) drought eased to moderate (D1) by mid-November with 2 to 3 inches of rainfall early in the month.

A period of light to occasionally moderate snowfall totaled 2.7 inches at Windom and 2.0 inches at Delft. Northwest winds gusted from 25 to 35 mph during snowfall and resulted in reduced visibility as low as 1/2 to 1 mile at times of greater snowfall.

Severe (D2) drought developed with precipitation from 5 to 6 inches below normal since August 1.

Afternoon and early evening heat index values reached as high as 109 degrees near Jeffers, 107 degrees at Mountain Lake, and 105 degrees at Windom.

Afternoon and early evening heat index values reached as high as 102 degrees near Jeffers and 101 degrees at Mountain Lake.

Afternoon and evening heat indices on July 13 ranged from 100 to 103 degrees with a maximum heat index of 103 degrees at Road Weather Information System sites near Mountain Lake and 102 degrees near Jeffers, as well as 100 degrees at the Automated Weather Observing System site ne…

Flooding continued from June on the Des Moines River near Avoca, with declining river levels. The river fell below flood stage on the morning of July 8th.

Flooding continued from June on the Des Moines River at Windom, with declining river levels. The river fell below flood stage on the evening of July 11th.

The West Fork of the Des Moines River near Avoca rose above flood stage the morning of June 21st, cresting around 4.64 feet above flood stage (1429.64 feet) on June 24th. This crest is in the Major Stage. The river stayed above flood stage into July. For a more comprehensive desc…

The West Fork of the Des Moines River at Windom rose above flood stage the morning of June 21st, cresting around 6.01 feet above flood stage (25.01 feet) on June 25th. This crest is in the Major Stage and broke the previous record. The river stayed above flood stage into July. Fo…

Strong synoptic winds gusted up to 47 mph at Mountain Lake and 46 mph near Jeffers and Windom.