Blizzard / Winter Storm of December 10-12, 2010
| Snowfall Graphics | Photos | Snowfall Reports | Wind Gusts | Storm Reports |
A very potent winter storm developed over South Dakota and Nebraska on Friday, December 10th, then strengthened as it moved into Iowa through Saturday, December 11th. Moisture and warm air surged into the Upper Mississippi River Valley ahead of the system on Friday, which led to temperatures near or above the freezing mark for much of southeast Minnesota, western Wisconsin and northeast Iowa. Precipitation pushed into northeast Iowa, southeast Minnesota and far southwest Wisconsin on Friday evening, continuing to surge northeast through the night. Initially, the precipitation fell as a wintry mix, from rain across the southern parts, to freezing rain and sleet surrounding the Interstate 90 corridor, to snow in areas to the north. Eventually enough cold air wrapped into the system to cause all precipitation to change over to snow. The storm system then moved east Saturday night, causing the snow to come to an end for the local area by Sunday morning, December 12th.
Very heavy snow accompanied this system as amounts ranged from a few inches in the far southern parts of the forecast area (due to much of the precipitation falling as rain), to greater than 20 inches. The highest amounts fell along and north of Interstate 90. The impact of the heavy snow was compounded as strong winds blew at 25 to 35 mph with gusts up wards of 45 mph. This caused significant blowing and drifting snow, as well as white-out conditions across much of the area. Although the snow ended by Sunday morning, the strong winds continued, therefore hazardous conditions remained through the morning hours.
Blizzard and Winter Storm Warnings were in effect for the entire area starting Friday night and continued through Sunday morning.
In addition, a cold arctic airmass was pulled into the area behind the system, with temperatures dropping as the day progressed on Sunday. High temperatures across the forecast area on Sunday ranged from the single digits above zero west of the Mississippi River to the teens above zero east of the river. As winds were still breezy, wind chills dropped to values colder than 20 degrees below zero by Sunday morning. Wind chill advisories were issued for the area after the system had progressed east.
 |
Media use of NWS Web News Stories is encouraged. Please acknowledge the NWS as the source of any news information accessed from this site.
|
 |
 |
| Regional map of 72-hour snowfall totals (Dec. 10-12, 2010). (Click on image to enlarge) | Local map of 72-hour snowfall totals (Dec. 10-12, 2010). (Click on image to enlarge) |
 |
 |
| Satellite loop of the storm from Friday afternoon (Dec 10) through Sunday morning (Dec 12). White/green shades indicate moisture, dark areas indicate drier air. Mean sea-level pressure is also contoured on the image. | Radar loop of the storm from Friday afternoon (Dec 10) through Sunday morning (Dec 12). White/green shades indicated 1"+ per hour snowfall rates or sleet. Mean sea-level pressure is also contoured on the image. |
 |
|
| Peak Winds (MPH) From the Storm |
 |
 |
Snowfall Totals
...DECEMBER 10-11 2010 STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS... THESE REPORTS ARE TOTAL AMOUNTS BEGINNING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING OF FRIDAY DECEMBER 10TH AND CONTINUING THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF SUNDAY DECEMBER 12TH. LOCATION SNOWFALL LAT/LON IOWA ...ALLAMAKEE COUNTY... WAUKON 12.0 43.27N 91.48W LANSING 4SE 10.5 43.32N 91.16W WATERVILLE 10.0 WAUKON 8NW 9.3 43.34N 91.6W DORCHESTER 8.4 43.47N 91.52W HARPERS FERRY 7.5 43.20N 91.15W ...CHICKASAW COUNTY... IONIA 7.0 43.04N 92.46W NASHUA 5.8 42.95N 92.54W ...CLAYTON COUNTY... MARQUETTE 3W 8.0 43.04N 91.22W ELKADER 6SSW 6.6 42.81N 91.43W STRAWBERRY POINT 6.5 42.68N 91.54W VOLGA 5.8 42.81N 91.52W GUTTENBERG 2.6 42.79N 91.10W ...FAYETTE COUNTY... FAYETTE 6.2 42.83N 91.80W CLERMONT 6.2 43.00N 91.65W WAUCOMA 5.0 43.05N 92.04W ...FLOYD... NASHUA 2SW-ISU AG FARM 5.8 42.93N 92.55W CHARLES CITY 5.0 43.05N 92.67W ...HOWARD COUNTY... CRESCO 1 NE 9.5 43.38N 92.10W ELMA 8.0 43.24N 92.43W ...MITCHELL... ST ANSGAR 8.0 43.38N 92.92W ...WINNESHIEK COUNTY... DECORAH 9.5 43.31N 91.79W MINNESOTA ...DODGE COUNTY... MANTORVILLE 12.0 44.07N 92.76W ...FILLMORE COUNTY... SPRING VALLEY 3E 12.5 43.68N 92.33W PETERSON 1S 12.0 43.78N 91.82W HARMONY 11.5 43.56N 92.01W LANESBORO 10.8 43.72N 91.97W ...HOUSTON... LA CRESCENT 1N 17.3 43.83N 91.31W RENO 3SW 13.7 43.53N 91.33W CALEDONIA 6S 13.0 LA CRESCENT 9W 9.5 43.82N 91.47W ...MOWER COUNTY... GRAND MEADOW 13.0 43.70N 92.57W AUSTIN KAAL TV 12.5 43.68N 92.95W ...OLMSTED COUNTY... ROCHESTER AIRPORT 16.0 43.91N 92.5W BYRON 14.8 44.04N 92.64W ...WABASHA COUNTY... READS LANDING 1W 17.0 44.40N 92.17W WABASHA 15.9 44.38N 92.03W THEILMAN 11.7 44.30N 92.2W ...WINONA COUNTY... WINONA DAM 5A 23.0 44.09N 91.67W WINONA 3S 21.0 43.99N 91.61W MINNESOTA CITY LD5 13.5 44.16N 91.81W GOODVIEW 13.5 44.07N 91.71W WISCONSIN ...ADAMS... FRIENDSHIP 19.9 43.98N 89.38W ...BUFFALO COUNTY... MONDOVI 6S 18.0 MONDOVI 17.0 44.57N 91.67W ALMA DAM 4 13.5 44.33N 91.93W ...CLARK COUNTY... OWEN 2N 14.8 44.95N 90.53W NEILLSVILLE 3SW 12.0 44.53N 90.64W ROCK DAM LAKE 11.0 44.73N 90.84W ...CRAWFORD COUNTY... STEUBEN 4SE 9.0 43.13N 90.84W SOLDIERS GROVE 5.8 43.40N 90.78W LYNXVILLE DAM 9 5.0 43.22N 91.10W ...JACKSON COUNTY... BLACK RIVER FALLS 19.2 44.28N 90.85W TAYLOR 13.0 44.32N 91.12W ...JUNEAU COUNTY... NEW LISBON 2N 12.7 43.90N 90.17W NECEDAH 2SE 11.8 44.00N 90.04W ...LA CROSSE COUNTY... HOLMEN 2NW/HOLLAND 20.2 43.97N 91.28W LA CROSSE WEATHER OFFICE 17.1 43.82N 91.19W LA CROSSE AIRPORT 16.6 43.88N 91.26W HOLMEN 2S 14.2 43.95N 91.26W LA CROSSE-SOUTH SIDE 15.7 ...MONROE COUNTY... WARRENS 5WSW 20.8 44.10N 90.59W FOUR CORNERS 18.5 44.07N 90.92W SPARTA 3S 12.0 43.92N 90.81W TUNNEL CITY 1S 11.4 44.01N 90.57W ...RICHLAND COUNTY... RICHLAND CENTER 1NW 10.5 43.36N 90.42W RICHLAND CENTER 4N 8.5 43.37N 90.38W ...TAYLOR COUNTY... MEDFORD 20.5 45.12N 90.37W BLAIR 2NW 15.0 MEDFORD 4NW 14.0 45.16N 90.38W JUMP RIVER 1NW 10.4 ...TREMPEALEAU COUNTY... OSSEO 18.0 44.58N 91.22W GALESVILLE 17.0 44.08N 91.36W BLAIR 14.0 44.30N 91.23W ...VERNON COUNTY... VIOLA 14.0 43.51N 90.67W ONTARIO 3E 11.7 43.72N 90.56W STODDARD 2NE 11.6 43.69N 91.18W LA FARGE 11.3 43.57N 90.64W HILLSBORO 11.2 43.65N 90.34W VIROQUA 8.4 43.54N 90.87W GENOA DAM 8 7.0 43.57N 91.23W OBSERVATIONS ARE COLLECTED FROM A VARIETY OF SOURCES WITH VARYING EQUIPMENT AND EXPOSURE. NOT ALL DATA LISTED IS CONSIDERED OFFICIAL. FOR THIS...AND A WEALTH OF OTHER RIVER AND WEATHER INFORMATION... VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WEATHER.GOV/LACROSSE $$
...HIGHEST WIND GUSTS ON DECEMBER 11-12 2010... LOCATION COUNTY WIND GUST ROCHESTER AIRPORT OLMSTED 48 MPH VOLK FIELD JUNEAU 47 MPH AUSTIN MOWER 46 MPH TAMARACK 2NNE TREMPEAULEAU 46 MPH CHARLES CITY FLOYD 45 MPH IONIA 2N CHICKASAW 45 MPH CANTON 2ESE FILLMORE 43 MPH LUBLIN 3NE TAYLOR 43 MPH ROCHESTER KTTC OLMSTED 41 MPH MEDFORD TAYLOR 40 MPH KENDALL MONROE 39 MPH NECEDAH 1WNW JUNEAU 39 MPH NORDNESS 4E WINNESHIEK 39 MPH PLATTEVILLE GRANT 37 MPH PRESTON FILLMORE 37 MPH LA CROSSE AIRPORT LA CROSSE 35 MPH SPARTA MONROE 35 MPH TOMAH 2N MONROE 35 MPH BOSCOBEL GRANT 33 MPH EYOTA 2SE OLMSTED 33 MPH LA CROSSE 1W LA CROSSE 33 MPH BOSCOBEL 1ENE GRANT 32 MPH DECORAH WINNESHIEK 32 MPH DODGE CENTER DODGE 32 MPH GOODVIEW WINONA 32 MPH KELLOGG 2SSE WABASHA 32 MPH VIROQUA VERNON 32 MPH WINONA WINONA 32 MPH ONALASKA 1WSW LA CROSSE 31 MPH PRAIRIE DU CHIEN CRAWFORD 31 MPH RINGE 4WSW OLMSTED 31 MPH EAST DUBUQUE 2NE GRANT 25 MPH LA CROSSE NWS LA CROSSE 25 MPH DE SOTO CRAWFORD 22 MPH
Storm Reports
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
841 AM CST SUN DEC 12 2010
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0457 AM BLIZZARD ROCHESTER 44.01N 92.48W
12/12/2010 OLMSTED MN LAW ENFORCEMENT
MANY ROADS BLOWN SHUT ACROSS OLMSTED COUNTY.SOME VEHICLES
STRANDED OVERNIGHT WITH OCCUPANTS INSIDE.
0720 AM BLIZZARD TOMAH 43.99N 90.50W
12/12/2010 MONROE WI LAW ENFORCEMENT
SEVERE DRIFTING REPORTED ACROSS THE COUNTY. A FEW PEOPLE
STRANDED IN VEHICLES FOR HALF THE NIGHT. ROADWAYS ON
RIDGE TOPS SEVERLY DRIFTED.
0720 AM BLIZZARD LA CROSSE 43.83N 91.23W
12/12/2010 LA CROSSE WI LAW ENFORCEMENT
SEVERAL VEHICLES STUCK IN SNOW DRIFTS ACROSS THE COUNTY.
0727 AM BLIZZARD MAUSTON 43.80N 90.08W
12/12/2010 JUNEAU WI LAW ENFORCEMENT
MOST ROADWAYS ACROSS THE COUNTY IMPASSABLE. VEHICLES
STRANDED ACROSS THE COUNTY.
0727 AM BLIZZARD FRIENDSHIP 43.97N 89.82W
12/12/2010 ADAMS WI LAW ENFORCEMENT
WIDESPREAD DRIFTING ACROSS THE COUNTY WITH MANY ROADWAYS
IMPASSABLE. SEVERAL VEHICLES STRANDED ACROSS THE COUNTY.
0739 AM BLIZZARD VIROQUA 43.56N 90.89W
12/12/2010 VERNON WI LAW ENFORCEMENT
SEVERAL ROADS DRIFTED SHUT. WHITEOUT CONDITIONS IN OPEN
AREAS THROUGH MUCH OF THE NIGHT.
0745 AM BLIZZARD PRAIRIE DU CHIEN 43.04N 91.14W
12/12/2010 CRAWFORD WI LAW ENFORCEMENT
HIGHWAY 27 IMPASSABLE THIS MORNING. SOME POWER LINES DOWN
ACROSS THE COUNTY.
0752 AM BLIZZARD FENNIMORE 42.98N 90.65W
12/12/2010 GRANT WI LAW ENFORCEMENT
SEVERAL ROADS IMPASSABLE ACROSS THE COUNTY WITH SOME
STRANDED VEHICLES.
Follow us on Twitter
Follow us on Facebook
Follow us on YouTube
ARX RSS Feed
