Overview
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An area of strong low pressure took shape across the Central Plains Wednesday, April 10th, eventually tracking through Minnesota by the morning of April 12th. That system spread heavy snow across many areas later Wednesday, with precipitation changing to a wintry mix of snow, sleet, freezing rain, and just plain rain by Wednesday night into Thursday. Many thunderstorms were also common as Gulf of Mexico moisture spread north into the area, with many areas also seeing a rare phenomenon of "dirty snow" as dust from west Texas was absorbed into this system and deposited with the snow and sleet in our area. Significant snow accumulation of 4 to 10 inches was common for areas closer to and north of Interstate 90, with more of a wintry mess farther south, while mainly rain occurred over much of northeast Iowa into far southwest Wisconsin. In addition to the precipitation, very strong easterly winds of 25 to 35 mph, gusting over 60 mph, brought down numerous trees and power lines, particularly for areas which saw ice accumulation. Travel was quite difficult for many locations, with some road closures due to both slick conditions as well as downed trees and power lines. |
 Radar loop of the April 10-11 storm. |
Snow / Sleet / Ice
Snow and sleet totals of 4 to 10 inches were common near and north of Interstate 90, with lesser amounts farther south. Below is a look at reported snow/sleet amounts:.
...APRIL 10-11, 2019 SNOWFALL REPORTS... Location Amount Time/Date Lat/Lon ...Iowa... ...Allamakee County... Dorchester 3.0 in 0735 AM 04/11 43.47N/91.51W Waukon 1.0 in 0635 AM 04/11 43.27N/91.48W ...Howard County... Cresco 1NE 1.0 in 0700 AM 04/12 43.39N/92.09W ...Mitchell County... Osage 0.2 in 0700 AM 04/12 43.28N/92.81W ...Winneshiek County... 7 ENE Decorah 2.5 in 0718 AM 04/12 43.34N/91.64W ...Minnesota... ...Dodge County... Mantorville 1.9 ESE 4.8 in 0700 AM 04/11 44.05N/92.72W ...Fillmore County... Wykoff 3.1 NW 5.6 in 0700 AM 04/12 43.74N/92.31W Chatfield 9.0 ESE 5.6 in 0700 AM 04/11 43.79N/92.03W ...Houston County... Caledonia 5.4 S 4.0 in 0800 AM 04/11 43.56N/91.51W Caledonia 2.0 in 0700 AM 04/12 43.63N/91.50W ...Olmsted County... 2 NE Rochester 11.0 in 0600 AM 04/12 44.04N/92.44W 2 NNW Rochester 7.7 in 0500 AM 04/11 44.05N/92.49W Rochester 4.7 N 6.4 in 0700 AM 04/11 44.08N/92.48W Rochester 5.5 N 6.0 in 1000 AM 04/11 44.10N/92.47W Rochester International Airp 4.6 in 0654 AM 04/12 43.90N/92.50W Elgin 2SSW 4.5 in 0700 AM 04/12 44.10N/92.27W Elba 4.7 SW 1.5 in 0930 AM 04/11 44.04N/92.09W 1 SSW Oronoco 7.5 in 1046 AM 04/11 44.15N/92.54W ...Wabasha County... Zumbro Falls 3.5 SSW 9.3 in 0700 AM 04/11 44.24N/92.46W Wabasha 7.6 in 0700 AM 04/11 44.38N/92.05W 5 SW Lake City 6.9 in 0927 AM 04/11 44.40N/92.34W Plainview 6.0 in 0715 AM 04/11 44.17N/92.17W ...Winona County... 3 ESE Stockton 5.0 in 0720 AM 04/11 44.01N/91.71W Rollingstone 4.5 in 1058 AM 04/11 44.10N/91.82W Winona 1.3 SSW 4.0 in 1005 AM 04/11 44.03N/91.68W Altura 5w 4.0 in 0700 AM 04/12 44.06N/92.04W Winona Dam 5A 3.5 in 0800 AM 04/11 44.09N/91.67W Pickwick 3.5 in 0645 AM 04/11 43.98N/91.60W La Crescent Dam 7 2.0 in 0800 AM 04/11 43.87N/91.31W ...Wisconsin... ...Adams County... Nekoosa 8.0 SSE 8.0 in 0700 AM 04/11 44.21N/89.85W 8 ENE Friendship 3.1 in 0812 AM 04/11 44.01N/89.66W Friendship 3.1 in 0700 AM 04/12 43.98N/89.83W ...Buffalo County... 5 NE Montana 10.3 in 1108 AM 04/11 44.40N/91.61W Mondovi 8.0 in 0843 AM 04/11 44.57N/91.67W Alma Dam 4 8.4 in 0800 AM 04/12 44.33N/91.92W Buffalo 6.0 in 0720 AM 04/11 44.24N/91.86W ...Clark County... 2 NNE Chili 8.5 in 0658 AM 04/11 44.66N/90.34W Neillsville 7.0 in 0757 AM 04/11 44.56N/90.59W Withee 5.0 in 0708 AM 04/11 44.95N/90.60W 2 N Loyal 5.0 in 0859 AM 04/11 44.77N/90.50W ...Crawford County... Gays Mills 0.3 SE 2.5 in 0700 AM 04/12 43.32N/90.85W ...Grant County... Muscoda 0.5 WSW 1.5 in 0830 AM 04/12 43.18N/90.44W Lancaster 4wsw 0.2 in 0800 AM 04/11 42.83N/90.79W ...Jackson County... Hixton 9.5 in 0907 AM 04/11 44.39N/91.01W Hatfield 8.5 in 0830 AM 04/11 44.42N/90.73W Black River Falls 1.7 NNE 8.5 in 0700 AM 04/12 44.32N/90.83W ...Juneau County... Mauston 1se 1.0 in 0800 AM 04/12 43.79N/90.06W ...La Crosse County... La Crosse NWS Office 7.0 in 0700 AM 04/12 43.82N/91.19W La Crosse Regional Airport 5.9 in 0653 AM 04/12 43.88N/91.25W La Crosse 4NNW 4.5 in 0730 AM 04/12 43.87N/91.27W Onalaska 3.5 in 0715 AM 04/11 43.89N/91.22W ...Monroe County... Tomah 5.6 in 0750 AM 04/11 43.99N/90.50W Warrens 4WSW 3.9 in 0700 AM 04/11 44.10N/90.59W Sparta 3.0 in 0800 AM 04/12 43.94N/90.82W ...Taylor County... Medford 8.0 in 0800 AM 04/12 45.13N/90.34W Lublin 8.0 in 0545 AM 04/11 45.08N/90.72W 2 N Dorchester 7.0 in 0805 AM 04/11 45.04N/90.34W ...Trempealeau County... Osseo 0.3 NNW 10.5 in 0648 AM 04/11 44.58N/91.22W Eleva 10.0 in 0830 AM 04/11 44.58N/91.47W Elk Creek 8.0 in 0638 AM 04/11 44.43N/91.40W 3 SSE Elk Creek 8.0 in 0807 AM 04/11 44.39N/91.38W 2 E Independence 8.0 in 0829 AM 04/11 44.36N/91.37W Arcadia 7.0 in 1130 AM 04/11 44.25N/91.49W Whitehall 6.0 in 0637 AM 04/11 44.37N/91.31W Ettrick 4WNW 5.8 in 0730 AM 04/12 44.19N/91.34W Trempealeau Dam 6 2.5 in 0700 AM 04/11 44.00N/91.44W ...Vernon County... Viroqua 7.4 in 0700 AM 04/12 43.56N/90.88W Hillsboro 0.5 WSW 4.3 in 0700 AM 04/12 43.65N/90.35W Stoddard 0.1 SW 2.3 in 0700 AM 04/12 43.66N/91.22W Westby 3ENE 2.0 in 0700 AM 04/12 43.67N/90.81W Viola 3.5 WNW 1.7 in 0800 AM 04/11 43.53N/90.74W Observations are collected from a variety of sources with varying equipment and exposures. We thank all volunteer weather observers for their dedication. Not all data listed are considered official.
Strong Winds
In addition to widespread wintry precipitation, very strong easterly wind gusts of 35 to 60 mph were common across the area. Below is a look at the highest wind gusts reported:
Location Speed Time/Date Lat/Lon Oelwein Municipal Airport 64 MPH 1215 PM 04/11 42.67N/91.97W Decorah Municipal Airport 56 MPH 1155 AM 04/11 43.27N/91.72W Rochester International Airp 56 MPH 0859 AM 04/11 43.90N/92.50W Charles City Airport 54 MPH 0955 AM 04/11 43.07N/92.62W 3 N Stewartville 50 MPH 1100 AM 04/11 43.90N/92.48W Lake City 49 MPH 1052 AM 04/11 44.32N/92.44W Prairie Du Chien Airport 49 MPH 0315 PM 04/11 43.02N/91.12W 1 E Ridgeway 48 MPH 1205 PM 04/11 43.91N/91.54W Sparta/Fort McCoy Airport 47 MPH 0415 PM 04/11 43.97N/90.73W 2 ESE Canton 47 MPH 0320 AM 04/11 43.52N/91.89W La Crosse Regional Airport 46 MPH 1235 PM 04/11 43.88N/91.25W Dodge Center 46 MPH 0415 PM 04/11 44.02N/92.82W Austin Municipal Airport 45 MPH 0351 PM 04/11 43.67N/92.92W Platteville Municipal Airpor 45 MPH 0435 PM 04/11 42.68N/90.43W Volk Field 45 MPH 1056 AM 04/11 43.92N/90.27W Boscobel Airport 44 MPH 1006 AM 04/11 43.15N/90.68W Mayo Helipad 43 MPH 0516 PM 04/11 44.02N/92.48W Medford Airport 43 MPH 0555 AM 04/11 45.10N/90.30W Winona Municipal Airport 43 MPH 1016 AM 04/11 44.07N/91.70W 3 NE Lublin 42 MPH 0514 PM 04/11 45.11N/90.69W 5 NW Frankville 42 MPH 1132 AM 04/11 43.25N/91.70W 2 N Ionia 42 MPH 1210 PM 04/11 43.07N/92.46W Rochester 41 MPH 0445 PM 04/11 44.08N/92.55W Riceville 41 MPH 0416 PM 04/11 43.40N/92.50W 3 SE Waterville 39 MPH 0807 AM 04/11 43.17N/91.24W Byron 38 MPH 1131 AM 04/11 44.04N/92.64W Necedah 1w 38 MPH 1248 PM 04/11 44.02N/90.08W Boscobel 37 MPH 1103 AM 04/11 43.15N/90.68W 1 E Black River Falls 37 MPH 0315 PM 04/11 44.30N/90.73W Byron 37 MPH 1041 AM 04/11 44.03N/92.66W Lake City 36 MPH 0315 PM 04/11 44.45N/92.27W Medford 35 MPH 0515 PM 04/11 45.30N/90.30W Rochester 35 MPH 1000 AM 04/11 44.05N/92.45W 1 SSE Kellogg 35 MPH 0130 PM 04/11 44.28N/91.99W Observations are collected from a variety of sources with varying equipment and exposures. We thank all volunteer weather observers for their dedication. Not all data listed are considered official. $$
Photos:
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| Heavy snow near St. Joseph, WI (Photo by Dave Lawrence) |
Layer of dust in the snow/sleet (NWS La Crosse) |
Tree weighed down by ice in Westby, WI (Photo by Ingrid Schroeder) |
Ice on a tree branch in Viroqua, WI (Photo by Heather McCauley) |
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| Wind-driven ice in Viroqua, WI (Photo by Heather McCauley) |
Hail/sleet in Richland Center, WI (Photo by Donna Hostetler) |
Wind damage in Onalaska, WI (Photo by Amy Zietlow) |
Dark sky (t-storm) near St. Joseph, WI (Photo by Tiffany Lawrence) |
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| Heavy wind damage near Grand Meadow, MN (Photo by Unknown) |
Power line damage near Rose Creek, MN (Photo by Unknown) |
Wind damage in Blair, WI (Photo by Sam Fonstad) |
Animation of dust from Texas arriving across our area, resulting in "dirty" snow in many areas |
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