Veterans Day Climate Statistics & Weather History

Below are some Veterans Day climate statistics for La Crosse, WI, and Rochester, MN.

 La Crosse, WI:

The following statistics comprise 105 years of data. From 1919 through 1950, the data came from various locations in downtown La Crosse. Since 1950, the data has been gathered at La Crosse Regional Airport. Due to the office being officially closed in 1985, no observation was available for this year.

The odds of having any precipitation at all on Veterans Day is 42.9% (45 out of 105).  There has been measurable (0.01" or greater) precipitation on 22 Veterans Days (21%) and trace amounts (less than 0.01") of precipitation on 23 Veterans Days (21.9%). 

It has snowed on 19 of 105 (18.1%) Veterans Days.  Measurable snow (0.1" or greater) has only fallen on 7 Veterans Days (6.7%) and trace amounts have fallen on 12 (11.4%) other Veterans Days.  The last time measurable snow fell on Veterans Day was back in 2014 when 2.7 inches of snow fell.  This was the greatest ever recorded on Veterans Day.

There has been measurable snow on the ground 7 times (6.7% -  greatest 5 inches in 1991), trace amounts (less than a half-inch) 4 times (3.8%), and no snow on the ground 93 times (89.4%). The last time there was measurable snow on the ground on Veterans Day morning was back in 2014 when there were 2 inches on the ground.

Last Veterans Day (2023), the high temperature was 46°F and the low temperature was 33°F.  The average temperature was 40°F.  No precipitation fell.  There was no snow on the ground.  The average wind speed was 8.2 mph.  

Rochester, MN:

The following statistics comprise 98 years of data. From 1919 through 1931, the data came from several cooperative observers in the Rochester area. Since 1932, the data has been gathered at Rochester International Airport. No data was taken on Veterans Day from 1921 to 1927, and 1933.

The odds of having any precipitation at all on Veterans Day are 45.9% (45 out of 98).  There has been measurable (0.01" or greater) precipitation on 22 Veterans Days (22.4%) and trace amounts (less than 0.01") of precipitation on 23 Veterans Days (23.5%). 

It has snowed on 26 of 94 (27.7%) Veterans Days.  Measurable snow (0.1" or greater) has only fallen on 9 Veterans Days (9.6%) and trace amounts have fallen on 17 (18.1%) other Veterans Days.  The last time measurable snow fell on Veterans Day was back in 2014 when 0.6 inches of snow fell.  

There has been measurable snow on the ground 10 times (12.3% -  greatest 11 inches in 2006), trace amounts (less than a half-inch) 10 times (12.3%), and no snow on the ground 61 times (75.3%). 

Last Veterans Day (2023), the high temperature was 44°F and the low temperature was 24°F.  The average temperature was 34°F. 0.01" of rain fell. There was no snow on the ground.  The average wind speed was 12.8 mph.  

The following weather events have occurred on Veterans Days in southeast Minnesota, northeast Iowa, and western Wisconsin:

• In 1927, a strong arctic cold front moved through the Upper Mississippi River Valley. La Crosse WI had an early morning high temperature of 67 degrees and then temperatures fell through the remainder of the day into the next morning. By midnight the temperature had fallen to 28 degrees and to 19 degrees by the morning of November 12th. The barometric pressure at Madison, WI climbed to 30.61 inches on November 12th.

• In 1940, a rapidly deepening low pressure system moved northeast from Kansas City, MO northeast through the Upper Mississippi River Valley and into the Upper Great Lakes. This low pressure area produced the lowest pressure reading ever recorded up to this time at Charles City, IA (28.92 inches), La Crosse, WI (28.72 inches), and Duluth, MN (28.66 inches). Armistice Day (now known as Veteran’s Day) began with blue skies and temperatures in the 40s and 50s. The weather forecast for that morning was for colder temperatures and a few flurries. The day was so nice that duck hunters dressed in short-sleeved shirts rushed to the marshes along the Mississippi River early that morning. However, during the late morning and early afternoon, a strong cold front moved through the region. Behind the cold front, the weather became rather blustery and the temperature plunged to the single digits by the next morning. The rain turned to sleet and eventually to driving snow. Twelve duck hunters were trapped on the Mississippi River between St. Paul and Prairie du Chien by gale-force winds and threatening waves. These hunters sought shelter on small islands and eventually froze to death. Rescue work the next day was hindered by ice that had developed during the preceding night. Elsewhere heavy snow fell across the Dakotas, much of Minnesota and Iowa, and northwest Wisconsin. The greatest snow total was 26.6 inches in Collegeville, MN. In addition, 30 to 50 mph winds caused considerable blowing and drifting of snow which trapped unsuspecting motorists. Twenty-foot drifts were reported near Willmar, MN. The blizzard left 49 dead in Minnesota, and gales on Lake Michigan caused ship wrecks resulting in another 59 deaths. The storm claimed a total of 154 lives and killed thousands of cattle in Iowa. More than a million turkeys were killed by the storm in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and other states. The storm became known as the “Armistice Day Storm”. This storm, along with a slow-moving blizzard that would move across northern Minnesota in mid-March 1941, caused the Weather Bureau to rethink its forecasting procedures. Forecasting for the entire region had been directed by the Chicago office, but in the wake of this storm, responsibilities were distributed to regional centers to provide more timely and accurate predictions.  (A more in-depth description of this storm can be found at the following link:  https://www.crh.noaa.gov/arx/?n=nov111940 )

• In 1982, as blizzard conditions raged across northern and western Minnesota, high winds struck the southeast portion of Minnesota. High winds tore the roofs off a trailer home in rural Wabasha county during the evening. Later that night winds up to 68 mph were reported at Mankato and 75 mph in Albert Lea. Meanwhile, in southwest Wisconsin, two to four inches of rain fell in 24 hours across parts of southwest Wisconsin. Hillsboro, WI received 2.41 inches of precipitation. This made it their wettest November day. The heavy rains led to some minor flooding and mudslides.

• In 1985, freezing drizzle developed across Iowa on the morning of November 10th and continued through the evening of Veterans Day. This created very hazardous driving conditions and many traffic accidents resulted. Harmony, MN received 9.5 inches of snow.

• In 1989, this day was the last of 16 consecutive days where a trace or more precipitation fell in La Crosse, WI. A total of 1.31" of precipitation fell during this period.
   
• In 2014, a 2 to 6" band of snow fell along and north of Interstate 90.  The highest snow total was 6.3" in Medford WI (Taylor County).  La Crosse Municipal Airport received 2.7" of snow.  This was their greatest snowfall on Veterans Day.
   
• In 2019, it was very cold across the region.  Rochester had a high temperature of 19°F and La Crosse had a high temperature of 25°F.  This was the 2nd coldest Veterans Day for both locations.  Only 1986 was colder.  Wind chills were in the single digits above and below zero during the afternoon.  Scattered snow showers developed during the mid-afternoon and then continued into the evening.
   
• In 2020, a trace of snow fell at La Crosse, WI, and Rochester MN. This was the first time that there has been snow on 3 consecutive Veterans Days (all traces) at La Crosse, WI.  The previous record was 2 Veterans Days (1920-21, 1947-48, and 2013-14). It made 4 consecutive Veterans Days (all traces) at Rochester, MN. The previous record was 3 Veterans Days (1984-86 & 2012-14).
   
• In 2021, La Crosse received 0.76" of rain and Rochester received 0.38" of precipitation.  This was the 4th wettest Veterans Day at both locations. The highest rainfall totals from cooperative stations (from 7 AM on November 10 to 7 AM on November 12) were reported at New Hampton, IA (2.02"); Elma, IA (2"); Trempealeau Dam 6, WI (1.98"), Ionia 2W, IA (1.95"); Nashua 2SW, IA (1.94"); and La Crescent Dam 7, WI (1.90").  Much of the rain at these sites fell on November 10 and the early morning hours of Veterans Day.
   
• In 2022, Rochester, MN had a high temperature of  27°F. This was tied with 1976 for the 6th coldest high on Veterans Day.