Heavy to excessive rainfall could bring areas of flooding at times Monday through Thursday across parts of the central Plains into the Midwest as well as southern Arizona and New Mexico. Hot temperatures and high humidity will continue across much of east Texas into the lower and mid-Mississippi Valley through at least midweek. Read More >
The 1996-97 winter had already been a long one by the time March began. The snow started to accumulate in November, and kept the ground covered under a blanket of white through February. Seasonal snowfall records had been set in many locations. Finally, the winter looked like it might give way to spring as March started, with most locations losing their snow cover.
However, a storm system developed over Texas and the southern Plains and tracked toward the Upper Mississippi River Valley on the evening on the 12th. Snow developed across the region that evening and continued through the 13th and 14th. The heaviest snows fell on the 13th and 14th when the forcing and instability with the storm were the strongest. A large swath of 10 or more inches of snow fell from southeast Minnesota through east central Wisconsin (Fig. 1), with a narrow band of 15-25" from around Winona, MN and La Crosse, WI to Green Bay, WI (Table 1). Daily and monthly snowfall records were set throughout most of the region. In addition, this snowfall added to an already snowy winter season, helping Rochester, MN to its snowiest season on record with a total of 84.6" for 1996-97.
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| Fig 1. Approximate snowfall totals for March 12-14, 1997 (most snow from the 13-14). |
|
Iowa |
Minnesota |
Wisconsin |
|||||
|
Waukon |
8.5" |
Minnesota City |
21.0" |
Mather |
22.0" |
Richland Center |
7.0" |
|
Cresco |
8.0" |
La Crescent |
18.0" |
Sparta |
20.0" |
Lynxville |
5.5" |
|
Decorah |
7.5" |
Winona |
17.8" |
Viroqua |
20.0" |
Muscoda |
5.0" |
|
Mason City |
5.0" |
Hokah |
15.7" |
La Crosse |
19.1" |
Jump River |
4.0" |
|
Charles City |
3.9" |
Caledonia |
15.5" |
Mauston |
18.0" |
Lancaster |
2.0" |
|
New Hampton |
3.5" |
Spring Grove |
14.0" |
Cashton |
17.0" |
Prairie du Chien |
2.0" |
|
Elkader |
1.5" |
Theilman |
14.0" |
Hillsboro |
17.0" |
|
|
|
Fayette |
1.2" |
Preston |
13.0" |
Blair |
15.6" |
|
|
|
|
|
Grand Meadow |
12.0" |
LaFarge |
15.0" |
|
|
|
|
|
Austin |
9.0" |
Neilsville |
14.0" |
|
|
|
|
|
Byron |
9.0" |
Alma |
13.0" |
|
|
|
|
|
Harmony |
8.0" |
Gays Mills |
11.0" |
|
|
|
|
|
Zumbrota |
6.5" |
Mondovi |
10.0" |
|
|
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