A slow moving area of low pressure tracked across central Iowa into central Illinois on March 18th and 19th bringing prolonged heavy snow to much of the region. Snowfall totaled 2 feet (24 inches) in some areas of southeast Minnesota, with a broad area of 10 to 16 inches across southern Minnesota, extreme northern Iowa, and west central Wisconsin. Thunder was heard at times on Friday March 18th when snow was falling at the rate of 2-3 inches per hour. Rochester, MN set a brand new one-day record snowfall of 19.8 inches.

There was a fairly sharp gradient from north to south though with only a couple inches of new snow in parts of north central Wisconsin (Taylor Co.) and far southern Wisconsin (Grant Co.).

East to northeast winds did cause some significant drifting as well, with reports of drifts up to 5 feet high in open or higher areas.

A Winter Storm Watch had been issued early Thursday morning and Winter Storm Warnings were in place by Thursday afternoon for the expected heavy snow. This was approx. 18-30 hours of advanced notice.

Images of the heavy snow...

• Winona, MN snow - March 18, 2005 (with Andy the dog)
• St. Ansgar, IA snow - March 19, 2005
• NWS La Crosse - March 19, 2005
• La Crosse County, WI - March 19, 2005

Snow totals for March 18-19, 2005

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
1247 PM CST SAT MAR 19 2005

...STORM SNOWFALL TOTALS FROM MARCH 18-19...

LOCATION                   COUNTY      SNOWFALL

...NORTHEAST IOWA...
OTRANTO 1W                 MITCHELL     19.0"
OSAGE                      MITCHELL     15.0"
STACYVILLE                 MITCHELL     13.0"
DORCHESTER                 ALLAMAKEE    11.3"
CRESCO                     HOWARD       11.0"
KENDALLVILLE               WINNESHIEK   10.5"  
ELMA                       HOWARD        7.5"
LANSING                    ALLAMAKEE     6.2"
SPILLVILLE                 WINNESHIEK    6.0"
WAUKON 8NW                 ALLAMAKEE     5.4"
FRANKVILLE                 WINNESHIEK    5.0"
NEW HAMPTON                CHICKASAW     5.0"
NORTH WASHINGTON           CHICKASAW     4.5"  
CHARLES CITY               FLOYD         4.2"
IONIA                      CHICKASAW     4.0"
OSSIAN                     WINNESHIEK    3.0"  
VOLGA                      CLAYTON       1.8"
EDGEWOOD                   CLAYTON       1.5"
GARNAVILLO                 CLAYTON       1.5"
ELKADER                    CLAYTON       1.4"  
FAYETTE                    FAYETTE       1.2"

...SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA...
LYLE                       MOWER        24.0"
PRESTON                    FILLMORE     23.3"
HOUSTON 5E                 HOUSTON      23.0"
BYRON 5N                   OLMSTED      22.5"  
PETERSON 2S                FILLMORE     22.0"
ST CHARLES                 WINONA       22.0"  
ROCHESTER - AIRPORT        OLMSTED      20.2"  
SPRING VALLEY              FILLMORE     20.0"
ROCHESTER DOWNTOWN         OLMSTED      19.5"
STEWARTVILLE               OLMSTED      19.4"
BYRON                      OLMSTED      19.3"
CHATFIELD                  OLMSTED      19.0"
KASSON                     DODGE        19.0"
BYRON 4S                   OLMSTED      19.0"
CALEDONIA                  HOUSTON      18.0"
WINONA - HIGHLAND DR       WINONA       18.0"
WYKOFF 3N                  FILLMORE     18.0"  
GRAND MEADOW               MOWER        17.7"  
AUSTIN                     MOWER        17.0"
GOODVIEW                   WINONA       17.0"
WINONA - WEST BURNS VALLEY WINONA       17.0"
WINONA 3S                  WINONA       17.0"
KELLOGG 4S                 WABASHA      17.0"
DOVER 3S                   OLMSTED      17.0"  
ST CHARLES 5N              WINONA       16.8"
DODGE CENTER               DODGE        16.0"
MANTORVILLE 3E             DODGE        16.0"
WEST CONCORD               DODGE        16.0"
WINONA 4S                  WINONA       16.0"
ALTURA 5W                  WINONA       15.9"
THEILMAN                   WABASHA      15.6"
ORONOCO                    OLMSTED      15.1"
LeROY                      MOWER        15.0"
RUSHFORD                   FILLMORE     15.0"
PINE ISLAND 2S             OLMSTED      15.0"  
ZUMBRO FALLS               WABASHA      14.9"
ELGIN                      WABASHA      14.5"  
LA CRESCENT 1N             HOUSTON      14.2"  
RENO 3SW                   HOUSTON      14.1"  
DOUGLAS 2N                 OLMSTED      13.0"
LAKE CITY                  WABASHA      12.7"
WABASHA                    WABASHA      12.4"
SPRING GROVE               HOUSTON      12.1"
LA CRESCENT 9W             HOUSTON      12.0"
WINONA DAM                 WINONA       11.5"  

...WISCONSIN...
ALMA CENTER                JACKSON      23.0"
BUFFALO CITY               BUFFALO      21.5"
ETTRICK                    TREMPEALEAU  18.5"
COCHRANE                   BUFFALO      18.0"  
PRICE                      JACKSON      18.0"
ARCADIA                    TREMPEALEAU  17.0"
BLAIR                      TREMPEALEAU  16.6"  
ETTRICK 2W                 TREMPEALEAU  16.0"
LA CROSSE - NWS            LA CROSSE    15.6"  
ONALASKA                   LA CROSSE    15.3"  
LA CROSSE - AIRPORT        LA CROSSE    15.2"  
TAYLOR                     JACKSON      15.0"
INDEPENDENCE 3NE           TREMPEALEAU  15.0"  
TOWN OF HOLLAND            LA CROSSE    14.7"
GALESVILLE                 TREMPEALEAU  14.5"  
FRENCH ISLAND              LA CROSSE    14.1"
ALMA 5NE                   BUFFALO      14.0"
HOLMEN                     LA CROSSE    14.0"
OSSEO                      TREMPEALEAU  14.0"
HOLMEN 2S                  LA CROSSE    13.9"
WEST SALEM                 LA CROSSE    13.8"
GILMANTON 6W               BUFFALO      13.5"  
STODDARD 3NE               VERNON       13.5"
STODDARD                   VERNON       13.5"
HUB CITY                   RICHLAND     12.0"  
MONDOVI 6S                 BUFFALO      12.0"
VICTORY                    VERNON       11.7"
WARRENS 5WSW               MONROE       11.3"
MILLSTON                   JACKSON      11.0"
NEILLSVILLE                CLARK        10.0"
LAKE CAMELOT               ADAMS        10.0"
MATHER                     JUNEAU        9.5"
SPARTA 2S                  MONROE        9.0"
RICHLAND CENTER 4W         RICHLAND      9.0"
LONGWOOD                   CLARK         8.0"
GAYS MILLS                 CRAWFORD      7.8"
VIROQUA                    VERNON        7.0"  
WESTBY                     VERNON        6.6"  
FRIENDSHIP 10NE            ADAMS         6.5"
TOMAH                      MONROE        6.5"
PLAINVILLE 5N              ADAMS         6.5"
NECEDAH                    JUNEAU        6.2"
OWEN                       CLARK         5.6"
RICHLAND CENTER            RICHLAND      5.6"
WITHEE                     CLARK         5.5"
FENNIMORE                  GRANT         5.0"
HILLSBORO                  VERNON        5.0"
MT STERLING                CRAWFORD      5.0"  
ONTARIO                    VERNON        5.0"
STEUBEN 4SE                CRAWFORD      4.8"
MAUSTON - WRJC RADIO       JUNEAU        4.2"  
LUBLIN                     TAYLOR        3.5"
MEDFORD                    TAYLOR        3.0"  
CASSVILLE 8NE              GRANT         2.8"  
LANCASTER                  GRANT         2.5"
CUBA CITY                  GRANT         2.5"
MEDFORD 4NW                TAYLOR        2.5"
GOODRICH                   TAYLOR        2.0"

$$