Armistice Day Storm:  Snowfall

Jeff Boyne, NWS La Crosse, WI

On November 10, 1940, a weak low pressure system (ahead of the Armistice Day low pressure system) began to produce light snow across northern and western Minnesota, and northern Wisconsin.  The snow rates then rapidly increased on the morning of November 11th as a much stronger low pressure system moved from Kansas City, MO to just north of La Crosse, WI.  The heavy snow then continued to fall into the afternoon into the morning of November 12th as the low pressure system continued to strengthen and move slowly northeast into northern Ontario.  In addition to the snow, 30 to 50 mph winds caused considerable blowing and drifting of snow which trapped unsuspecting motorists. In Iowa, the snow was mainly confined to the western and northern parts of the state.  The highest snow total was 13 inches in Cushing.  Additional snow amounts across the state, including a map, can be found by clicking here. In Minnesota, the heaviest snow fell from southwest and south central parts of the state northeast into the Arrowhead.  The highest snow total was 26.6 inches Collegeville.  Additional snow amounts across the state, including a map, can be found by clicking here. In Wisconsin, the heaviest snow fell across the western and northern parts of the state.  The highest snow total was 19 inches six miles north of Bayfield.  Additional snow amounts across the state, including a map, can be found by clicking here.

Snowfall from November 10-12, 1940 Image Compliments of the Midwestern Regional Climate Center

Iowa...

Snow Amount for     Location              Nov. 10-12, 1940     --------              ---------------- Cushing                     13.0 inches Sanborn                     12.0 inches Rock Rapids                 10.5 inches Alton                       10.0 inches Cherokee                    10.0 inches Sheldon                     10.0 inches Rockwell City                8.2 inches Lake Park                    8.0 inches Storm Lake 2E                8.0 inches Inwood 2SW                   7.0 inches Missouri Valley              7.0 inches Spencer 1N                   7.0 inches Mason City                   6.5 inches Algona 3W                    6.0 inches Harlan 1N                    6.0 inches Lake View                    6.0 inches Logan                        6.0 inches Onawa 3NW                    6.0 inches Sac City                     6.0 inches Little Sioux                 5.5 inches

Iowa Snowfall from November 10-12, 1940 Image Compliments of the Midwestern Regional Climate Center

Carroll                      5.0 inches
Hawarden                     5.0 inches
Jefferson                    5.0 inches
Lake City                    5.0 inches
Le Mars                      5.0 inches
Oakland                      5.0 inches
Pocahontas                   5.0 inches
Fort Dodge                   4.5 inches
Akron                        4.0 inches
Britt                        4.0 inches
Cresco 1NE                   4.0 inches
Forest City 2NNE             4.0 inches
Humboldt 2                   4.0 inches
Sibley 3NE                   4.0 inches
Cumberland                   3.0 inches
Denison                      3.0 inches
Greenfield                   3.0 inches
Mapleton #2                  3.0 inches
Red Oak 10SW                 3.0 inches
Iowa Falls                   2.2 inches
Allison                      2.0 inches
Ames 3SW                     2.0 inches
Audubon                      2.0 inches
Corning                      2.0 inches
Dumont                       2.0 inches
Glenwood 3SW                 2.0 inches
Guthrie Center               2.0 inches
Independence                 2.0 inches
Northwood                    2.0 inches
Oelwein 2S                   2.0 inches
Osage                        2.0 inches
Perry                        2.0 inches
State Center                 2.0 inches
Thuman                       2.0 inches
Waterloo                     2.0 inches
Atlantic 1NE                 1.9 inches
Boone                        1.5 inches
Des Moines International AP  1.5 inches
Dunbar 2NE                   1.5 inches
Riverton                     1.5 inches
Shenandoah                   1.5 inches
Webster City                 1.2 inches
Bedford                      1.0 inch
Cedar Falls                  1.0 inch
Elkader                      1.0 inch
Indianola                    1.0 inch
New Hampton                  1.0 inch
Red Oak                      1.0 inch
Waukee                       1.0 inch
Clarinda                     0.9 inches
Lansing                      0.8 inches
Fayette                      0.7 inches
Anamosa 1WNW                 0.5 inches
Belle Plaine                 0.5 inches
Creston 2SW                  0.5 inches
Millerton                    0.5 inches
Postville                    0.5 inches
Waverly                      0.5 inches
Oskaloosa                    0.4 inches
Sigourney                    0.4 inches
Tingley                      0.2 inches
Wapello                      0.2 inches
Cedar Rapids                 0.1 inches
Chariton 1E                    Trace
Clinton                        Trace
Lamoni                         Trace
Madrid                         Trace
Osceola                        Trace
Waukon                         Trace
Afton                        0.0 inches
Albia 3NNE                   0.0 inches
Augusta                      0.0 inches
Bloomfield 1WNW              0.0 inches
Burlington Municipal AP      0.0 inches
Centerville                  0.0 inches
Clarence                     0.0 inches
Columbus Junction 2SSW       0.0 inches
Davenport WBO City           0.0 inches
Delaware 3WSW                0.0 inches
Fairfield                    0.0 inches
Iowa City                    0.0 inches
Keokuk Lock & Dam 19         0.0 inches
Keosauqua 2                  0.0 inches
Knoxville                    0.0 inches
Maquoketa                    0.0 inches
Monmouth 4SW                 0.0 inches
Mt. Ayr                      0.0 inches
Mt. Pleasant 1SSW            0.0 inches
Muscatine                    0.0 inches
Ottumwa                      0.0 inches
Tipton                       0.0 inches
Washington                   0.0 inches
Williamsburg                 0.0 inches
Winterset 2NNW               0.0 inches

Minnesota...

Snow Amount for     Location              Nov. 10-12, 1940     --------              ---------------- Collegeville St. John       26.6 inches Meadowlands 9S              24.0 inches Orr                         22.0 inches Tower                       19.2 inches Milaca                      19.0 inches Virginia                    17.9 inches Bird Island                 16.7 inches Minneapolis/St. Paul AP     16.7 inches Bemidji Municipal AP        16.5 inches St. Cloud Regional AP       16.3 inches Farmington 3NW              16.0 inches Maple Plain                 16.0 inches St. Cloud Teachers College  15.5 inches St. Peter                   15.0 inches Fosston                     14.5 inches Alexandria Municipal AP     14.3 inches Elk River                   14.0 inches Pokegama Dam                14.0 inches Pine River Dam              13.8 inches Baudette                    13.0 inches Gonvick 2W                  13.0 inches Tracy                       13.0 inches Mahoning Mine               12.7 inches Springfield 1NW             12.6 inches Winnebago                   12.5 inches

Minnesota Snowfall from November 10-12, 1940 Image Compliments of the Midwestern Regional Climate Center

Canby                       12.0 inches
Milan 1NW                   12.0 inches
Leech Lake Dam              11.8 inches
Babbitt 2SE                 10.5 inches
Winnibigoshish Dam          10.2 inches
Montevideo 1SW              10.1 inches
Brainerd                    10.0 inches
Cambridge 5ESE              10.0 inches
Fairmont                    10.0 inches
Fergus Falls                10.0 inches
Marshall                    10.0 inches
Willmar RTC                  9.6 inches
Sandy Lake Dam Libby         9.5 inches
Wadena 3S                    9.5 inches
Litchfield                   9.0 inches
New London                   9.0 inches
Park Rapids Municipal AP     8.5 inches
St. Paul Dwtn AP             8.2 inches
Chaska                       8.0 inches
Faribault                    8.0 inches
Little Falls 1N              7.7 inches
Fort Ripley                  7.5 inches
Big Falls                    7.0 inches
Moose Lake 1SSE              6.6 inches
Beardsley                    6.5 inches
Albert Lea 3SE               6.0 inches
Warroad                      6.0 inches
Windom                       6.0 inches
Duluth                       5.8 inches
Madison Sewage Plt           5.5 inches
New Ulm 2SE                  5.5 inches
Artichoke Lake               4.0 inches
Pigeon River Brg             4.0 inches
Red Lake Falls               3.0 inches
Hallock                      3.0 inches
Rochester International AP   2.5 inches
Two Harbors                  2.5 inches
Roseau                       2.4 inches
Ada                          2.0 inches
Austin WWTP                  2.0 inches
Campbell                     2.0 inches
Grand Meadow                 2.0 inches
Grygla                       2.0 inches
Zumbrota                     2.0 inches
Caribou 2S                   1.8 inches
Grand Marais                 1.0 inch
Minnesota City Dam 5         1.0 inch
Moorhead                     1.0 inch
La Crescent Dam 7            0.9 inches
Spring Grove                 0.8 inches
Winona                       0.5 inches
Winona Dam 5A                0.3 inches
Herman                       0.2 inches
Long Prairie                 0.1 inches

Wisconsin...

Snow Amount for     Location              Nov. 10-12, 1940     --------              ---------------- Bayfield 6N                 19.0 inches Grantsburg                  13.5 inches Hayward Ranger Station      11.6 inches Iron River                  10.9 inches Danbury                      9.0 inches Stanley                      7.0 inches Asland Exp Farm              6.0 inches River Falls                  6.0 inches Spooner Exp. Farm            6.0 inches Cumberland                   5.0 inches Mellen 4NE                   4.0 inches Plum Island                  4.0 inches Superior                     3.5 inches Flambeau RSVR                3.0 inches Big St. Germain Dam          2.5 inches Eau Claire                   2.0 inches Ladysmith 3W                 2.0 inches Marshfield Exp. Farm         2.0 inches Medford                      2.0 inches Neillsville 3SW              2.0 inches Rhinelander                  2.0 inches Weyerhaeuser 1N              2.0 inches Willow RSVR                  2.0 inches Park Falls                   1.8 inches

Wisconsin Snowfall from November 10-12, 1940 Image Compliments of the Midwestern Regional Climate Center

Prentice #2                  1.5 inches
Wausau Record Herald         1.5 inches
Long Lake Dam                1.3 inches
La Crosse                    1.1 inch
Black River Falls Swg.       1.0 inch
Hatfield                     1.0 inch
Holcombe                     1.0 inch
Laona 6SW                    1.0 inch
Minocqua                     1.0 inch
Phelps                       1.0 inch
Prairie du Chien             1.0 inch
Stevens Point                1.0 inch
Trempealeau Dam 6            1.0 inch
Viroqua                      1.0 inch
Winter                       1.0 inch
La Crosse River              0.9 inches
Merrill                      0.6 inches
Antigo                       0.5 inches
Breakwater                   0.5 inches
Brule Island                 0.5 inches
Mondovi                      0.5 inches
Lynxville Dam 9              0.5 inches
Tomahawk Spirit Rese         0.5 inches
Oshkosh                      0.5 inches
Richland Center              0.5 inches
Pine River 3NE               0.3 inches
Wisconsin Dells              0.3 inches
Berlin Lock                  0.2 inches
Coddington 1E                0.2 inches
Hancock Exp. Farm            0.2 inches
Platteville                  0.2 inches
Sparta                       0.2 inches
Muscoda                      0.1 inches
Lancaster 4WSW                  Trace
Prairie du Sac 2N               Trace
Stoughton                       Trace
Waupaca                         Trace
Burnett 3S                   0.0 inches
Darlington                   0.0 inches
Madison WB City              0.0 inches
Milwaukee                    0.0 inches
Watertown                    0.0 inches
West Bend                    0.0 inches
Williams Bay                 0.0 inches