Frost Warning

Minnesota has a reputation as the icebox of the lower 48. It is true, we have had some epic winters through the years, but recent winters have not fit the stereotype.  When I was a kid, the snow was up to my chin every year - not so any more. (That's a joke, btw).

We had a frost warning just the other day that would have challenged the earliest ever had it happened.  Traditionally, we see a frost before the end of September and almost always by October 8.  

But our reputation comes from the dark days of deep winter, with howling winds and massive snowfall of the "blizzard(s) of the century".  Blizzard. What a great word - makes you shiver just to speak it.

Armistice Day, 1940

On November 11, 1940, the "Armistice Day Blizzard" left 49 dead in Minnesota and gales wracked Lake Superior, sinking a number of ships. The day started balmy, with people in short-sleeves and suddenly turned freezing, dropping 2 feet of snow and trapping people unprepared.  Weather forecasting was not sophisticated. in 1940 and watches and warnings non-existent.  (FYI: I don't remember this one - I wasn't around).

And here's a photo of the 1919 post blizzard scene - also before my time. 

Franco

In January 1975, we suffered  mightily.  The Vikings were playing the Steelers in New Orleans in the Super Bowl. Score 16-6.  To add to the injury, we welcomed another "storm of the century", naturally tagged the "Super Bowl Blizzard".  Barometric pressure in Duluth measured a record low 28.55".  Over 2' of snow fell with 80 mph winds, creating 20' high drifts.  In states south of us, 40-odd tornadoes wreaked havoc, the greatest winter tornado-fest in recorded US history.

In 1991, we had the "Halloween Blizzard", October 31-November 4, with consecutive days of 16" snowfall - the heavy, wet kind. I remember that vividly because we did not own a snow blower .. plus our daughter had contracted to do the winter snow shoveling for a neighbor. This turned into several family fun days. Uffda.  (This was a national event.  The film "The Perfect Storm" documents the New England impact.)  And the ice.  The freeways were left so ice-coated, it was like driving on a rutted country road for weeks. 

But the storm that is most memorable to me occurred in 1965, the "St. Paddy's Day Blizzard." On March 1st we got a foot of snow. But on March 17th, a full-fledged blizzard rolled through over 3 days, dropping a mountain of snow with 60 mph winds and frigid temps (-10°).  I was in high school in '65 and in those days schools were rarely if ever closed due to weather.  This time GHS closed for several days in a row. My father was a plumbing, heating & electrical contractor and also owned the hardware store. He could fix anything. He provided his skills to folks in much of Pope & Douglas counties.  During the blizzard and for days thereafter, roads - particularly country roads - were impassible. I remember he walked to the store and camped out for several days - taking desperate phone calls from folks with myriads of problems - pumps failing, furnaces failing, ... you get the picture. He would try to talk people through DIY fixes - the first "hotline" I can recall.  The roads were so plugged and the drifts so high, Minnesota brought in "blower" style plows from Yellowstone to try to clear the roads.  When the plows started spitting out mailboxes, the idea was abandoned. 

(Notice a trend?  The lesson may be to stay indoors for any holiday or major event between September and April.) 

Of course, winter is a beautiful time of year.

Make the best of it

Copyright ©  2021  Dave Hoplin