Dendrite update

from NOAA NWS

During the day Tuesday, December 4th, a significant snowfall event occurred across eastern North Dakota as well as northwest and west central Minnesota. Up to 9 inches of snow fell in a few locations, with widespread 6 to 8 inch totals common. This snow event, when combined with the snow fall on the first of December has brought many area snow totals to between 15 and 20 inches.

Below is a graphic of the snowfall from midnight Tuesday December 4th through midnight Wednesday December 5th. Note the axis of heaviest snow from the Langdon area through Grand Forks, Fargo, Detroit Lakes on to near Park Rapids.

The axis of heavier snow then continued into central and east-central Minnesota, mainly north and east of the I-94 corridor.

For the first 5 days of December, this is a record total snow amount for the University of North Dakota/NWS Climate station as well as the Fargo area.

Fargo snow totals for the first 6 days of December

Rank Value Year
1 13.5 2007
2 4.8 1985
3 4.7 1991
4 4.5 1972
5 4.2 1951

Both Fargo and Grand Forks saw record daily snowfall totals and record daily precipitation totals for December 1st and December 4th.

Do these early December snow records have any significant meaning as far as the rest of the winter season goes? Not necessarily. While a moderate La Nina typically points to an increased likelihood of a snowier than average winter, these recent snowfalls have served to "catch us up" to normal. As November was drier than average, getting over a foot of snow in a weeks period has simply brought us to average early winter conditions. If the heavy snowfall pattern were to continue, that would be a different picture.

However, the short term outlook calls for unseasonally cold weather with average snow fall the next one to two weeks.

Below is an updated list of snow totals as reported from spotters, cooperative observers and law enforcement. These reports are from Tuesday into Wednesday morning. Snowfall values may vary between locations due to differences in measurement times and settling of the snow.

SITE SNOWFALL AMOUNT
CASS CO (SOUTH FARGO)........................6 INCHES
CASS CO (FARGO AIRPORT)................... 5.9 INCHES

MINNESOTA
WADENA CO (WADENA)........................ 8.8 INCHES
WADENA CO (SEBEKA)........................ 6.0 INCHES
POLK CO (CROOKSTON)....................... 8.0 INCHES
CLAY CO (MOORHEAD)........................ 5.9 INCHES
CLAY CO (SABIN)........................... 5.0 INCHES
WILKIN CO (ROTHSAY)....................... 5.2 INCHES
WILKIN CO (BRECKENRIDGE).....................2 INCHES EST
OTTERTAIL CO (PELICAN RAPIDS)............. 6.3 INCHES
OTTERTAIL CO (FERGUS FALLS)..................6 INCHES EST
OTTERTAIL CO (NEW YORK MILLS)............. 5.0 INCHES
GRANT CO (ELBOW LAKE)........................2 INCHES EST
MAHNOMEN CO (MAHNOMEN)..................4 TO 5 INCHES EST
HUBBARD CO (PARK RAPIDS).....................5 INCHES EST
BECKER CO (DALTON 3S)..................... 4.6 INCHES
BECKER CO (PONSFORD)...................... 4.0 INCHES