Heavy snow and difficult travel expected again, heaviest snow in southern Minnesota

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Minneapolis, St. Paul and many other cities across the state had their wettest years on record in 2019, and a storm forecast for this weekend could break even more records. 

A weather observer in Owatonna has recorded 56.5 inches of precipitation so far in 2019, the highest of anywhere in the state. (Hallock in the northwestern corner of Minnesota has recorded the least precipitation so far this year at about 23 inches, which is still 1.5 inches above normal for that location.)

Besides the Twin Cities and Owatonna, cities with more than 50 years of precipitation data that experienced their wettest years on record in 2019 include Rochester, Morris, Faribault, Georgetown, Pipestone, Marshall, Zumbrota, Canby and Minneota.

 in Minnesota, and the trend is expected to continue. 

MPR’s Cathy Wurzer spoke with climatologist Mark Seeley about the year in weather. Click the audio player above to hear their conversation.

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It’s been a wet year in Minnesota, and a storm forecast for this weekend could break more records.

Retired University of Minnesota meteorologist and climatologist Mark Seeley joined MPR News host Cathy Wurzer for the weekly weather chat. 

Owatonna leads precipitation contest in 2019 with 56 inches and counting

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