Metrodome down: Remembering Minnesota's epic 2010 snow storm
College campuses shut down. Shows were postponed. Sports stadiums, well… collapsed.
It was the snow storm of Dec. 10 and 11, 2010, also called the “domebuster.” It is still considered the fifth-largest snowfall ever recorded in the Twin Cities, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Shakopee saw the highest total at 21.5”. Area gusts clocked 30 mph.
The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport reported at least 16.5”, leading it to close for 19 hours. The last time it had closed for snow was March 1965. Metro snowfall totals ranged from around 9.9" to 21.5".
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The storm went into full force that Friday night through Saturday night around 10 p.m.
At 5 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 12, the Metrodome roof collapsed. Accumulated snow sent the Teflon-coated fiberglass roof downwards in the sports stadium. Nobody was hurt.
Snow entered through a gaping hole above the 30-yard line. A 10-yard-long piece of the pillowy-looking roof flapped in the wind. The attached speakers held on above the seats, which sat low enough to be unaffected.
It was the fourth time the Metrodome top fell from heavy snow, the first three within the first three years of its existence.
Nostalgia hits twelve years later as we look into this week’s forecast of a wintry ice mix, though much less snow is expected.
The coldest air of the season so far will move in. Expect Tuesday gusts between 25 and 45 mph, increasing as you go south.
Rain, snow and freezing rain develop southwest Monday night and move northeast Tuesday. Rain and snow will continue on and off Wednesday with heavy snow developing near Lake Superior.
Periods of snow will continue Thursday into the weekend. Rain and snow showers spread east and north through Tuesday into Wednesday across the state.