Another classic 'tournament snowstorm' slapshots into the Midwest

It’s that time of the year again when fans from all over the Upper Midwest converge on St. Paul for the Minnesota state boys hockey tournament. Travelers will once again need to face off with Mother Nature when it comes to the forecast.

This year’s tournament weather seems to be giving out a hat trick of its own, with a trio of widespread rain, gusty winds, and accumulating snow all in the mix! Blizzard and winter storm watches have been issued for parts of the eastern and southeastern metro area.

Light rain showers will spread across the area Tuesday afternoon into Tuesday night, transitioning to all snow by early Wednesday morning. Snowfall rates could be intense, with 1 to 1.5 inches per hour possible.

Combined with winds of 40 to 50 mph, we’re looking at near whiteout or blizzard conditions by Wednesday morning.

In typical March fashion, the snow will be wet and heavy. Snow totals are expected to range from just a few inches to more than 6 inches in southeastern Minnesota.

It looks like Mother Nature will be serving time in the penalty box this year with all the wild weather. It’s shaping up to be a battle both on and off the ice!

A trend of tournaments and snowstorms?

For many, it seems like a recurring theme to have a snowstorm during the state hockey tournament. Let’s take a look at the weather over the past five years of the tournament.

• March 2024. Last year told a very different story when it came to tournament time and the weather. The beginning of the month saw a record heat wave, with highs in the 60s and even a 74-degree reading on March 3, just three days before the tournament kicked off. In fact, the weather remained fairly mild during the tournament, with temperatures in the 40s and 50s throughout.

• March 2023. On average, the Twin Cities receives just over 8 inches of snow in the month of March. However, March 2023 saw over 15 inches of snow, with 3.3 inches falling just days before the tournament. From March 8 to March 11, an additional 5.3 inches of snow fell, right in the middle of tournament time.

• March 2022. Another snowstorm hit from March 5-6, bringing a mix of freezing rain, sleet, and thunderstorms just days before the tournament. A total of 3.3 inches was reported, with a liquid equivalent of over an inch! Temperatures trended cooler during this time in the lower to mid-20s.

• March 2021. March of 2021 saw 4 inches of snow that fell during the middle of the month. The tournament was at the end of the month and beginning of April, with very windy conditions. On March 31, winds reached 48 mph, with 30 to 40 mph gusts recorded on April 2 and April 3. However, the tournament days in April were surprisingly warm, with temperatures in the 60s and 70s.

• March 2020. Light rain with some trace snowfall was reported during the first couple of days of the 2020 tournament, but fortunately, no major snowstorms hit that year.