Heavy rains earlier this month weren't even factored into flood predictions because long-range forecasting can be inexact. The melted snow that drained into the upper Mississippi spread from the Dakotas to Wisconsin, officials said. The Twin Cities received 75.8 inches of heavy, wet snow after November, the area's eighth snowiest winter on record. The water content in the snow averaged 4 to 6 inches in southern Minnesota and 2 to 4 inches in western Wisconsin on March 23, said National Weather Service hydrologist Gary McDevitt. Historically, the late March water content average is 2 to 3 inches in the region, he said.
Weather observers can determine if snow is wet or dry.
Ms. Pearson said. Instead of thawing, the snow kept piling up. Below-normal temperatures for March and early April prevented a melt. You are not going to be melting snow with that. The first 15 days of April brought 3 to 5 inches of rain to the region, compared to a normal April rainfall of 2.5 to 2.9 inches, Mr. McDevitt said.