A major winter storm traversed much of Central Iowa and Southern Wisconsin from the afternoon hours on the 12th, to the early evening on the 13th.  Snow began to fall around 1200 CST across South Central Minnesota, and overspread the entire area by 2000 CST.  The storm dumped as much as 19 inches of heavy, wet snow, including a wide swath of 6 to 12 inches.  The heaviest amounts occurred mainly southeast of a Redwood Falls to Lindstrom line.  Sustained winds in the 15 to 25 mph range, with gusts between 30 and 38 mph, contributed to moderate to substantial blowing snow and very poor visibility, even in those areas where there was only three to four inches snow.The storm resulted in dozens of school cancellations, as well as many cancelled or delayed flights, including Minneapolis St. Paul International Airport.  Highway 52, south of Cannon Falls, was closed for several hours during the late morning hours on the 13th.  The Minnesota Department of Transportation recommended that motorists stay off the roads in Southern Minnesota for most of the daylight hours on the 13th.  Xcel Energy reported as many as 21,000 customers through portions of Central and South Central Minnesota were left without power during the storm.  In the Twin Cities alone, the State Patrol reported 260 property damage accidents, 19 personal injury accidents, and 252 vehicles sliding off roadways, and seven jack-knifed semi-trucks.The greatest snowfall total was at Hastings, where 19 inches was measured.  Other amounts include 13 inches at North St. Paul (Ramsey County), 12 inches at Red Wing (Dakota County), Woodbury (Washington County), Montgomery (Le Sueur County) and Sherburn (Martin County), 11 inches in New Hope (Hennepin County) and St. James (Watonwan County), 9 inches at Rockford (Wright County), 8 inches at Hutchinson (McLeod County), 7 inches at Ellendale (Steele County), 6 inches at Granite Falls (Yellow Medicine County), Boyd (Lac Qui Parle County), Albert Lea (Freeborn County) and Branch (Chisago County), and 4 inches at Lake Lillian (Kandiyohi County) and Dassel (Meeker County).

Winter Storm in BLUE EARTH, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in KANDIYOHI, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in LAC QUI PARLE, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in LE SUEUR, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in MARTIN, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in MCLEOD, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in MEEKER, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in NICOLLET, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in RAMSEY, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in REDWOOD, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in RENVILLE, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in RICE, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in SCOTT, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in SHERBURNE, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in SIBLEY, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in STEELE, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in WASECA, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in WASHINGTON, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in WATONWAN, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in WRIGHT, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in YELLOW MEDICINE, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in BROWN, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in CARVER, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in CHIPPEWA, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in CHISAGO, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in DAKOTA, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in FARIBAULT, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in FREEBORN, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in GOODHUE, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in HENNEPIN, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in ISANTI, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Winter Storm in ANOKA, MINNESOTA
From 12-MAR-06 12:00:00 to 13-MAR-06 16:00:00 (CST)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER