The combination of a storm system that developed across the northern Rockies, and a southern storm system across Kansas, caused a large area of winter weather across the northern plains and upper midwest on March 10th.
The morning of March 10th, snow began to spread across western Minnesota where locally two to four inches fell, with the heaviest north of Benson. Southern and eastern Minnesota had a period of sleet, freezing rain and freezing drizzle develop, but ice accumulations were minimal and didn't exceed one tenth of an inch. The winter mixture quickly switched over to snow across the Twin Cities area by 1 pm, then moved northward where locally two to four inches fell around St. Cloud, Princeton and the Mille Lacs Lake area.
By the afternoon, the southern storm system began to interact with the northern system to develop an area of low pressure across west central Wisconsin. Wind speeds started to increase significantly across western Minnesota with frequent gusts of 30 mph was common. In addition, daytime temperatures continued to fall across western Minnesota with actually surface temperatures falling into the single digits by the afternoon. The increased wind speeds created wind chill values in the teens below zero across a wide area of west central Minnesota, along with winter storm and blizzard conditions that developed prior to 6 pm.
Another band of heavy snowfall developed across western Minnesota during the afternoon, and quickly moved across central and southern Minnesota. Locally one to three inches of snow fell with this band, along with reduced visibilities of one half mile or less. Once this band of snow went through the region, wind speeds increased along with temperatures falling into the single digits below zero across western and central Minnesota, to the single digits above zero across southern and east central Minnesota.
Light snow continued through the evening, but most of the accumulating snowfall stopped shortly after 8 pm. Blowing and drifting snow continued throughout the night with surface visibilities slowly improving after midnight.
Total snowfall amounts from this storm system ranged from two to four inches northwest of a Redwood Falls, to the western portions of the Twin Cities, to Mora. Four to six inches fell mainly northwest of a Montevideo to St. Cloud, to Mille Lacs Lake area. The heaviest occurred around the communities of Alexandria, Long Prairie and Little Falls where six to ten inches fell. The heaviest snowfall reported was in Millerville in northern Douglas County where 10.5 inches was measured.

Blizzard in STEVENS, MINNESOTA
From 10-MAR-09 12:00:00 to 11-MAR-09 00:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Two rounds of snow fell across Stevens County on March 10th. Wind speeds increased by the afternoon with surface visibilities dropping to one quarter of a mile or less between 3 pm and 10 pm. Wind gusts reached 40 to 45 mph during the height of the storm. The worst conditions were felt in the southwest corner of Stevens County where zero visibilities were observed.

Blizzard in SWIFT, MINNESOTA
From 10-MAR-09 12:00:00 to 11-MAR-09 00:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Two rounds of snow occurred across Swift County which totalled around four inches. However, wind speeds increased during the afternoon and caused blizzard conditions to develop between 3 pm and 10 pm. Conditions slowly improved after midnight, but wind chill values were averaging between 25 and 35 below zero. The worst conditions were felt in western Swift County near Appleton where blizzard conditions were meant during the afternoon and evening hours.

Blizzard in CHIPPEWA, MINNESOTA
From 10-MAR-09 12:00:00 to 11-MAR-09 00:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Two rounds of snow occurred across Chippewa County where locally four inches of snow fell. A small portion of Chippewa County near Milan experienced blizzard conditions during the afternoon and evening hours of March 10th. Most of the county had surface visibilities of one half mile or better, especially across the eastern sections of Chippewa County.

Winter Storm in KANDIYOHI, MINNESOTA
From 10-MAR-09 14:00:00 to 11-MAR-09 00:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Two rounds of snow fell across Kandiyohi County on March 10th. Locally three to six inches fell across the county along with wind speeds of 20 to 35 mph during the afternoon and evening time period. During the height of the storm local surface visibilities dropped below one mile for several hours.

Winter Storm in STEARNS, MINNESOTA
From 10-MAR-09 14:00:00 to 11-MAR-09 00:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Two rounds of snow fell across Stearns County on March 10th. Locally four to six inches fell across the county along with wind speeds of 20 to 35 mph during the afternoon and evening time period. During the height of the storm local surface visibilities dropped below one mile for several hours.

Winter Storm in TODD, MINNESOTA
From 10-MAR-09 14:00:00 to 11-MAR-09 00:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Two rounds of snow fell across Todd County on March 10th. Locally six to seven inches fell across the county along with wind speeds of 20 to 35 mph during the afternoon and evening time period. During the height of the storm local surface visibilities dropped below one mile for several hours.

Winter Storm in MORRISON, MINNESOTA
From 10-MAR-09 15:00:00 to 11-MAR-09 00:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Two rounds of snow fell across Morrison County on March 10th. Locally four to seven inches fell across the county along with wind speeds of 20 to 35 mph during the afternoon and evening time period. During the height of the storm local surface visibilities dropped below one mile for several hours.

Winter Storm in BENTON, MINNESOTA
From 10-MAR-09 15:00:00 to 11-MAR-09 00:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Two rounds of snow fell across Benton County on March 10th. Locally four to five inches fell across the county along with wind speeds of 20 to 35 mph during the afternoon and evening time period. During the height of the storm local surface visibilities dropped below one mile for several hours.

Winter Storm in MILLE LACS, MINNESOTA
From 10-MAR-09 16:00:00 to 11-MAR-09 00:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Two rounds of snow fell across Mille Lacs County on March 10th. Locally three to four inches (higher totals were near the southern part of Mille Lacs Lake) fell across the county along with wind speeds of 20 to 35 mph during the afternoon and evening time period. During the height of the storm local surface visibilities dropped below one mile for several hours.

Blizzard in LAC QUI PARLE, MINNESOTA
From 10-MAR-09 17:00:00 to 11-MAR-09 00:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Two rounds of snow occurred across Lac Qui Parle County. Although total snowfall accumulations did not exceed four inches, the combination of increased wind speeds and reduced visibilities between 2 pm and midnight, blizzard conditions were met near Bellingham, or north of Madison. Only a portion of northern Lac Qui Parle County experience true blizzard conditions, the remainder of the county did not have reduced visibilities of one quarter of a mile for more than three hours.

Blizzard in DOUGLAS, MINNESOTA
From 10-MAR-09 18:00:00 to 11-MAR-09 00:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Two rounds of snow fell across Douglas County on March 10th. Locally six to ten inches fell before 8 pm, but blizzard conditions were not met until the evening as winds increased from the northwest at 25 to 35 mph, with gusts over 40 mph. Only the far western part of Douglas County had met blizzard conditions for a three hour period, mainly near the community of Kensington.

Blizzard in POPE, MINNESOTA
From 10-MAR-09 18:00:00 to 11-MAR-09 00:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Two rounds of snow fell across Pope County on March 10th. Locally four to six inches fell before 8 pm, but blizzard conditions were not met until the evening as winds increased from the northwest at 25 to 35 mph, with gusts over 40 mph. Only the far western part of Pope County had met blizzard conditions for a three hour period, mainly near the community of Cyrus.

Winter Storm in YELLOW MEDICINE, MINNESOTA
From 10-MAR-09 09:00:00 to 11-MAR-09 00:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Two rounds of snow fell across Yellow Medicine County on March 10th. Locally two to four inches fell across the county along with wind speeds of 20 to 35 mph during the afternoon and evening time period. Although blizzard conditions were not met, visibilities in blowing snow did average between one half and one mile for several hours.