A very unusual snow event unfolded across portions of south central Minnesota, as well as west central Wisconsin on the evening of Wednesday, May 1st. Snowfall amounts topped over a foot of snow, with locally higher amounts in a small band near Ellendale, Blooming Prairie, Owatonna, and Goodhue, Minnesota.
This system was highly unusual due to the fact that May snowfall amounts average less than an inch.  A strong Canadian air mass for early May allowed for critical temperatures to lower enough to produce snow across south central and east central Minnesota during the late afternoon and early evening of Wednesday May 1st.
A strong surge of moisture from the gulf interacted with the cold air mass to produce very heavy snowfall from Wednesday evening, through Thursday morning, before tapering off after 6 am. Snowfall rates were as high as 1-2 inches per hour during the height of the storm.  A local CoCoRaHS observer southwest of Ellendale in Steele County, Minnesota, had a record 3 day snowfall report of 17.3 inches between May 1st, to May 3rd. This is a state record for May for a three day total.  Ellendale's May monthly total also was 17.3 inches and this falls just short of Minnesota's all-time monthly May snowfall record of 17.8 inches set in Virginia (St. Louis County) in 1954.
Due to the heavy snowfall and high liquid water content, large tree branches broke off and caused damage to power lines, along with numerous power outages.

Winter Storm in WASECA, MINNESOTA
From 01-MAY-13 16:00:00 to 02-MAY-13 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snowfall amounts ranged from 6 to 14 inches across southeast Waseca County, with the heaviest near New Richland.

Winter Storm in FREEBORN, MINNESOTA
From 01-MAY-13 17:00:00 to 02-MAY-13 06:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snowfall amounts ranged from 8 to 15 inches across the county, with the heaviest in the far northeast near Maple Island.

Winter Storm in WASHINGTON, MINNESOTA
From 01-MAY-13 17:00:00 to 02-MAY-13 08:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snowfall amounts ranged from 6 to 8 inches in the far southeastern part of the county where locally 8 inches fell near Cottage Grove, and Afton.

Winter Storm in STEELE, MINNESOTA
From 01-MAY-13 17:00:00 to 02-MAY-13 06:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snowfall amounts ranged from 10 to 17.3 inches across the county, with the heaviest in the southwest corner near Ellendale which measured a three day total of 17.3 inches.

Winter Storm in RICE, MINNESOTA
From 01-MAY-13 17:00:00 to 02-MAY-13 06:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snowfall amounts ranged from 6 to 12 inches across the southeast part of Rice County, with the highest near Moland.

Winter Storm in DAKOTA, MINNESOTA
From 01-MAY-13 17:00:00 to 02-MAY-13 08:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snowfall amounts ranged from 6 to 8 inches in the far southeast part of the county with locally 8 inches near Hastings.

Winter Storm in GOODHUE, MINNESOTA
From 01-MAY-13 17:00:00 to 02-MAY-13 08:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snowfall amounts ranged from 6 to 17 inches across the county with the heaviest near Goodhue.

Winter Storm in FARIBAULT, MINNESOTA
From 01-MAY-13 16:00:00 to 02-MAY-13 03:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: COOP Observer

Snowfall amounts ranged from 6 to 10 inches across far northeast Faribault County where Wells measured 10 inches by early Thursday morning, May 2nd.