Southeast Minnesota was hit by a blizzard during the afternoon of January 26th. Sustained winds of 25 to 40 mph with gusts approaching 60 mph produced widespread whiteout conditions where the visibility was reduced to a quarter mile or less. The winds also caused severe drifting to occur making many roads impassable and several vehicles were trapped in the snow. The stage was set for the blizzard to occur when a system passed across the region during the evening of the 25th and early morning of 26th and produced 2 to 3 inches of light fluffy snow. This snow then was used by the winds, along with additional falling light snow, to create the blizzard conditions behind a strong area of low pressure that moved across central Minnesota and northern Wisconsin. The highest measured wind gust was 58 mph from the automated weather observing equipment at the Rochester (Olmsted County) airport.

Winter Storm in WINONA, MINNESOTA
From 26-JAN-14 09:58:00 to 26-JAN-14 19:45:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Sustained northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph with higher gusts, created considerable blowing and drifting snow across Winona County after 2 to 3 inches of snow fell. The blowing and drifting snow created very poor driving conditions. All the schools across the county were closed on the 27th as a result of the conditions produced by the blowing and drifting snow and extremely cold wind chills.

Blizzard in FILLMORE, MINNESOTA
From 26-JAN-14 13:54:00 to 26-JAN-14 19:34:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Northwest winds between 25 and 40 mph with gusts of 45 to 55 mph, created a period of blizzard conditions across Fillmore County. As a result of the blizzard, numerous roads were impassable due to severe drifting with some vehicles becoming trapped in the snow. All schools in the county were closed on the 27th from a combination of the conditions left behind by the blizzard and extremely cold wind chills. The highest measured wind gust during the blizzard was 51 mph from a mesonet reporting station near Canton.

Winter Storm in HOUSTON, MINNESOTA
From 26-JAN-14 10:19:00 to 26-JAN-14 20:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Sustained northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph with higher gusts, created considerable blowing and drifting snow across Houston County after 2 to 3 inches of snow fell. The blowing and drifting snow created very poor driving conditions. All the schools across the county were closed on the 27th as a result of the conditions produced by the blowing and drifting snow and extremely cold wind chills.

Blizzard in MOWER, MINNESOTA
From 26-JAN-14 14:14:00 to 26-JAN-14 19:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Northwest winds between 25 and 40 mph with gusts of 45 to 55 mph, created a period of blizzard conditions across Mower County. As a result of the blizzard, numerous roads were impassable due to severe drifting with some vehicles becoming trapped in the snow. All schools in the county were closed on the 27th from a combination of the conditions left behind by the blizzard and extremely cold wind chills. The highest measured wind gust during the blizzard was 54 mph from a mesonet reporting station near Dexter.

Blizzard in OLMSTED, MINNESOTA
From 26-JAN-14 13:25:00 to 26-JAN-14 20:54:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: ASOS

Northwest winds between 25 and 40 mph with gusts of 50 to 60 mph, created a period of blizzard conditions across Olmsted County. As a result of the blizzard, numerous roads were impassable due to severe drifting with some vehicles becoming trapped in the snow. All schools in the county were closed on the 27th from a combination of the conditions left behind by the blizzard and extremely cold wind chills. The highest measured wind gust during the blizzard was 58 mph from the automated weather observing equipment at the Rochester airport.

Winter Storm in WABASHA, MINNESOTA
From 26-JAN-14 11:15:00 to 26-JAN-14 19:30:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Sustained northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph with higher gusts, created considerable blowing and drifting snow across Wabasha County after 2 to 3 inches of snow fell. The blowing and drifting snow created very poor driving conditions. All the schools across the county were closed on the 27th as a result of the conditions produced by the blowing and drifting snow and extremely cold wind chills.

Blizzard in DODGE, MINNESOTA
From 26-JAN-14 13:51:00 to 26-JAN-14 19:50:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: AWOS

Northwest winds between 25 and 40 mph with gusts of 45 to 55 mph, created a period of blizzard conditions across Dodge County. As a result of the blizzard, numerous roads were impassable due to severe drifting with some vehicles becoming trapped in the snow. All schools in the county were closed on the 27th from a combination of the conditions left behind by the blizzard and extremely cold wind chills. The highest measured wind gust during the blizzard was 56 mph from a mesonet reporting station near Kasson.