Southeast Minnesota experienced blizzard conditions from the afternoon of January 8th into the very early morning hours of the 9th. Sustained winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts as high as 50 mph, produced widespread whiteout conditions where the visibility was reduced to a quarter mile or less. The winds also caused severe drifting, making many roads impassable. The Minnesota Department of Transportation started recommending that travel was not advised in the area from the middle of the afternoon on the 8th into the overnight hours. The conditions were so bad in Mower County, that the sheriff issued an order that the only travel should be for emergency purposes. The whiteout conditions started occurring during the afternoon of the 8th ahead of an area of low pressure and cold front. Light snow fell ahead of the cold front, with 1 to 2 inches of accumulations, and was accompanied by south winds gusting to 25 to 30 mph. Once the cold front passed through, the winds switched to the northwest and increased to produce widespread whiteout conditions from the light snow that had fallen earlier in the day. These conditions then continued well past nightfall before the winds diminished during the early morning hours of the 9th. Most schools across the area dismissed early on the 8th and also had delayed starts on the 9th.

Blizzard in DODGE, MINNESOTA
From 08-JAN-15 13:45:00 to 08-JAN-15 22:15:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Sustained south winds of 15 to 25 mph, with higher gusts, produced sporadic whiteouts during the early afternoon of January 8th. Conditions deteriorated once a cold front moved through. The winds became northwest at 20 to 35 mph, with higher gusts, which produced widespread whiteouts from the 1 to 2 inches of snow that had fallen earlier in the day. The blowing and drifting snow created very poor driving conditions and all the schools in Dodge County dismissed early on the 8th and started late on the 9th.

Blizzard in FILLMORE, MINNESOTA
From 08-JAN-15 13:45:00 to 08-JAN-15 22:55:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Sustained south winds of 15 to 25 mph, with higher gusts, produced sporadic whiteouts during the early afternoon of January 8th. Conditions deteriorated once a cold front moved through. The winds became northwest at 20 to 35 mph, with higher gusts, which produced widespread whiteouts from the 1 to 2 inches of snow that had fallen earlier in the day. The blowing and drifting snow created very poor driving conditions and most of the schools in Fillmore County dismissed early on the 8th and all the schools started late on the 9th.

Blizzard in MOWER, MINNESOTA
From 08-JAN-15 13:45:00 to 08-JAN-15 22:35:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Sustained south winds of 15 to 25 mph, with higher gusts, produced sporadic whiteouts during the early afternoon of January 8th. Conditions deteriorated once a cold front moved through. The winds became northwest at 20 to 35 mph, with higher gusts, which produced widespread whiteouts from the 1 to 2 inches of snow that had fallen earlier in the day. The blowing and drifting snow created very poor driving conditions and most of the schools in Mower County dismissed early on the 8th and started late on the 9th.

Blizzard in OLMSTED, MINNESOTA
From 08-JAN-15 13:45:00 to 09-JAN-15 00:10:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Sustained south winds of 15 to 25 mph, with higher gusts, produced sporadic whiteouts during the early afternoon of January 8th. Conditions deteriorated once a cold front moved through. The winds became northwest at 20 to 35 mph, with higher gusts, which produced widespread whiteouts from the 1 to 2 inches of snow that had fallen earlier in the day. The blowing and drifting snow created very poor driving conditions and most of the schools in Olmsted County dismissed early on the 8th and all of them started late on the 9th.