A very large storm system that began in the southern Rockies on Sunday, December 27th, moved out into the southern Plains, and slowly moved north-northeast toward the Great Lakes region by Tuesday morning, December 29th.
Copious amounts of deep gulf moisture moved northward in advance of this system creating large areas of precipitation across the Mid-Mississippi Valley region early Monday, December 28th.
Initially the atmosphere was dry and kept most of the precipitation south of the Iowa border through 9 AM LST. Slowly a band of snow moved into far southern Minnesota by noon, and spread northward across south central and into east central Minnesota by the late afternoon. Snowfall rates increased to 1-2 inches per hour across far southern Minnesota and produced locally 6 to 7 inches from Fairmont to Wells, Waseca and north of Albert Lea by 7 PM LST. By 8 to 9 PM LST, areas from near Mankato to Owatonna received locally 6 inches of snow. As this band moved northward toward the southern part of the Twin Cities metro area, snowfall rates decreased, but a quick 2 to 5 inches fell from New Ulm to St. Peter, New Prague and Lakeville by 11 PM LST. This band of snow began to weaken and dissipate over the Twin Cities by midnight.
Another area of light snow developed across southern Minnesota after 3 AM LST, and slowly drifted east-northeast and produced an additional 2 to 4 inches from Mankato to Owatonna, Jordon, Prior Lake to Lakeville and southern Washington County. This area of snow moved into west central Wisconsin before dissipating during the late afternoon of Tuesday, December 29th.
Total snowfall amounts by the time the snowfall ended or became occasional flurries, ranged from 10 to 12 inches around Fairmont, Winnebago, Mankato, Waseca and Northfield, to 6 to 10 inches from New Ulm, Jordan and Lakeville. Snowfall amounts across the Twin Cities metro area ranged from 6 to 10 inches in the far southern suburbs, to around 1 to 2 inches around Elk River, Anoka to Forest Lake on the north side of the cities.
Snowfall amounts in west central Wisconsin ranged from 3 to 6 inches from Hudson to Menomonie and Eau Claire, to around an inch near Osceola, Rice Lake and Ladysmith.

Winter Storm in BLUE EARTH, MINNESOTA
From 28-DEC-15 12:00:00 to 29-DEC-15 12:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Local weather observers and trained spotters reported 8 to 12 inches of snow across the county, with the heaviest near Mapleton.

Winter Storm in BROWN, MINNESOTA
From 28-DEC-15 15:00:00 to 29-DEC-15 12:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Local weather observers and trained spotters reported 6 to 10 inches of snow across the county.

Winter Storm in DAKOTA, MINNESOTA
From 28-DEC-15 17:00:00 to 29-DEC-15 15:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Local weather observers and trained spotters reported 6 to 10 inches of snow across the county.

Winter Storm in FARIBAULT, MINNESOTA
From 28-DEC-15 10:00:00 to 29-DEC-15 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Local weather observers and trained spotters reported 6 to 10 inches of snow across the county, with the heaviest near Winnebago.

Winter Storm in FREEBORN, MINNESOTA
From 28-DEC-15 10:00:00 to 29-DEC-15 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Local weather observers and trained spotters reported 6 to 9 inches of snow across the county.

Winter Storm in GOODHUE, MINNESOTA
From 28-DEC-15 13:00:00 to 29-DEC-15 15:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Local weather observers and trained spotters reported 6 to 8 inches of snow across the county.

Winter Storm in LE SUEUR, MINNESOTA
From 28-DEC-15 14:00:00 to 29-DEC-15 14:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Local weather observers and trained spotters reported 6 to 10 inches of snow across the county.

Winter Storm in MARTIN, MINNESOTA
From 28-DEC-15 10:00:00 to 29-DEC-15 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Local weather observers and trained spotters reported 6 to 12 inches of snow across the county, with the heaviest near Fairmont.

Winter Storm in NICOLLET, MINNESOTA
From 28-DEC-15 15:00:00 to 29-DEC-15 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Local weather observers and trained spotters reported 6 to 10 inches of snow across the county, with the heaviest near North Mankato.

Winter Storm in RICE, MINNESOTA
From 28-DEC-15 13:00:00 to 29-DEC-15 14:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Local weather observers and trained spotters reported 6 to 10 inches of snow across the county.

Winter Storm in SCOTT, MINNESOTA
From 28-DEC-15 18:00:00 to 29-DEC-15 15:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Local weather observers and trained spotters reported 6 to 10 inches of snow across the county.

Winter Storm in STEELE, MINNESOTA
From 28-DEC-15 12:00:00 to 29-DEC-15 12:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Local weather observers and trained spotters reported 6 to 9 inches of snow across the county.

Winter Storm in WASECA, MINNESOTA
From 28-DEC-15 12:00:00 to 29-DEC-15 12:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Local weather observers and trained spotters reported 6 to 10 inches of snow across the county.

Winter Storm in WATONWAN, MINNESOTA
From 28-DEC-15 12:00:00 to 29-DEC-15 10:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Local weather observers and trained spotters reported 6 to 10 inches of snow across the county.