A long duration snowfall event started the morning of Wednesday, December 26th. It began as light snow in west central Minnesota during the late morning and quickly moved north and dissipated by the early afternoon.
A second wave of precipitation developed late Wednesday afternoon and moved north across all of southern and central Minnesota, as well as portions of west central Wisconsin. Temperatures remained cold enough for the precipitation to stay all snow before it ended during the overnight hours. A few places in west central and central Minnesota were able to receive up to 6 inches of snowfall before it tapered off.
Another wave of precipitation developed early Thursday morning the 27th. Temperatures warmed enough for the precipitation to change over to rain, drizzle or a mixture of rain, drizzle and snow in portions of southwest, south central, and east central Minnesota, as well as west central Wisconsin. A quick 2 to 4 inches of snow fell before the change over to all rain by Thursday afternoon.
A mixture of snow and rain moved as far west as Montevideo, Sauk Centre, and Little Falls. Some observations even had unknown precipitation near Long Prairie and Alexandria for a while before the colder air arrived later on the 27th.
The final wave of precipitation occurred mainly in west central to central Minnesota in the form of snow Thursday night December 27th.
The progression of this storm started in the southern Rockies, and moved out into the plains of Oklahoma, before moving northeast across Kansas, Iowa, southern Minnesota, western Wisconsin, and into the northern Great Lakes in a two day period. Strong east-southeast winds developed on the 26th with very mild air surging northward. This allowed for the precipitation to change over to rain before the colder air arrived late Thursday evening. The pressure gradient strengthened Thursday afternoon and caused a significant increase in wind speeds in west central Minnesota. Gusts of 40 to 50 mph were common in the typical areas of west central Minnesota where surface visibility dropped to a quarter of a mile or less.
Blizzard conditions were met along the Minnesota, South Dakota border for several hours from late Thursday afternoon through early Friday morning.
During the height of the storm, there were 9 injuries and 1 fatality due to traffic accidents. The Minnesota State Patrol said it responded to 167 crashes, 259 spin-outs and 13 jackknifed semis on Thursday, December 27.
Some of the heavier snowfall totals from the storm include:
North of Alexandria, 14.5 inches.
Near Long Prairie, 14.2 inches.
Browerville, 13.2 inches.
Sedan, 11.9 inches.
Northwest of Donnelly, 11 inches.
Starbuck, 11 inches.
East of Camp Ripley, 10.5 inches.
Near Little Falls, 10 inches.

Winter Storm in CHIPPEWA, MINNESOTA
From 26-DEC-18 12:00:00 to 28-DEC-18 06:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several waves of precipitation occurred from the morning of Wednesday, December 26th, to the early morning of Friday, December 28th. The heaviest snow fell in the extreme northwest part of the county where locally 10 inches fell. In comparison, the far southeast received less than 5 inches.
There was also significant blowing snow Thursday afternoon, December 27th, to early Friday morning, December 28th. Several weather sensors indicated gusts of 30 to 40 mph near the Chippewa, Lac Qui Parle border, and mainly in the far northwest corner of the county. However, conditions improved further east as snowfall amounts, and wind gusts were less.

Winter Storm in DOUGLAS, MINNESOTA
From 26-DEC-18 13:00:00 to 28-DEC-18 06:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several waves of precipitation occurred from the afternoon of Wednesday, December 26th, to the early morning of Friday, December 28th. The whole county averaged around 12 inches, with locally higher amounts near Alexandria.

Winter Storm in KANDIYOHI, MINNESOTA
From 26-DEC-18 12:30:00 to 28-DEC-18 06:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several waves of precipitation occurred from the afternoon of Wednesday, December 26th, to the early morning of Friday, December 28th. Most of the county had a mixture of rain and snow on Thursday before changing back to snow Thursday evening. Only the far northwest corner of the county received around 6-8 inches of snowfall.

Winter Storm in LAC QUI PARLE, MINNESOTA
From 26-DEC-18 11:00:00 to 28-DEC-18 06:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several waves of precipitation occurred from the morning of Wednesday, December 26th, to the early morning of Friday, December 28th. Total storm snowfall varied from over a foot in western Lac Qui Parle county, to around 6-8 inches around Montevideo.
Blizzard conditions were met Thursday afternoon, through early Friday morning along the South Dakota, Minnesota border. Further to the east along the Chippewa, Lac Qui Parle county line, wind gusts were less and visibility improved.

Winter Storm in MILLE LACS, MINNESOTA
From 26-DEC-18 21:00:00 to 28-DEC-18 06:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several waves of precipitation occurred from the evening of Wednesday, December 26th, to the early morning of Friday, December 28th. Due to the very warm air on Thursday, most of the precipitation was in the form of rain, or a mixture of rain/snow before changing back over to snow Thursday evening. Only the far northern part of Mille Lacs county had locally 6 to 8 inches of snow. In the southern part of the county, only a few inches fell.

Winter Storm in MORRISON, MINNESOTA
From 26-DEC-18 20:00:00 to 28-DEC-18 06:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several waves of precipitation occurred from the evening of Wednesday, December 26th, to the early morning of Friday, December 28th. Much warmer air caused the snow to change over to a mixture of rain and snow on Thursday. The far northwest part of the county averaged around a foot, with only a few inches in the far southeast.

Winter Storm in POPE, MINNESOTA
From 26-DEC-18 12:30:00 to 28-DEC-18 06:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several waves of precipitation occurred from the afternoon of Wednesday, December 26th, to the early morning of Friday, December 28th. The whole county averaged around 8-11 inches of snowfall, with locally higher amounts near Sedan.

Winter Storm in STEARNS, MINNESOTA
From 26-DEC-18 14:00:00 to 28-DEC-18 06:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several waves of precipitation occurred from the afternoon of Wednesday, December 26th, to the early morning of Friday, December 28th. Much warmer air on Thursday caused the precipitation to change over to rain, or become mixed with rain. In the far southeast part of Stearns county, only a few inches of snow fell, whereas the far  northwest part received around 8 inches.

Winter Storm in STEVENS, MINNESOTA
From 26-DEC-18 12:00:00 to 28-DEC-18 06:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several waves of precipitation occurred from the morning of Wednesday, December 26th, to the early morning of Friday, December 28th. The whole county averaged around 8-10 inches of snowfall, with locally higher amounts near Donnelly.
There was significant blowing snow Thursday afternoon, December 27th, to early Friday morning, December 28th. Several weather sensors indicated gusts of 30 to 40 mph along the Stevens, Big Stone county line, but conditions improved further east as wind gusts were less.

Winter Storm in SWIFT, MINNESOTA
From 26-DEC-18 12:00:00 to 28-DEC-18 06:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several waves of precipitation occurred from the morning of Wednesday, December 26th, to the early morning of Friday, December 28th. The far western part of the county received the highest amounts with locally 8-10 inches. In comparison, the far eastern part of the county had an average of 6 inches or less.
There was significant blowing snow Thursday afternoon, December 27th, to early Friday morning, December 28th. Several weather sensors indicated gusts of 30 to 40 mph along the Swift, Big Stone county line, but conditions improved further east as wind gusts were less.

Winter Storm in TODD, MINNESOTA
From 26-DEC-18 17:00:00 to 28-DEC-18 06:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several waves of precipitation occurred from the afternoon of Wednesday, December 26th, to the early morning of Friday, December 28th. The whole county averaged around a foot, with locally higher amounts near Long Prairie.

Winter Storm in YELLOW MEDICINE, MINNESOTA
From 26-DEC-18 11:00:00 to 28-DEC-18 06:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several waves of precipitation occurred from the morning of Wednesday, December 26th, to the early morning of Friday, December 28th. The higher totals of nearly a foot of snow fell in the extreme part of Yellow Medicine county. In comparison, the far east, along the Minnesota River, amounts ranged from 4-6 inches.
There was significant blowing snow Thursday afternoon, December 27th, to early Friday morning, December 28th. Several weather sensors indicated gusts of 30 to 40 mph along the South Dakota, Minnesota border, but conditions improved further east as snowfall amounts, and wind gusts were less.

Blizzard in LAC QUI PARLE, MINNESOTA
From 27-DEC-18 16:00:00 to 28-DEC-18 06:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Department of Highways

Several sources of weather equipment which had visibility less than a quarter of a mile, wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph, and the department of transportation recommending no travel along the Minnesota, South Dakota border, blizzard conditions were met.
Both the department of transportation sensor along the Minnesota, South Dakota border near Marietta, and the Madison airport had sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph, with occasional gusts of 45 to 50 mph from the late afternoon, through Friday morning around 6 AM CST.