A prolonged snow storm event with historic snowfall totals for the month of April, started Friday, April 13th, and lasted until late Sunday night April 15th.
This event was split into several different precipitation hazards, which created concerns with communicating the impacts of sleet, snow, blowing snow and blizzard conditions. As the event unfolded, this storm began apparent that it would produce record snowfall amounts, along with the highest snowfall amounts so far into the month of April. Therefore, the wording changed from significant/severe winter storm, to historic.
The first part of the storm developed early Friday morning with bands of showers, and embedded thunderstorms moving northward along the Minnesota-Iowa border. These storms moved northward into colder air aloft and produced widespread areas of sleet, small hail, but no severe storms. However, there were numerous reports across southern Minnesota, and into west central Wisconsin where the small hail, and sleet accumulated up to 2 inches in depth.
Several automated airport observing sites (ASOS/AWOS) reported sleet, snow and thunder through the morning. By the late morning, and into the afternoon, surface temperatures cooled in west central Wisconsin where the precipitation changed over to snow.
The next round of precipitation was in the form of sleet and snow in west central Wisconsin, with mainly snow to the north in the evening. Most of this area of precipitation quickly moved off to the east, with a lull period until early Saturday morning with the main bands of heavy snowfall developed in west central Wisconsin during the afternoon.
Total amounts through Saturday morning ranged from locally 2 to 4 inches from Redwood Falls through the Twin Cities, and into west central Wisconsin near Eau Claire.
By late Saturday morning, and into Saturday afternoon, the intensity of the snowfall and areal coverage widen across southern and central Minnesota, and into west central Wisconsin. Snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour were common by the afternoon before the heaviest snowfall began to taper off late Saturday evening.
The second round, and the third round of precipitation, occurred with the main storm system moving across Iowa and into the Great Lakes region late Saturday night, through late Sunday evening. After Saturday afternoon, snowfall intensity varied with some waves of heavy snowfall from Saturday night, and into Friday afternoon, but the majority of the snow was light.
The worst conditions occurred early Saturday afternoon and evening in terms of high end impacts. Strong northeast winds developed in the morning and held in the 15 to 25 mph range, with gusts of 30 mph through the afternoon and early evening. At times, surface visibility was around one half to one quarter of a mile, especially in open country.
As the storm ended, the following are some records from this storm.
The Eau Claire airport had three consecutive days (14, 15, & 16) of holding temperatures in the 20s or very low 30s to break records for the lowest high temperature of the day.
The following snowfall totals were the highest in the state.
15.0 inches near Spring Valley.
13.8 inches near Boyceville.
13.2 inches near Roberts.
13.0 inches near Chippewa Falls and Ladysmith.

Winter Storm in PIERCE, WISCONSIN
From 14-APR-18 02:00:00 to 15-APR-18 21:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several waves of precipitation occurred across Pierce County between early Saturday morning, through Sunday. Although some sleet, small hail and thunder occurred Friday morning, the bulk of the snow started early Saturday.
The first wave developed Saturday morning before noon and produced some sleet and snow, along with thundersnow. The next batch of heavy snowfall developed Saturday afternoon, into Saturday evening. The snow tapered off Sunday, with light accumulations in the afternoon. Total snowfall amounts by Monday morning ranged from 8 to 15 inches.

Winter Storm in PEPIN, WISCONSIN
From 14-APR-18 02:00:00 to 15-APR-18 21:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several waves of precipitation occurred across Pepin County between early Saturday morning, through Sunday. Although some sleet, small hail and thunder occurred Friday morning, the bulk of the snow started Saturday.
The first wave developed Saturday morning before noon and produced some sleet and snow, along with thundersnow. The next batch of heavy snowfall developed Saturday afternoon, into Saturday evening. The snow tapered off Sunday, with light accumulations in the afternoon. Total snowfall amounts by Monday morning ranged from 6 to 12 inches.

Winter Storm in ST. CROIX, WISCONSIN
From 13-APR-18 21:00:00 to 15-APR-18 21:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several waves of precipitation fell across St. Croix County between Friday evening, through Sunday. Although some sleet, small hail and thunder occurred Friday morning, the bulk of the snow started Friday evening. The first wave developed Friday evening and produced some sleet and snow. There was a lull in the precipitation through Saturday morning, before the next batch of heavy snowfall developed, and continued into Saturday evening. The heaviest snowfall with rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour occurred late Saturday morning, through Saturday afternoon. The snow tapered off Sunday, with light accumulations in the afternoon. Total snowfall amounts by Monday morning ranged from 10 to 14 inches.

Winter Storm in DUNN, WISCONSIN
From 13-APR-18 21:00:00 to 15-APR-18 21:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several waves of precipitation fell across Dunn County between Friday evening, through Sunday. Although some sleet, small hail and thunder occurred Friday morning, the bulk of the snow started Friday evening. The first wave developed Friday evening and produced some sleet and snow. There was a lull in the precipitation through Saturday morning, before the next batch of heavy snowfall developed, and continued into Saturday evening. The heaviest snowfall with rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour occurred late Saturday morning, through Saturday afternoon. The snow tapered off Sunday, with light accumulations in the afternoon. Total snowfall amounts by Monday morning ranged from 8 to 15 inches.

Winter Storm in POLK, WISCONSIN
From 13-APR-18 15:00:00 to 15-APR-18 21:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several waves of precipitation fell across Polk County between Friday afternoon, through Sunday. The first wave developed Friday afternoon and produced some sleet, snow and isolated thunder. There was a lull in the precipitation through Saturday morning, before the next batch of heavy snowfall developed, and continued into Saturday evening. The heaviest snowfall with rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour occurred Saturday afternoon, through Saturday evening. The snow tapered off Sunday, with light accumulations in the afternoon. Total snowfall amounts by Monday morning ranged from 8 to 14 inches. The heaviest occurred in the southern part of the county.

Winter Storm in BARRON, WISCONSIN
From 13-APR-18 15:00:00 to 15-APR-18 21:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several waves of precipitation fell across Barron County between Friday afternoon, through Sunday. The first wave developed Friday afternoon and produced some sleet, snow and isolated thunder. There was a lull in the precipitation through Saturday morning, before the next batch of heavy snowfall developed, and continued into Saturday evening. The heaviest snowfall with rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour occurred Saturday afternoon, through Saturday evening. The snow tapered off Sunday, with light accumulations in the afternoon. Total snowfall amounts by Monday morning ranged from 8 to 14 inches.

Winter Storm in RUSK, WISCONSIN
From 13-APR-18 15:00:00 to 15-APR-18 21:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several waves of precipitation fell across Rusk County between Friday afternoon, through Sunday. The first wave developed Friday afternoon and produced some sleet and snow. There was a lull in the precipitation through Saturday morning, before the next batch of heavy snowfall developed, and continued into Saturday evening. The heaviest snowfall with rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour occurred Saturday afternoon, through Saturday evening. The snow tapered off Sunday, with light accumulations in the afternoon. Total snowfall amounts by Monday morning ranged from 6 to 13 inches.

Winter Storm in CHIPPEWA, WISCONSIN
From 13-APR-18 21:00:00 to 15-APR-18 21:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several waves of precipitation fell across Chippewa County between Friday evening, through Sunday. Although some sleet, small hail and thunder occurred Friday morning, the bulk of the snow started Friday evening. The first wave developed Friday evening and produced some sleet and snow. There was a lull in the precipitation through Saturday morning, before the next batch of heavy snowfall developed, and continued into Saturday evening. The heaviest snowfall with rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour occurred late Saturday morning, through Saturday afternoon. The snow tapered off Sunday, with light accumulations in the afternoon. Total snowfall amounts by Monday morning ranged from 8 to 15 inches.

Winter Storm in EAU CLAIRE, WISCONSIN
From 14-APR-18 02:00:00 to 15-APR-18 21:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several waves of precipitation occurred across Eau Claire County between early Saturday morning, through Sunday. Although some sleet, small hail and thunder occurred Friday morning, the bulk of the snow started early Saturday.
The first wave developed Saturday morning before noon and produced some sleet and snow, along with thundersnow. The next batch of heavy snowfall developed Saturday afternoon, into Saturday evening. The snow tapered off Sunday, with light accumulations in the afternoon. Total snowfall amounts by Monday morning ranged from 8 to 13 inches.