The morning of Saturday, December 1st, a large storm system moved out into the Plains, and into the central part of the country. The surface low moved from Kansas, east-northeast across southern Iowa, northern Illinois, and into southern Michigan by Sunday afternoon. The first band of snow developed prior to noon Saturday along the Iowa, Minnesota border. The area of precipitation expanded north and northwest across southern Minnesota, and west central Wisconsin, before stalling across central Minnesota Saturday night.
The first band had a mixture of sleet, freezing drizzle and snow as far north as Waseca and Albert Lea. The precipitation quickly changed over to snow, with the heavy snowfall band (1-2 inches per hour), drifting north-northwest across the remainder of southern Minnesota, and portions of west central Wisconsin through 6 pm. This band only lasted 1 to 2 hours, but that was enough to cause numerous car accidents across southern Minnesota. As it moved into the Twin Cities metro area, a quick one to three inches fell before sunset. This band eventually weakened and dissipated in central Minnesota as the main forcing moved northeast.
During the late afternoon, and through the early evening, lighter snow fell with some sleet, mixed with freezing drizzle in far south central Minnesota. Before midnight, snowfall amounts were already in the 5 to 7 inch range from Mankato to Owatonna, south to the Iowa border. Farther to the north, amounts were in the 2 to 5 inch range.
After midnight, another concentrated area of light to moderate snow fell across the southern 1/4 of Minnesota. Between 6 AM and 9 AM CST, the area of snow quickly weakened, with mainly flurries before Noon Sunday.
Locally 8 to 11 inches of snow fell from St. James to Mankato and Faribault, south to the Iowa border. Snowfall amounts quickly fell off to 3 to 5 inches north of this area, with mainly 1 inch or less from west central to central Minnesota. Only areas along the Buffalo Ridge near Canby to far western parts of Redwood and Brown Counties had locally 6 inches. East of this area, snowfall amounts dropped off considerably.
Some of the heavier totals from this storm include:
12 inches at St. James,
11 inches at Sherburn,
10.2 inches at Madelia,
9 inches at Winnebago,
8.5 inches at Owatonna,
8.1 inches at Waterville.

Winter Storm in BLUE EARTH, MINNESOTA
From 01-DEC-18 13:00:00 to 02-DEC-18 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several observers, trained spotters, media and the public reported snowfall amounts across the county ranging from 6 to 9 inches.

Winter Storm in FARIBAULT, MINNESOTA
From 01-DEC-18 12:00:00 to 02-DEC-18 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several observers, trained spotters, media and the public reported snowfall amounts across the county ranging from 6 to 9 inches.

Winter Storm in FREEBORN, MINNESOTA
From 01-DEC-18 12:00:00 to 02-DEC-18 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several observers, trained spotters, media and the public reported snowfall amounts across the county ranging from 6 to 9 inches.

Winter Storm in GOODHUE, MINNESOTA
From 01-DEC-18 14:00:00 to 02-DEC-18 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several observers, trained spotters, media and the public reported snowfall amounts across the southern part of the county ranging from 6 to 8 inches.

Winter Storm in LE SUEUR, MINNESOTA
From 01-DEC-18 13:00:00 to 02-DEC-18 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several observers, trained spotters, media and the public reported snowfall amounts across the southern part of the county ranging from 6 to 8 inches.

Winter Storm in MARTIN, MINNESOTA
From 01-DEC-18 12:00:00 to 02-DEC-18 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several observers, trained spotters, media and the public reported snowfall amounts across the county ranging from 7 to 11 inches.

Winter Storm in STEELE, MINNESOTA
From 01-DEC-18 13:00:00 to 02-DEC-18 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several observers, trained spotters, media and the public reported snowfall amounts across the county ranging from 6 to 9 inches.

Winter Storm in WASECA, MINNESOTA
From 01-DEC-18 13:00:00 to 02-DEC-18 08:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several observers, trained spotters, media and the public reported snowfall amounts across the county ranging from 6 to 9 inches.

Winter Storm in NICOLLET, MINNESOTA
From 01-DEC-18 13:00:00 to 02-DEC-18 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several observers, trained spotters, media and the public reported snowfall amounts across the southern part of the county ranging from 6 to 8 inches.

Winter Storm in RICE, MINNESOTA
From 01-DEC-18 14:00:00 to 02-DEC-18 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several observers, trained spotters, media and the public reported snowfall amounts across the southern part of the county ranging from 6 to 8 inches.

Winter Storm in WATONWAN, MINNESOTA
From 01-DEC-18 13:00:00 to 02-DEC-18 09:00:00 (CST-6)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Several observers, trained spotters, media and the public reported snowfall amounts across the county ranging from 8 to 12 inches.