On October 30th, meteorologists were eying a large storm in the Southwest United States. Unknown to anyone at the time, it was about to bring massive snowfall and blizzard conditions to much of Minnesota over a three-day period, starting on Halloween. By storm’s end on November 2nd, snowfall records in Duluth (36.9 inches) and the Twin Cities (28.4 inches) were left in its wake. That was followed by the cold, bringing the earliest below-zero temperatures in over a century. The National Weather Service describes the storm as one of Minnesota's signature extreme weather events, and stands as a benchmark against which other winter storms are compared.
October 31, 1991 - MPR’s Catherine Winter provides updated report on weather conditions and deteriorating road conditions as a large storm moves into the region.
October 31, 1991 - MPR’s Catherine Winter provides another updated report on weather and road conditions as winter storm moves into the region.
October 31, 1991 - MPR’s Gary Eichten interviews Jim Richardson, forecaster from National Weather Service, on a developing snowstorm hitting much of the state. Richardson forecasts the Twin Cities could see as much as 6-8 inches…maybe even a foot of snow.
October 31, 1991 - MPR’s Catherine Winter describes the start of deteriorating road conditions as a large storm moves into the region. Winter interviews members of Department of Transportation about slippery roads and slow traffic.
November 1, 1991 - MPR’s Mark Heistad interviews Curt Sager, an employee at a Holiday station in Fairmont, about the weather conditions and traffic (or, lack of) in the area.
November 1, 1991 - MPR’s Gary Eichten talks with Rich Naistat of the National Weather Service on record-setting snowfall from Halloween blizzard. Segment also includes numerous reports on the impact of storm throughout Minnesota, including shutdown of bus service, parking restrictions, road conditions, travel restrictions, power outages, and high winds.
November 1, 1991 - MPR’s Donna Nicholson provides a report on her, and others experience in attempting to get to work via a bus ride, after no success in digging out cars. Segment includes interviews with those waiting at the bus stop. It was a LONG wait.
November 1, 1991 - MPR’s John Gaddo provides weather update in southern Minnesota, where large amounts of snow has fallen, limiting or preventing any type of travel.
November 1, 1991 - MPR’s Marlana Benzie describes the snowy and windy conditions impacting the city. Many roads are unplowed and unpassable, especially on the hillside.
November 1, 1991 - Midday’s Bob Potter talks with Kathy Heidel, naturalist at Carver Park Reserve, on how animals are dealing with the massive snowstorm. Heidel describes how she believes animals were far less surprised by blizzard than people in region, and prepared much better.