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.
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 - Midday’s Bob Potter talks with reporters from Rochester, Collegeville, and Duluth about the impact of powerful storm that is hitting Minnesota. Karen Wallevand-KLSE/KZSE, Jon McTaggart-KNSR and Marlana Benzie-WSCN report from their respective locations.
November 1, 1991 - MPR’s Jon Gordon interviews Byron Van Dake, of Metropolitan Airports Commission, about attempts to keep MSP International Airport open as storm pounds the Twin Cities with wind and snowfall of two inches of snow an hour.
November 1, 1991 - MPR’s Chris Roberts reports on the varied feelings and reactions to the impact of large snowfall and blizzard conditions in the Twin Cities. Interviews include a bus driver, local residents, retailers, and individual needing shelter.
November 1, 1991 - MPR’s Paula Schroeder interviews Willy Green, who works at a local homeless shelter. Green describes how many people were caught by surprise with snowstorm and how shelter is trying to assist.
November 1, 1991 - Midmorning’s Paula Schroeder talks with reporters Tom Fudge and Dan Olson, who are both stuck at home after large amounts of snow blanket the Twin Cities. Fudge and Olson describe buried cars, stuck buses, and heavy walk-in business at hardware store and markets.
November 1, 1991 - MPR’s Gary Eichten talks with Catherine Winter about bad driving conditions in the Twin Cities due to blowing snow. Segment includes interview with MTC spokesman about closing down bus system at 8PM.
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 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 Catherine Winter reports on deteriorating road conditions from massive snowfall in Twin Cities, with officials asking people not to drive, and MTC planning on stopping bus service at 8PM due to bad road conditions. In one instance, 15 buses were stuck along Lake Calhoun routes.