Thanksgiving Weekend Storm Brings Record-Breaking Snowfall to Rochester

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News)- The winter storm that brought a hearty helping of snow to southeast Minnesota over the Thanksgiving weekend broke a record in Rochester. 

Read More: Injury Crash in Rochester Among More Than 400 Reported Statewide 

Prolonged snowfall put Rochester and surrounding communities in a Winter Storm Warning. The flakes began falling Friday night and finally left the area on Sunday morning. 

Get our free mobile app

Travel was difficult during the storm. The State Patrol responded to more than 400 crashes between noon on Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday. 

24 of those crashes resulted in injuries. 

Thanksgiving Weekend Storm Produces Record Snowfall in Rochester

The National Weather Service says the season’s first winter storm dropped 8.5 inches of snow from Friday night through Sunday morning at the Rochester Airport. 

7.6 inches fell on Saturday, which is double the previous record for November 29 of 3.8 inches, set in 1988. 

In addition to breaking the record, the National Weather Service says Saturday’s snowfall was also the fifth-largest single-day snow total recorded in November since record keeping began in 1893. 

Saturday’s snow was the largest single-day snow total in Rochester since March 15, 2021, when 7.9 inches fell at the Rochester Airport. 

The two-day total for Saturday and Sunday at the Rochester Airport was 8.2 inches. That’s the most snow seen over a span of two days in Rochester since February 23 and 24 of 2019 when 12.1 inches of snow fell. 

It was Rochester’s largest two-day snowfall recorded in November since 2006 when 10.5 inches fell November 10 and 11. 

Multiple Southeastern Minnesota Communities See Well Over 6 Inches of Snow During Thanksgiving Weekend Storm

Rochester wasn’t the only southeastern Minnesota city to dig out from a massive snow dumping. Kasson paced Dodge County for measured snowfall at 7.7 inches. 

Wykoff saw the most snow of Fillmore County communities with 8 inches recorded. 9.4 inches fell in Austin, which saw the highest total reported in Mower County. 

Plainview led Wabasha County communities with 6.9 inches while the 8 inches of snow that fell in Utica led all Winona County communities.