Despite numerous weather advisories, Borderland dodged what meteorologists were calling one of the most powerful winter storms of the year Wednesday.
For days, reports from the National Weather Service indicated a major winter storm was expected to sweep the area, with the worst hitting to the south, but still dumping anywhere from 2-4 inches of the white stuff on the area. Winter weather advisories were put in place for Borderland, but the snow didn’t come.
“International Falls got cheated out of the storm,” said Kevin Kraujalis, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Duluth.
After a relatively snow-free winter, weather service officials early this week encouraged people to prepare for a snow emergency and advised travel only if necessary.
After last weekend’s 5 inches of snow blanketed the area, residents could let out a sigh of relief when both Tuesday and Wednesday came and went without even a flake of snow.
“It was shaping up to be quite the storm,” Kraujalis told The Journal Thursday. “We thought the wind and snow would bring the criteria that fits a severe winter storm to the area, but the storm ended up being very compact and sharp cut offs left everything to the south. International Falls got lucky.”
Kraujalis noted that areas in central Minnesota and Wisconsin experienced the storm at full force, with some areas receiving more than 2 feet of snow.
Kraujalis was quick to point out, however, missing the winter storm or not, Borderland still set a record for February’s snowfall.
“It is the eighth snowiest February in International Falls weather history,” he said.
The month received a total of 17.7 inches of snow, which according to the meteorologist, is almost seven inches above normal.
“Basically, most of the snowfall came in two systems — last weekend’s and over the course of Feb. 20-21,” he said.
Feb. 26 set a record snowfall of 5.1 inches, breaking the old record of 4.8 inches set in 1949.
Warmer temperatures
Temperature-wise, February ended with above normal days on the thermometer.
Kraujalis said the month tied the year 1999 for the sixth warmest February recorded. “The area had an average of 19.5 degrees,” he says.
As he looked out into March, Kraujalis confirmed it looks like spring is on the way. The extended forecast shows the first half of the month hanging around the normal temperature of 23.6 degrees, and the later half of March showing the likes of above normal temperatures, Kraujalis said.
“It looks like it’ll be another warmer-than-average month,” he said.
As for snowfall, Kraujalis explained major storm tracks are expected to keep to the south, with only “nuisance snow coverings” hitting Borderland.
“There are no big storms on the horizon,” he said. “I don’t see any snowfalls bringing more than an inch.”
For a full weather forecast, visit www.crh.noaa.gov/dlh.
