Season snowfall update for Minnesota and Upper Midwest

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Season snowfall to date courtesy of NOAA and weathermodels.com

After a pretty spectacular January for snow in the Twin Cities, we haven’t seen much in February so far. With just over 3 inches and little if any expected over the next week, we have certainly hit the mid-season lull. Because of this, we are a solid 8 inches below average and growing. What may be more amazing though is just the range of snow totals so far this season statewide.

Most of the metro has experienced anywhere from 24 to 32 inches -- surprisingly on the higher end at the official climate site, MSP Airport. But you head just west of town and parts of west central MN haven’t even seen a foot of snow. Locations out near the head of the Minnesota River have barely seen half a foot. As you would imagine, this is less than half of what is normal by this point in the season.  

Further northeast, things are a little more normal with much of the Arrowhead up above 4 feet, but still sub average in the season.  

Wisconsin, Iowa, and northern Illinois have added some big snow as of late, tripling season totals in some cases over the last 10 days with Chicago and Milwaukee now near normal.  

Meanwhile, for the snow belts of Michigan, the largest total is in the U.P. with over 200 inches so far which is well above average for snowfall thanks to the colder than average temperatures for much of the Great Lakes this season.

Unfortunately for snow lovers, we likely won’t be adding anything to the ground over the next several days, at least nothing significant. But March is still one of the snowiest months of the year for the Upper Midwest so there is still plenty of season left.