Where Were You During These Ten Epic Minnesota Snowstorms?

We're a hearty bunch here in Minnesota. Snowstorms are nothing new to us. But when I hear the National Weather Service say things like, 'historic storm,' and 'top-5 snowfall event,' I sit up and pay attention.

Of course, as Minnesotans, we also come pre-programmed with a strong sense of, "I'll believe it when I see it." We've been hyped up before, only to see things come up short.

This snowstorm looks like it has the makings of something we'll remember and talk about for a while. I've seen forecasts calling for anywhere from a foot of snow, to nearly 30 inches. Again, well see.

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Ten Epic Minnesota Snowstorms

February 23 - February 26, 2007: I remember standing in my garage, looking out as the door slowly went up, and I think my words were f*** me. The driveway was nearly waist deep thanks to blowing & drifting. Trains in southern Minnesota got stuck in nearly two feet of snow. The National Guard was called out to rescue stranded motorists. Good times!

October 31 - November 3, 1991: Ahhh, the Great Halloween Blizzard of 1991. A fan favorite. More than 28 inches piled up at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, and the Duluth area recorded 37 inches. It was super cold with arctic wind chills too. Some roads were closed for a few days.

January 6 - January 8, 1989: The Red River Valley in northwestern Minnesota, near North Dakota got hammered with 26 inches of snow and 50 mph winds. Yes, the snow eventually melted. Yes, the Red River flooded (again).

November 16, 1988: Much like what we will see this week, the 1988 storm impacted most of the state. According to records from the Minnesota DNR, 60+ mph winds caused snow drifts over 7 feet near Windom.

March 3 - March 4, 1985: Anywhere from 6 to 24 inches fell across the state, but the wind, OMG! 90 mph winds were recorded near Duluth, creating monster drifts.

February 4, 1984: This was a blizzard that hit hard down here in our neck of the woods. In fact, many people became stranded and sixteen people perished as a result of the storm. There wasn't a ton of snow, but 80 mph winds caused whiteouts and severely cold wind chills.

November 19, 1981: Most of Minnesota saw nearly a foot of snow with blizzard conditions. This storm will forever be known as the 'Dome-Buster.

November 10 - November 11, 1975: 1975 was a brutal year, with not one -- but three storms to round out our list. This particular storm was responsible for the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald on Lake Superior.

March 23 - March 29, 1975: This was actually two different storm systems that took aim on northern Minnesota in less than a week, each dumping more than a foot of snow, with ferocious winds.

January 10 - January 12, 1975: The Minnesota DNR records list this storm, "as one of Minnesota's strongest storms and worse blizzards." Huge loss of livestock, as well as 35 Minnesotans perishing.

We have yet to see how this week's weather plays out, but be safe, plan ahead, and make sure you have a full tank of gas in your snow blower. ❄️