Winter Hazard Awareness Week - Armistice Day Blizzard

From the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers St. Paul District:

Winter Hazard Awareness Week - Armistice Day Blizzard
This year is the 75th anniversary of what many consider Minnesota's worst blizzard of the 20th Century. The Armistice Day Blizzard struck the region on November 11, 1940. The weather was relatively benign the morning of the 11th, and many people were outdoors, taking advantage of the nice mild weather. The forecast issued by the U.S. Weather Bureau in Chicago (there was no forecast office in the Twin Cities at the time) was for colder temperatures and a few flurries. Few people were prepared for what was to come. The storm started with rain, but it quickly turned to snow. By the time the blizzard tapered off on the 12th, the Twin Cities had received 16.7 inches of snow, Collegeville 26.6 inches, and 20-foot drifts were reported near Willmar. In all, 49 Minnesotans lost their lives in this storm, many of them hunters who were trapped by the sudden turn of events. There were about 150 deaths across the region. – NWS Twin Cities (photo courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society)#winterprep