Looking Back At The Top April Snowstorms In Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Minnesotans are no strangers to snow in April.

But did you know that this date in particular, April 14, has been part of the top two biggest April snowstorms on record?

One happened in the early 1980s and the other occurred four years ago. It began on April 13, 2018 and didn't end for three days. About 16 inches of snow fell and getting anywhere in the Twin Cities was nearly impossible.

"We were in the middle of getting ready for crab apple sprays and we got shut down for three weeks because of all that snow," said Jake Nitz, an arborist from Victoria.

"April 14 was the single, biggest day of that system with 11.1 inches of snow," said Nick Carletta, meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

But another April 14th brought even more single-day snow. That storm happened about 40 years ago.

Before the Twins moved into Target Field, the Metrodome was their home. And a snowstorm on April 14, 1983 delivered so much heavy snow that it caused the dome's roof to collapse.

The Twins-Angels game had to be postponed. Thirteen and a half inches of snow fell. Video from that day looks like a typical January blizzard. There have been other memorable April snowstorms over the years, but April 14 is the one date that seems to identify more with winter than spring. Four of the top 10 April snowstorms have happened on this date.

"Last year we got measurable snow and the year before that we got measurable snow so we are three years in a row on this particular date," said Carletta.

Carletta said April is a month where you can go from shorts and flip flops one day to hats and winter coats the next.

When he says it could be worse, he means it- parts of North Dakota are nearing the three foot mark for snow right now.