The Halloween Blizzard of 1991

Growing up in the Twin Cities, Halloween always meant two things: my mom would inevitably make me cover my costume with a jacket, and my dad would undoubtedly bring up Halloween 1991. “Kids tried to trick or treat in the afternoon, before it hit,” he repeated year after year. “They gave up on costumes completely, wore snow-pants and ski jackets instead. They gave up pretty quickly, though, the storm got to be too much” (G. Hadjiyanis, personal communication, September 22, 2025). 

That storm, later dubbed the Halloween Blizzard of 1991, remains one of the most severe early-season snowfalls in Minnesota history. Beginning on October 31st, it buried the Twin Cities under more than 8 inches in the first day, and by the time it ended, the metro area had recorded over 28 inches of snow (and in Duluth, a whopping 37").

KROC News

In the late evening of October 30th, 1991, meteorologists grew suspicious of a large storm building southwest of Minnesota. They anticipated some precipitation, but were unsure of its type. Rain? Snow? Turned out it was both. The storm started with rain on the morning of Halloween, quickly turning into freezing rain and then snow. This chain of events, combined with a lack of plowing ability, warm streets, and winds of up to 40 MPH, resulted in “extremely treacherous” driving conditions (MN Dept. of Natural Resources). However, the worst of the storm didn’t arrive until the next day. 

An additional 18.5 inches of snow fell on November 1st. Winds increased to 65 MPH. 900 schools and businesses closed (Minnesota State Climatology Office). Streets were utterly undrivable – the National Weather Service instructed that  “travel should be avoided unless absolutely necessary” (National Weather Service).  22 casualties were reported – from car accidents, shoveling-related heart attacks, and other dangerous fallout. “My parents' doors were frozen shut. I had to walk 7 blocks through the storm just to bring them food,” my dad recollects, “the roads were sheer ice” (G. Hadjiyanis personal communication, September 22, 2025). 

David K, courtesy of the National Weather Service

This storm broke records at the time for most snowfall in the state and the earliest below-zero temperature low on record (MN Department of Natural Resources). We often forget winter weather and extreme cold in our considerations of geohazards, but it's actually the third-largest cause of hazard-related deaths (Hyndman et al.). The Halloween Blizzard of 1991 stands as a reminder that geohazards are more than volcanoes and earthquakes. Even familiar weather can become a deadly hazard when it arrives with unprecedented intensity.

Citations:

“1991 Halloween Blizzard.” Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, 19 Oct. 2023,    

    www.dnr.state.mn.us/climate/journal/9110_31_halloween_blizzard.html. 

“The 1991 Halloween Blizzard.” The 1991 Halloween Blizzard, Minnesota State Climatology Office, 17 

    Apr. 2018, climateapps.dnr.state.mn.us/doc/journal/halloween_blizzard.htm. 

Brownell, Andy. “30 Years Later - Memories of Minnesota’s Infamous Halloween Blizzard Remain Vivid 

    [PICS, Video].” News Talk 1340 KROC-AM, 29 Oct. 2021, krocnews.com/30-years-later-memories-of-

    minnesotas-infamous-halloween-blizzard-remain-vivid-photos-video/. 

Hyndman, Donald W., and David Hyndman. Natural Hazards and Disasters. Cengage, 2025. 

US Department of Commerce, NOAA. “The Halloween Blizzard of 1991.” National Weather Service, 

    NOAA’s National Weather Service, 14 Feb. 2025, www.weather.gov/dlh/1991halloweenblizzard.