Everyone has that one baby story that they are always reminded of.
My most talked-about baby story is how much I cried during the November
2008 blizzard, which struck the Twin Cities and Southern
Minnesota. The blizzard began on November 6th and ended on November 7th.
I call Cottage Grove, Minnesota, home. Cottage Grove is located on the Southeastern
edge of Saint Paul. This blizzard happened when I was only a year old. It is 2025,
and I still hear stories about how fussy I was. The eerie sounds from the strong winds
echoed in my nursery.
Edwards, Craig. Snow Covered This Backyard in Eden Prairie, Southwest of downtown
Minneapolis, Minn. Friday Morning., 7 Nov. 2008, www.mprnews.org/story/2008/11/07/winter-storm-brings-1st-significant-snows-to-minn.
Before the blizzard took place, the temperature in the Twin Cities dropped in the
early hours of November 6th. Blizzards take place when there is a powerful low-pressure
system that pulls in moist air from one side and cold air from another. The moisture turns
into lots of snow. Strong winds close to this system turn the snow around, which makes the
snow go all around in the air. When the blizzard started, the wind ranged from 30 to 50 mph
and more in some places.
Snow kept on rising; the “lucky” cities only had 3 inches of snow. Watertown and Olivia
had 5 inches, while other areas had up to 8 inches of snow.
Though my house had power, there was a huge power outage in not only some parts
of Minnesota, but also counties in South Dakota, including Dewey and Jones. There was
rainfall before the blizzard, which coated the surroundings, including power lines, with ice
after the heavy snowfall. This is what leads to power outages during blizzards.
According to the National Weather Service, “Western South Dakota received the brunt of
this storm with almost 46 inches of snow near Deadwood, winds that gusted over 80 mph, and
10 to 20 foot drifts across much of the area” (Significant Weather Events of 2008). This resulted in
the Governor of South Dakota issuing a state of emergency. Schools were closed until the storm cleared up. In Minnesota, many schools were also closed down.
Because of the ice on the roads, driving was dangerous. On November 12th, 5 days after the blizzard, a 17-year-old boy lost his life in a car accident. After his car slid, it hit a snowplough 60 miles south of the Twin Cities in Le Seur. A car also flipped over in Southern Minneapolis on the same day this took place.
While this blizzard is undoubtedly not one of Minnesota’s worst, its occurrence is still worth noting.
17 years later, my dislike for blizzards and any sort of snow has not changed!
Works Cited
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. “A Whirlwind of Leaves: November 6, 2008.”
DNR Climate Journal, 6 Nov. 2008, www.dnr.state.mn.us/climate/journal/081106_wind.html.
UCAR. “Blizzards | UCAR Center for Science Education.” Ucar.edu, UCAR, 2019, scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/storms/blizzards.
US. “Significant Weather Events of 2008.” Weather.gov, 2025, www.weather.gov/abr/2008events.
“Winter Storm Brings 1st Significant Snows to Minn.” MPR News, 7 Nov. 2008, www.mprnews.org/story/2008/11/07/winter-storm-brings-1st-significant-snows-to-minn.
Writer, Staff. “Snow Hits Upper Plains; 2 Drivers Die.” The Columbus Dispatch, 12 Nov. 2008, www.dispatch.com/story/news/environment/2008/11/12/snow-hits-upper-plains-2/24104619007/
I really enjoyed this article! My mom used to always tell a story about when she drove her dad (my grandfather) from California to our house in Minneapolis during the 2008 blizzard. I completely forgot about that until you presented in class today. Since I was also a young kid it was nice to read your article and learn more about the actual blizzard. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteBefore reading this story, as someone from another country, I thought this year’s snowfall in Minnesota was already intense. I didn’t expect a blizzard could pile up to five feet. And honestly, I used to think snow was something romantic—until I learned how much damage a heavy storm can actually cause.
ReplyDelete