12:10 PM Thursday, April 3, 2025
It took until April, but Duluth finally recorded its largest daily snowfall total for the 2024-2025 snow season with 5.7 inches of snow on April 2nd, 2025. The previous largest daily snowfall total was 4.8 inches on January 12th, 2025.
Snowfall in the Duluth area varied, with totals from 9 inches in Gary New Duluth to about 8 inches in Proctor. West Duluth saw around 5 inches, and Lester Park reported 7 to 8 inches.
A winter storm brought widespread snow to northeast Minnesota and far northern Wisconsin. The snow began late Tuesday night and continued into early Thursday morning, with the heaviest snowfall occurring during the day on Wednesday and into Wednesday evening.
The snow mixed with or changed over to sleet and drizzle at times in parts of the Northland on Wednesday.
This storm also produced strong northeasterly winds across the Northland, especially near Lake Superior, with wind gusts of 40 to around 55 mph reported on Wednesday.
April 1-3, 2025, Winter Storm Snowfall Totals for the Northland
- Hovland, MN: 15.2″
- Finland, MN: 14.4″
- Lutsen, MN: 13.1″
- Grand Marais, MN: 12.0″
- Silver Bay, MN: 11.8″
- Crosby, MN: 9.3″
- Knife River, MN: 9.1″
- Chisholm, MN: 9.0″
- Gary New Duluth, MN: 9.0″
- Baxter, MN: 8.9″
- Orr, MN: 8.4″
- Brainerd, MN: 8.3″
- Hibbing, MN: 8.0″
- Two Harbors, MN: 8.0″
- Proctor, MN: 7.8″
- Lester Park, MN: 7.5″
- Fond Du Lac, MN: 7.5″
- Coleraine, MN: 7.4″
- Walker, MN: 7.4″
- Northome, MN: 7.3″
- Ely, MN: 7.3″
- Grand Rapids, MN: 7.1″
- Cook, MN: 7.1″
- Jenkins, MN: 7.0″
- Cass Lake, MN: 7.0″
- Babbitt, MN: 7.0″
- Duluth, MN: 7.0″ (official total at the NWS)
- Holyoke, MN: 7.0″
- Pillager, MN: 6.9″
- Hoyt Lakes, MN: 6.7″
- Tower, MN: 6.6″
- Aitkin, MN: 6.5″
- Brimson, MN: 6.0″
- Embarrass, MN: 6.0″
- Biwabik, MN: 5.9″
- Floodwood, MN: 5.8″
- Island Lake, MN: 5.5″
- Esko, MN: 5.5″
- West Duluth, MN: 5.5″
- Cloquet, MN: 5.4″
- Mahtowa, MN: 5.2″
- Patzau, WI: 5.2″
- Libby, MN: 5.1″
- Red Cliff, WI: 5.0″
- Moose Lake, MN: 4.9″
- Duquette, MN: 4.7″
- Cotton, MN: 4.5″
- Maple, WI: 4.5″
- Brule, WI: 4.5″
- Duxbury, MN: 4.5″
- Tamarack, MN: 4.5″
- Superior, WI: 4.4″
- Hawthorne, WI: 4.2″
- International Falls, MN: 4.0″
- Wright, MN: 3.8″
- Bayfield, WI: 3.6″
- Kerrick, MN: 3.5″
- Cornucopia, WI: 3.2″
- Amnicon Falls State Park, WI: 3.1″
- Solon Springs, WI: 2.5″
- Webb Lake, WI: 2.5″
- Washburn, WI: 2.4″
- Ashland, WI: 2.3″
- Grantsburg, WI: 2.1″
- Brule, WI: 2.0″
- Shell Lake, WI: 1.5″
- Sarona, WI: 1.5″
- Clam Lake, WI: 1.5″
- Sandstone, MN: 1.0″
All in all, the forecast verified pretty well, although it certainly didn’t look like it would as late as early Wednesday afternoon. However, some intense bands of snow developed Wednesday afternoon into early Wednesday evening, leading to rapid snowfall accumulations in parts of northeast Minnesota.
Pretty good accuracy in the following.
-Highest snow totals were forecast to be along the North Shore of Lake Superior.
-Lower snowfall totals were forecast in parts of northwest Wisconsin and far eastern Minnesota due to mixing issues.
-Duluth area, my original forecast on Monday was for 6 to 8 inches of snow, and my updated forecast on Tuesday was calling for 8 to 10 inches of snow. The official snowfall total at the National Weather Service was 7.0 inches.
-Snowfall timing for Duluth: the onset time was late Tuesday night between 11 PM and 1 AM, and snow began to fall around that time.
-Heaviest snow (worst conditions) was forecast to occur during the day on Wednesday.
Storm total snowfall
And comparing it to my snowfall forecasts.
Initial forecast issued on Monday, March 31st.
Updated forecast issued Tuesday, April 1st.
Highest Wind Reports Wednesday, April 2, 2025
Bay of Grand Marais, MN: 56 mph
I-535 – Blatnik Bridge: 53 mph
Duluth Sky Harbor Airport: 48 mph
Cook, MN: 47 mph
Devils Island: 45 mph
Duluth Airport: 45 mph
Duluth Harbor: 42 mph
Grand Marais: 40 mph
Two Harbors, MN: 36 mph
Thanks for reading!
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