First Winter Storm Breaks Duluth Snow Records & Brings Blizzard Conditions To The Northland.

The first Winter Storm of the 2017/18 season has arrived!

Duluth accumulated 10.6 inches of snow on Friday, making it the snowiest October day on record! The previous record was 10 inches on Oct. 23, 1933.

Here are the highest accumulations in Minnesota.

The snowfall isn’t over just yet, as the Lake Effect snow machine is kicking into gear this evening. It will lay down many inches of snow across Northwest Wisconsin overnight and into the morning hours. There is a Winter Storm Warning in effect for south shore counties until 1pm.

3-8″ is expected inland, with 1-3″ near the warm lake. There may be locally higher amounts nearing 10″ further east.

Today wasn’t just the snow that fell and caused poor travel conditions but fun times for the kids. Winds were a major factor today, with gusts into the 60’s clocked this morning and afternoon. Winds were sustained 15-35mph, with gusts normally around 45mph. Here are the top wind gusts from this storm.

These winds whipped up tall waves on Lake Superior. Waves heights reached 14-18 feet high and slammed into Canal Park and the south shore. The water flooded the shorelines, closed down Highway 2 and destroyed the Lake Walk at Canal Park. Thankfully the winds are finally calming down and the threat for further damage has diminished.

-METEOROLOGIST BRITTNEY MERLOT