Piles of snow kept growing overnight Wednesday as up to four inches of new snow fell across parts of the Twin Cities.
As of 12 a.m. Thursday the National Weather Service reported 14.9 inches of snow had fallen at MSP, with 15 inches at the NWS office in Chanhassen. Just a trace was recorded between midnight and 6 a.m. Thursday at MSP.
"A storm stalled and you see the results," said WCCO Radio chief Meteorologist Paul Douglas. "10 to 15 inches fell in two days. We've had 45 inches of snow in the Twin Cities so far this winter, more than twice what we had at this time last year. It's the most time early in the season since 1992."
According to Paul, the impressive snow amounts were due to the latest winter storm stalling just south and east of the metro.
"It prolongs the snow," he said. "The same phenomenon led to crazy amounts of snow back in the Halloween superstorm of 1991 when a storm stalled over Lake Superior."
17.7 inches of snow fell in Lakeville, Bloomington reported 15.3 inches, while 26.5 inches was reported northwest of Dell Rapids, South Dakota.
Snow is expected to taper of Thursday bringing a much needed reprieve for plow crews and people clearing out their driveways and sidewalks.
"We going to get a break, at least the better part of a week to clear off the snow and chisel away at the ice," Douglas added. "We could see some upper 20s, and even 30s, next week."