Snow is surprisingly common in April & May because it's Minnesota

KMSP - Snow is not a word many want to hear this time of year, especially after getting spoiled by very mild conditions over the last couple of months.  February and March have really been a breeze when it comes to snow as many of us have received far less than half of what we usually get.  With that good stretch of luck, I’m sure many thought we were done with the white stuff… well Mother Nature has other plans.  Snow is in the forecast for many and while overall totals will vary greatly from location to location, I am here to remind you that snow this time of year, however terrible it may sound, is perfectly normal.

The Twin Cities metro averages roughly 2.5” of snow during the month of April.  While it’s true that we don’t get it every year, we do see it most years.  For northern Minnesota, it’s generally double the metro.  So much of cabin country receives 4 or 5 inches of snow about every April on average.  The month of May though is a different ballgame.  While a day or two doesn’t seem like it would make a big difference, this time of year, during the ultimate transition of seasons, it can be make or break.  There have been just 9 days in the month of May, dating back to the 1870s, where the metro has experienced an inch or more of snow accumulation.  While we did see a half inch of snow accumulation back in 2013, we haven’t officially recorded an inch of snow or more in the metro in the month of May since 1976. While conditions Monday are going to be perfect for this to occur, the possibility is there.  But we are living on borrowed time when it comes to that stat considering we should average an inch or so of snow in May about every 15 years… and it’s been over 40.  Maybe this is the year…