• 1977: An intense early winter storm center moved northeast from Colorado to north central Iowa during the morning of November 9th, and then to Lake Superior by the morning of November 10th. In most areas, the precipitation began late on the 8th as rain with temperatures in the 50s, changing to snow early on the Wednesday the 9th, with the storm continuing through Thursday the 10th. In west central Minnesota, some freezing rain also occurred before it changed to all snow. As the storm intensified, the winds in the eastern half of South Dakota increased with some gusts as high as 60-70 miles per hour with widespread visibilities reduced to zero in blowing snow. In west central Minnesota, north to northwest winds of 60 to 80 mph reduced visibility to zero and piled snow into eight-foot drifts. The temperature dropped rapidly into the 20s. Many roads throughout the eastern part of South Dakota and west central Minnesota were blocked, and snow plows were immobilized by the heavy wet snow. Many cars and trucks were snowbound on the roads and highways. Approximately 100 cars and trucks were stalled on Interstate 90, east of Murdo. Near Fergus Falls in western Minnesota, two trucks loaded with turkeys became stuck and half the birds were frozen. Many schools were closed on the 9th and 10th. Snowfall amounts in the eastern half of the state were generally greater than four inches. A band of very heavy snow, ten inches or more, extended from Bridgewater to Howard to Clear Lake into parts of west central Minnesota. A 1400-

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