National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office

December 2008 in the Northland will be remembered as cold and snowy. This month brought four winter storms to the region with more snow to welcome 2009. For summaries of the winter storms of 2008, visit the Winter Storm Archive. 

Snowfall accumulation for December 2008 ranged from 37.1 inches at the National Weather Service Office in Duluth, MN to 35.9 inches at International Falls, MN. The normal snowfall for the month is 14.9 inches at Duluth, MN and 13.9 inches at International Falls, MN.  December 2008 will go out well below normal at both Duluth and International Falls in MN. The monthly average temperature recorded at Duluth was 7.0 F which is 7.0 F below normal. International Falls, the "Ice Box of The Nation," recorded a monthly average temperature last month of negative 0.3 F which is 8.8 F below normal.  

At International Falls, the year 2008 will go into the record books as having the 2nd Snowiest December as well as 4th Snowiest Year on record. Both number one records are currently held by the year 1992 that brought 43.9 inches of snow in December and an impressive 131.8 for the calendar year.  

Below is a table of the snowfall, precipitation, and the average temperature broken down by month for year. The annual totals are at the bottom of each table.

More Climate Information  
MN State Climatology Office