MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The first snowflakes of the season arrived in the Twin Cities metro on Halloween for some.

Snow is falling in the Twin Cities metro area

Snow will hit areas of the Twin Cities metro and central Minnesota on Thursday, leading to a damp and muddy Halloween for some. A winter weather advisory is in effect for part of the day due to possible heavy snowfall that could lead to poor visibility, making travel difficult at times.

As temperatures continue to slowly drop, rain will mix with snow, leading to white flakes across southeastern and central Minnesota. While the snow will pile up in grassy areas for some, it will be more of a muddy mess for others. Some have reported fallen tree limbs due to the heavy snowfall.

There are many variables that prevent widespread snow accumulation, such as very warm soil, temperatures likely to remain above freezing, and heavy rainfall beforehand, to name a few.

However, there are likely patchy areas receiving anywhere from 1 to 3 inches of mud on grassy and colder surfaces. But totals are likely to vary drastically over short distances.

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Snow totals

Snowfall through 11 a.m. indicates areas west of the metro, such as Dassel, received at least 2.5 inches of snow.

Meanwhile, an inch of snow fell on Maple Plain in Hennepin County.

Areas of southwestern Minnesota, such as the city of Windom, received 2.5 inches of snow Thursday morning.

Hinckley, in Pine County, received an inch of snow.

“These totals are instantaneous because temperatures are above freezing, so once the snow narrows to flurries or slows down, it is actively melting and will compress and dissipate fairly quickly,” FOX 9 meteorologist Cody Matz explained.

When does the typical first measurable snowfall occur in the Twin Cities?

This rain-snow mix appears just in time.

The average first measurable snowfall in the Twin Cities, according to the 30-year average, is November 5. The graph above shows the first measurable snow in recent years, with measurable snow first falling on October 30 last year and on October 30 last year. 14 by 2022.

The first measurable snowfall in recent years in the Twin Cities. (FOX9)

History of Halloween Snow

The first measurable snowfall typically occurs around early November, which is why the Twin Cities have certainly seen snow on Halloween before.

The most notable snowfall was the Halloween Blizzard of 1991, when 9 inches of snow fell during the holiday itself, and a whopping 11 inches fell in the span of three days. This remains the largest snowstorm in Twin Cities history.

Since 1872, the Twin Cities has only recorded measurable snow on Halloween seven times, which is actually quite fortunate considering that the first measurable snow often falls within a few days of the holiday each year. It probably seems more unusual this year because of how warm it has been lately, but our short memories may be forgetting that we had measurable snow on Halloween last year.

In fact, 2023 was the second snowiest Halloween ever. Snow is clearly not ideal for trick-or-treating festivities, but rain can arguably be worse from a festive and costume standpoint. There have been about 30 other years where rainfall has been recorded on Halloween.