 The blizzard developing over the Central U.S on October 31, 1991. The 1991 Perfect Storm can be seen at the far right. | |
| Type | Extratropical cyclone Blizzard Gulf low Ice storm |
|---|---|
| Formed | October 31, 1991 |
| Dissipated | November 4, 1991 |
| Lowest pressure | 984 mbar (hPa) |
| Maximum snowfall or ice accretion | 38.2 inches (96 cm) (Duluth, MN) |
| Fatalities | 22 fatalities |
| Damage | $100 million (2005 USD) |
| Power outages | 100,000 |
| Areas affected | Central United States, Great Lakes region, Eastern Canada |
The 1991 Halloween blizzard was a powerful storm that caused a period of heavy snowfall and ice accumulation, which affected parts of the Upper Midwest of the United States, from October 31 to November 4, 1991. Over the last week of October 1991, a large storm system over the Atlantic Ocean (1991 Perfect Storm) blocked most of the weather patterns over the eastern half of the United States, and in turn, moisture from the Gulf of Mexico was funneled straight northward over the affected region. By the time the precipitation stopped falling, many cities in the eastern half of Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin had witnessed record early-season snowfall accumulations, while parts of southern Minnesota and northern Iowa were crippled by a large ice storm. Arctic air that was pulled southward behind the storm had combined with the heavy snow pack to produce many record low temperatures. Between the blizzard and the ice storm, 22 people were killed and over 100 were injured.