Winter Storm Xyler Brings Snow to Plains, Midwest, Great Lakes, Interior Northeast on Last Weekend of April 2019 (RECAP)

Xyler was a mid-spring clipper-like low-pressure system that swept across the northern tier of the United States from the northern Rockies through South Dakota and Nebraska, then the southern Great Lakes. The northern side of Xyler had just enough cold air to work with to produce unwanted snow across the northern Plains, upper Midwest, Great Lakes and interior Northeast from April 26 through early April 28.

Winter Storm Xyler was named during the late-afternoon hours on April 26, when winter storm warnings were issued for southern Minnesota and southern Wisconsin, including the Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin, metro areas. Those warnings met our criteria for winter storm naming, at least 2 million people located in winter storm warnings.

Xyler began to bring snow to parts of western Montana late April 26, with spring rain showers extending eastward into South Dakota and Iowa.

Heavy snowfall resulted in snow-covered roads and slippery travel in eastern South Dakota and southwestern Minnesota early on April 27. Sioux Falls, South Dakota, measured 1.5 inches of snow, and 2.7 inches was reported near Brookings, South Dakota.

Thundersnow was even observed with some of the heavier snowfall in southeastern South Dakota and northern Iowa early on April 27.

Rain changed to snow early on April 27 as the precipitation reached southern Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin. Temperatures were warm ahead of the low-pressure system, which kept much of the snow from sticking to the ground.

Snowfall rates increased despite the warmer temperatures as the snow reached the southern Great Lakes during the afternoon of April 27.

Xyler was the latest-in-season 2-inch or greater snowfall in Rockford, Illinois, beating the previous record by four days. Officially, 3.7 inches of snow fell at Chicago Rockford International Airport.

Many saw snow fall on newly sprouted flowers and fresh-cut spring grass from Milwaukee to Rockford, Illinois.

Xyler was one of the latest-in-season 1-inch-plus snowfalls on record in parts of Lower Michigan, including Kalamazoo.

Xyler swung into the Northeast early on April 28, producing a mix of rain and snow across parts of upstate New York, northern Pennsylvania and some higher-terrain areas of New England.

The precipitation changed to all rain by the afternoon of April 28, and Winter Storm Xyler came to an end.

Late April sun withered away the snow cover in a matter of hours on April 28.

Snowfall Totals

• Iowa: 5 inches in Dubuque and Peosta
• Illinois: 7 inches in Lena; 3.7 inches in Rockford; 2.5 inches at Chicago O'Hare International Airport
• Michigan: 3.5 inches near Keeler; 1.5 inches near Kalamazoo
• Minnesota: 4.9 inches near Lakefield; 2.1 inches in Rochester
• New York: 1.2 inches near West Almond
• South Dakota: 3.5 inches near Madison, Cheyenne Crossing and Danforth
• Wisconsin: 7 inches in New Glarus; 2.6 inches at NWS-Milwaukee; 1.7 inches at Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport; 1.2 inches in Madison