 As the storm system began to move northeastward out of Oklahoma , the cool air behind pulled down behind the system interacted with the moisture being pulled northward to produce snow over a large part of the Midwest . The snow began falling on Friday , January 10 and continued for the next two days . Snowfall of a foot ( 30 @.@ 5 cm ) or more was common from Nebraska to Minnesota , with a high amount of 27 inches ( 69 cm ) in Riverton , Minnesota . The heaviest snow fell to the west of the low pressure center , which tracked from northeast Iowa through central Minnesota up to Lake Superior . Sustained winds of 30 – 50 mph ( 48 – 80 km / h ) with gusts from 70 – 90 mph ( 113 – 145 km / h ) produced snowdrifts up to 20 feet ( 6 m ) in some locations . Some roads were closed for up to 11 days . 
