As a deep freeze settles in here in Minnesota, with a shot of heavy snowfall to boot, it’s easy to think that this is the worst winter ever. But this season, while brutal at times, pales in comparison to many winters in the past. The state of Minnesota keeps records on all sorts of winter statistics, from heaviest snowfalls to longest cold stretches. They don’t have a record of the official worst winter, but there’s one that we think is a likely contender. Read on to learn about Minnesota’s worst blizzard in history, which happened nearly 80 years ago.

On November 12, 1940 - 79 years ago - an enormous blizzard swept through the Midwest. From Kansas to Michigan, the blizzard disrupted millions of lives across the country. It became known as the Armistice Day Blizzard.
Bill Roehl/Flickr
The day started out warmer than usual across the region, with a cycle of unseasonal weather phenomenon - including a tornado.
MJI Photos/Flickr
Later in the day, the temperature dipped. In some areas, it dropped by more than 50 degrees.
Aaron Molina/Flickr
With the temperature, the pressure dropped as well. Record low temperatures were recorded in Duluth.
jolynne_martinez/Flickr

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Of course, the blizzard brought immense snowfall. Collegeville, Minnesota, received 27 inches of snow. The Twin Cities recorded 17 inches.
marcel lemieux/Flickr
While there have been heavier snowfalls, the Armistice Day Blizzard is notable for the number of casualties. Because the day started off mild, many were caught outside when the storm began.
Ritchie Argue/Flickr
There were 145 deaths in total. In Minnesota, there were 49 deaths. There were also 59 sailors lost on the Great Lakes.
Steve/Flickr
This awful blizzard, though it was nearly 80 years ago, is still remembered today as one of the worst blizzards in Minnesota history.
Kyle Coffey/Flickr

Did you know about the 1940 Armistice Day Blizzard? What have been the worst blizzards of your lifetime? Let us know in the comments below!

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