The Twin Cities has seen snow during nearly every month of the year. The snowiest months here in the Twin Cities area are December and January. These two snowiest months will typically yield a foot of snow in a normal winter. Our storms generally move up from the south bringing a combination of loads of Gulf of Mexico moisture and energy. This warm and moist air combines with our cold air and typically brings us our biggest snowstorms. Our area will also get some snow from so-called "Clipper" storms. Clipper storms swing south from Canada and generally can bring a few inches to several inches of a light and fluffy snow the area, followed by very cold Arctic air.
If you are curious about the 10 biggest snowstorms ever recorded here in the Twin Cities (1884-2018), here is a list compiled by the Minnesota State Climatologist:
28.4 inches: Oct. 31 - Nov. 3, 1991
21.1 inches: Nov. 29 - Dec. 1, 1985
20.0 inches: Jan. 22-23, 1982
17.4 inches: Jan. 20-21, 1982
17.1 inches: Dec. 10-11, 2010
16.8 inches: Nov. 11-13, 1940
16.7 inches: March 3-4, 1985
16.7 inches: March 11-14, 1940 (tie)
16.5 inches: Dec. 27-28, 1982
16.0 inches: Jan. 20-21, 1917
16.0 inches: March 8-9, 1999 (tie)