Has it snowed in May in Decorah?

After we posted a news story for Wednesday which said April 29th was the latest Decorah has ever received measurable snow, we received an e-mail from Decorah resident John Nelson, who has shared with us a picture he took on May 28th, 1947.

As you can see, the picture shows Decorah received snow on that day.  Says John, "It was surely measurable and lasted well into the day...Maybe you didn't go far enough back in the weather records."

Decorah weather observer Richard Bernatz says that official snowfall records for Decorah begin in 1951.  Recorded data for daytime high, low and precipitation begin as early as 1893.  Bernatz concludes, "I have no idea why snowfall was not recorded prior to 1951."