Hastings, MN Weather + On This Date: Monday, March 16th
AI image by HastingsNow.com
Hastings wakes up with one of those sharp March mornings that makes the Mississippi look beautiful and your walk to the car feel like a character-building exercise. Between the gusty north-northwest wind and patchy blowing snow, today is more “move with purpose” than “linger at Levee Park.”
Today’s Weather in Hastings
At a glance
High / Low: 17°F / -3°F.
Precip chance + timing window: Chance of precipitation today: (not provided); patchy blowing snow is possible at times during the day.
Wind: North-northwest around 20 mph, with gusts up to 35 mph; wind chill could feel as low as -12 today and -10 tonight.
Alerts/hazards: A Hazardous Weather Outlook is posted, and it says areas of blowing snow will continue today.
In Hastings, the morning starts cold and brisk, with patchy blowing snow in spots and a real bite in the air. By afternoon, skies stay partly sunny, but the wind keeps the day feeling sharper than the thermometer suggests, even with a high near 17. Tonight turns partly cloudy and a little calmer, but it still drops to around -3, so winter is definitely not done checking in.
What to wear / what to plan
Dress for the wind, not just the number: coat, hat, gloves, and something over the ears.
Give yourself a little extra time on exposed roads and bridges if blowing snow trims visibility.
Good day for quick errands and hot coffee; not the best day for lingering by the river.
Weather Joke of the Day
Patchy blowing snow plus 35 mph gusts means the Hastings bridge might be the only place in town where your scarf gets there before you do.
Infographic by HastingsNow.com
On This Date: A Little Time Capsule
1867 — Frederick Douglass spoke in Winona during his first visit to Minnesota and warned that the nation’s institutions were fragile after the Civil War. The crowd topped a thousand people, and the same account notes he had been refused lodging at a local hotel shortly before the talk. Minnesota Historical Society / Minnesota History.
1802 — Congress approved legislation establishing the United States Military Academy at West Point. The Hudson River post had already mattered during the Revolutionary War, and the academy grew into one of the oldest military service schools in the world. Library of Congress — “Today in History - March 16”.
1926 — On a snowy March 16 morning, Robert H. Goddard launched the world’s first liquid-fueled rocket from a Massachusetts farm. It climbed 41 feet and landed in a cabbage patch, which is a wonderfully humble beginning for modern rocketry. NASA — “From Cabbages to Countdowns: NASA Marks 100 Years of Modern Rocketry”.
How we know
National Weather Service — “Hastings MN” point forecast. Forecast page. Forecast page last updated 4:26 a.m. CDT; accessed Mar. 16, 2026, 5:44 a.m. CT.
National Weather Service — “Hazardous Weather Outlook.” Outlook page. Issued 3:31 a.m. CDT; accessed Mar. 16, 2026, 5:44 a.m. CT.
Library of Congress — “Today in History - March 16.” March 16 page. Accessed Mar. 16, 2026, 5:44 a.m. CT.
Minnesota Historical Society / Minnesota History — “The Perils of Peace: Frederick Douglass, Winona, and Civil Rights in Minnesota after the Civil War.” PDF. Accessed Mar. 16, 2026, 5:44 a.m. CT.
NASA — “From Cabbages to Countdowns: NASA Marks 100 Years of Modern Rocketry.” Article. Accessed Mar. 16, 2026, 5:44 a.m. CT.
Weather can change quickly, especially with wind and blowing snow, so readers should keep an eye on official alerts before heading out.
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