Temperatures will continue to fall over the next few days

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 rainfall as of this morning at MSP Airport

 from Sioux Falls to Willmar, St. Cloud, Brainerd & Iron Range

 here to stay through the upcoming weekend

As advertised here comes our 1st taste of winter for much of Minnesota.

A cold but soaking wind driven rain with totals over .75" to 1"+ from the metro south & east. Here are 24 hour precip totals as of Thursday morning.

The rain is cold enough to be snow west from Sioux Falls to Redwood Falls, Willmar, St. Cloud, Brainerd, Hibbing...etc.

1" to 3" of slush could pile up in those areas today, with a few snowflakes possible in the metro as the colder air gushes in on bracing northwest winds.

There are a few factors working against heavy snow totals today in central Minnesota, and against any accumualtions in the metro.

As a result we may see precip "change phase" a few times today in many areas...from rain to snow and back again. I still think snow will come down heavy enough that we will see some 1" to 3"+ slushy accumualtions from Willmar to St. Cloud, Little Falls, Brainerd to the Iron Range & Ely!

Prepare for a wintery blast today than lingers into this weekend!

First Rain & Snow event of "Dual Pol" era:

One of the advertised benefits of the NWS new Dual Polarization upgrade is that we'll be able to differentiate rain and snow better.

If today is any indication, this is going to be a big benefit.

Check out this morning's doppler shot from MSP. You can see the finer, "air brushed" smudges of snow west of the metro...and the blotchy rain cells east.

Seasonal shock: Rain & snow today; 1st metro flakes? Cold here to stay for now

Go Deeper.

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