Metro thunder-slop storm, snow rages west and north

It actually snowed in the Twin Cities in the wee hours this morning.

As if to buttress the non winter of 2015-16 so far, stealthy metro snow burst came in the middle of the night when few were awake to see it. Big goose down snowflakes piled up to 1 inch here at the Weather lab in Victoria and at the nearby Chanhassen National Weather Service office.

Like a weather geek kid on Christmas morning, I grab my camera and race to document the proof that December still exists on the snow covered landscape.

And just to remind us that it is still winter and we live in Minnesota, how about a nice little shot of thunder snow-sleet-rain this morning?

And of course this is Minnesota. Don't like the weather? Just wait 15 minutes.

Take heart winter weather fans, winter is making a real effort across Minnesota today.

• Winter storm warnings remain up for much of northern Minnesota

• Winter weather advisories cover much of central and northern Minnesota

• Twin Cities messy thundery wintry-rainy mix

Wound up low

Here's our weather culprit today. A wound up low pressure system tracks northeast as cold air funnels in behind.

Here's the latest from the Red River Valley National Weather Service, where snow continues to fall in western Minnesota.

Snow is also heavy in northeast Minnesota. Here's the view from Duluth.

Winter weather continues today across Minnesota. The season's coldest air arrives starting tomorrow.