After a delightfully mild fall, winter weather has finally made its debut in Minnesota — in the form of a powerful winter storm.
Blizzard warnings for western Minnesota are in effect — and some residents of northern towns saw a few inches of heavy snow sitting on their doorsteps this morning.
1A biker braves winter's first snow near Lake Bemidji Friday morning.Monika Lawrence for MPR News2Snow covers lakeside chairs where Bemidji State University students were relaxing and studying a few days ago.Monika Lawrence for MPR News3Ramona Caswell of Fergus Falls submitted this photo of Friday's storm "The first storm and snow day of 2016,"' she wrote. "Not much snow yet but lots of wind and poor visibility. I guess I'm ready for it as I felt like I was ready to just cozy up for a while"Submitted by Ramona Caswell4A man walks in the snow near the entrance to the St. Cloud Public Library Friday.Dave Schwarz | The St. Cloud Times5Abigail Shonibare has a little fun with her friends as they make their way into the library at St. Cloud State University. The second year student is from Nigeria, and was exposed to the snow in her first year as a student.Paul Middlestaedt for MPR News6Snow piles quickly grew as crews at Kennedy Secondary School in Fergus Falls, Minn., cleared the parking lot Friday.A.J. Groebner | Fergus Falls Daily Journal7Traffic slows along 33rd Avenue North in St. Cloud Friday morning, as heavy snow begins to fall.Dave Schwarz | The St. Cloud Times8Snow falls steadily at Lake Bemidji during the first winter storm of the season.Monika Lawrence for MPR News9A student makes her way through the campus of Bemidji State University during the season's first snowstorm.Monika Lawrence for MPR News10Lake Bemidji is not yet frozen, but the boating season seems to have ended for the year.Monika Lawrence for MPR News11The last fall color is now covered under a fresh layer of snow in Bemidji Friday.Monika Lawrence for MPR News12Bemidji State University student Matthew Sauser rides out the first snowstorm of the season in the coffee lounge on campus.Monika Lawrence for MPR News13A snow plow clears roads around Lake Bemidji Friday.Monika Lawrence for MPR News14Rain drops reflects a flag at the River's Edge Convention Center Friday morning in St. Cloud.Paul Middlestaedt for MPR News15Peter Lidstone shovels his sidewalk during a snow storm, Friday in St. Cloud.Elizabeth Flores/Star Tribune via AP16Despite blizzard conditions, a woman and her dog brave Bemidji for a walk.Monika Lawrence for MPR News17In a few days, the snow in St. Cloud will be gone and the seat will be dry.Paul Middlestaedt for MPR News18St. Cloud State University student Dalton Foley scrapes the ice off his car before driving to work Friday in St. Cloud.Paul Middlestaedt for MPR News19A fresh coating of snow creates an idyllic scene in the front entryway of the Southward Heights neighborhood in St. Cloud.Paul Middlestaedt for MPR News20Anna Clavin helps build a snowman with her son Oliver, right, 6, and his friend Eli Benboom, 7. The St. Cloud resident was in the snow-covered front yard of her daycare provider.Paul Middlestaedt for MPR News21Fall stops here. Some people wish the snow would hadn't started Friday, but plenty of Minnesotans are looking forward to a season to be able to get out on their snowmobiles, snowboards, skates, sleds and skis.Paul Middlestaedt for MPR News22Dave Mause clears his own driveway from roughly a foot of snow, and then does the same for several of his neighbors in Bemidji.Monika Lawrence for MPR News23Despite the blowing wind and snow, Char Murphy takes her family dog Bailey out to do his business Friday in St. Cloud.Paul Middlestaedt for MPR News24After his snowblower broke down, Joe Barthel went back to the trusty shovel to finish clearing his driveway Friday in St. Cloud.Paul Middlestaedt for MPR News25A couple cautiously walks along the sidewalk in downtown St. Cloud Friday evening.Paul Middlestaedt for MPR News26.... at least the driver won't have to scrape the windshield for their commute home in St. Cloud.Paul Middlestaedt for MPR News