Freezing rain; ice storm, blizzard and winter storm warnings central and northern MN
A freezing rain advisory continues to 3 p.m. for about the southern half of Minnesota, including the Twin Cities, as well as western Wisconsin.
Central Minnesota has an ice storm warning until 6 p.m.:
Here are some details, courtesy of the Twin Cities NWS:
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URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
841 AM CST SUN DEC 25 2016
...SIGNIFICANT ICING COUPLED WITH STRONG WINDS MAY RESULT IN POWER
OUTAGES TODAY ACROSS PORTIONS OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA...
.WIDESPREAD LIGHT FREEZING DRIZZLE CONTINUES ACROSS MUCH OF
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN THIS
MORNING. UNTREATED WALKWAYS AND ROADS ARE QUITE SLIPPERY. A
STEADIER FREEZING RAIN WILL DEVELOP BY THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS
CENTRAL MINNESOTA WHICH WILL RESULT IN MORE SUBSTANTIAL ICE
ACCUMULATIONS. ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL RANGE FROM A TENTH TO A
QUARTER OF AN INCH IN CENTRAL MINNESOTA...WITH THE HEAVIEST
AMOUNTS EXPECTED NORTH OF A MORRIS TO ST CLOUD MINNESOTA LINE
WHERE AN ICE STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT. WINDS WILL ALSO BE
INCREASING OUT OF THE SOUTHEAST LATER THIS AFTERNOON WITH SPEEDS
OF 30 TO 40 MPH COMMON. ICING ON POWER LINES COUPLED WITH THE
STRONG WINDS MAY RESULT IN POWER OUTAGES. THE ICING WILL COME TO
AN END THIS EVENING AS TEMPERATURES RISE ABOVE THE FREEZING MARK
WITH SEVERAL HOURS OF RAIN OCCURRING. THE FREEZING DRIZZLE ACROSS
SOUTHERN MINNESOTA AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN WILL TRANSITION TO
DRIZZLE DURING THE LATE MORNING OR EARLY AFTERNOON HOURS WITH
SHOWERS AND EVEN SOME THUNDERSTORMS ARRIVING DURING THE LATE
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. TEMPERATURES IN THESE AREAS WILL RISE INTO
THE LOWER AND MIDDLE 40S THIS EVENING.
MNZ044-045-050>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ014>016-023>028-
252100-
/O.CON.KMPX.ZR.Y.0002.000000T0000Z-161225T2100Z/
MILLE LACS-KANABEC-BENTON-SHERBURNE-ISANTI-CHISAGO-LAC QUI PARLE-
SWIFT-CHIPPEWA-KANDIYOHI-MEEKER-WRIGHT-HENNEPIN-ANOKA-RAMSEY-
WASHINGTON-YELLOW MEDICINE-RENVILLE-MCLEOD-SIBLEY-CARVER-SCOTT-
DAKOTA-REDWOOD-BROWN-NICOLLET-LE SUEUR-RICE-GOODHUE-WATONWAN-
BLUE EARTH-WASECA-STEELE-MARTIN-FARIBAULT-FREEBORN-POLK-BARRON-
RUSK-ST. CROIX-PIERCE-DUNN-PEPIN-EAU CLAIRE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...PRINCETON...MORA...FOLEY...ELK RIVER...
CAMBRIDGE...CENTER CITY...MADISON...BENSON...MONTEVIDEO...
WILLMAR...LITCHFIELD...MONTICELLO...MINNEAPOLIS...BLAINE...
ST PAUL...STILLWATER...GRANITE FALLS...OLIVIA...HUTCHINSON...
GAYLORD...CHASKA...SHAKOPEE...HASTINGS...REDWOOD FALLS...
NEW ULM...ST PETER...LE SUEUR...FARIBAULT...RED WING...ST JAMES...
MANKATO...WASECA...OWATONNA...FAIRMONT...BLUE EARTH...
ALBERT LEA...OSCEOLA...RICE LAKE...LADYSMITH...HUDSON...
RIVER FALLS...PRESCOTT...MENOMONIE...DURAND...CHIPPEWA FALLS...
EAU CLAIRE
841 AM CST SUN DEC 25 2016
...FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM CST THIS
AFTERNOON...
* TIMING...FREEZING DRIZZLE THIS MORNING WILL TRANSITION TO ALL
RAIN BY MID AFTERNOON AS TEMPERATURES WARM INTO THE UPPER 30S.
* ICE ACCUMULATIONS...UP TO ONE TENTH OF AN INCH.
* WINDS...EAST SOUTHEAST BETWEEN 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 40
TO 50 MPH BY AFTERNOON.
* MAIN IMPACTS...DIFFICULT TRAVEL CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF FREEZING RAIN OR
FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR
SLIPPERY ROADS. SLOW DOWN AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.
Here are some details of the ice storm warning, from the NWS:
MNZ041>043-047>049-252245-
/O.CON.KMPX.IS.W.0001.161225T1500Z-161226T0000Z/
/O.CON.KMPX.ZR.Y.0002.000000T0000Z-161225T1500Z/
DOUGLAS-TODD-MORRISON-STEVENS-POPE-STEARNS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ALEXANDRIA...LONG PRAIRIE...
LITTLE FALLS...MORRIS...GLENWOOD...ST CLOUD
841 AM CST SUN DEC 25 2016
...ICE STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS
EVENING...
* TIMING...FREEZING DRIZZLE THIS MORNING WILL BECOME A STEADIER
FREEZING RAIN EARLY THIS AFTERNOON AS THE MAIN ROUND MOVES IN.
PRECIPITATION WILL TRANSITION TO ALL RAIN BY EVENING AS
TEMPERATURES WARM INTO THE UPPER 30S.
* ICE ACCUMULATIONS...AROUND 1/4 INCH.
* WINDS...EAST SOUTHEAST BETWEEN 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS OF 40
TO 50 MPH BY AFTERNOON.
* MAIN IMPACTS...ICING ON POWER LINES COUPLED WITH THE STRONG
WINDS MAY RESULT IN FAIRLY WIDESPREAD POWER OUTAGES. DANGEROUS
TRAVEL CONDITIONS ARE ALSO EXPECTED.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
AN ICE STORM WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF ICE ACCUMULATIONS
WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS OR IMPOSSIBLE. TRAVEL IS STRONGLY
DISCOURAGED. COMMERCE WILL LIKELY BE SEVERELY IMPACTED. IF YOU
MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR
VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. ICE ACCUMULATIONS AND WINDS WILL
LIKELY LEAD TO SNAPPED POWER LINES AND FALLING TREE BRANCHES THAT
ADD TO THE DANGER.
The freezing rain will transition to rain later this afternoon and evening, as warmer temperatures spread northward.
Parts of southern and central Minnesota could see three-quarters of an inch of rain later today and tonight, and a thunderstorm is also possible.
There is a blizzard warning from 5 p.m. today to noon tomorrow for parts of northwestern Minnesota:
Here are details, from the NWS:
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
1028 AM CST SUN DEC 25 2016
MNZ001-004-007-NDZ006>008-014>016-024-026>030-038-054-261800-
/O.EXT.KFGF.BZ.W.0006.161225T2300Z-161226T1800Z/
WEST POLK-KITTSON-WEST MARSHALL-TOWNER-CAVALIER-PEMBINA-BENSON-
RAMSEY-EASTERN WALSH COUNTY-EDDY-NELSON-GRAND FORKS-GRIGGS-STEELE-
TRAILL-BARNES-WESTERN WALSH COUNTY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...CROOKSTON...EAST GRAND FORKS...
HALLOCK...KARLSTAD...LANCASTER...WARREN...STEPHEN...ARGYLE...
CANDO...LANGDON...CAVALIER...WALHALLA...DRAYTON...PEMBINA...
NECHE...ST. THOMAS...FORT TOTTEN...MADDOCK...LEEDS...
MINNEWAUKAN...DEVILS LAKE...GRAFTON...PARK RIVER...NEW ROCKFORD...
LAKOTA...MCVILLE...ANETA...TOLNA...GRAND FORKS...COOPERSTOWN...
FINLEY...HOPE...MAYVILLE...HILLSBORO...HATTON...PORTLAND...
VALLEY CITY...EDINBURG...ADAMS...LANKIN
1028 AM CST SUN DEC 25 2016
...BLIZZARD WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO
NOON CST MONDAY...
THE BLIZZARD WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FROM 5 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO
NOON CST MONDAY.
* TIMING...EXPECT BLIZZARD CONDITIONS TO DEVELOP AROUND 5 PM AND
THEN DIMINISH AROUND NOON MONDAY. A PERIOD OF FREEZING DRIZZLE
WILL OCCUR BEFORE THE HEAVY SNOW AND BLIZZARD CONDITIONS DEVELOP.
* WINDS / VISIBILITIES...WINDS GUSTING AS HIGH AS 55 MPH WILL
CAUSE WHITEOUT CONDITIONS IN BLOWING SNOW. SIGNIFICANT DRIFTING
OF THE SNOW IS LIKELY...ESPECIALLY IN OPEN AREAS. TREE BRANCHES
COULD FALL AS WELL.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 7 TO 13
INCHES ARE EXPECTED. THERE WILL BE A SHARP CUTOFF TO LESS SNOW
SOMEWHERE SOUTH ALONG A VALLEY CITY TO GRAND FORKS TO BAUDETTE
LINE.
* IMPACTS...TRAVEL WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT TO IMPOSSIBLE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS
AND POOR VISIBILITIES ARE LIKELY. THIS WILL LEAD TO WHITEOUT
CONDITIONS...MAKING TRAVEL EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. DO NOT TRAVEL. IF
YOU MUST TRAVEL...HAVE A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT WITH YOU. IF YOU GET
STRANDED...STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE. THE LATEST ROAD CONDITIONS FOR
THE STATE YOU ARE CALLING FROM CAN BE OBTAINED BY CALLING 5 1 1.
The remainder of northern Minnesota has a winter storm warning until noon Monday:
Details of the winter storm warning, courtesy of the NWS:
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
1038 AM CST SUN DEC 25 2016
...MAJOR WINTER STORM TO AFFECT THE ENTIRE NORTHLAND TODAY AND
MONDAY...
.A MAJOR WINTER STORM WILL AFFECT THE ENTIRE REGION TODAY...
TONIGHT AND MONDAY. AREAS OF FREEZING DRIZZLE AND LIGHT SNOW WILL
PERSIST EARLY THIS MORNING...AND WILL RESULT IN SLICK SPOTS ON
AREA ROADS...BRIDGES...RAMPS AND OVERPASSES. TRAVEL AND ROAD
CONDITIONS WILL WORSEN QUICKLY AND DRAMATICALLY THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING AS PRECIPITATION WILL RAPIDLY INCREASE IN COVERAGE
AND INTENSITY FROM SOUTH TO NORTH. PRECIPITATION WILL LIKELY
BEGIN AS A SHORT PERIOD OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW IN MOST AREAS...
BUT WITHIN A COUPLE OF HOURS WILL TRANSITION TO A WINTRY MIXTURE
OF MAINLY FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET...WITH PERHAPS SOME SNOW. THE
GREATEST THREAT FOR FREEZING RAIN AND SLEET IS IN AREAS FROM THE
BRAINERD LAKES AND WALKER AREAS EAST-NORTHEASTWARD TO GRAND
RAPIDS... DULUTH... COTTON...AND PORTIONS OF THE MINNESOTA
ARROWHEAD. ICE ACCUMULATION OF GREATER THAN ONE QUARTER OF AN
INCH MAY POSE A SIGNIFICANT THREAT IN THESE AREAS. PEOPLE IN
THESE AREAS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR POSSIBLE POWER OUTAGES.
SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATION OF SIX INCHES OR GREATER WILL BE
MOST LIKELY FROM KOOCHICHING COUNTY EASTWARD ALONG THE
INTERNATIONAL BORDER TO GRAND MARAIS AND GRAND PORTAGE. THE SNOW
IS EXPECTED TO BE HEAVY AND WET...AND WILL EASILY CLING TO TREES
AND POWER LINES. AFTER A 3 TO 6 HOUR BREAK IN THE PRECIPITATION
SOMETIME SUNDAY NIGHT... PRECIPITATION WILL TRANSITION BACK TO
ALL SNOW FROM WEST TO EAST LATE SUNDAY NIGHT AND MONDAY MORNING...
WITH SNOW ENDING FROM WEST TO EAST BY MONDAY EVENING. STRONG WEST
TO NORTHWEST WINDS LATE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY MAY CAUSE
BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...AND COULD POTENTIALLY RESULT IN POWER
OUTAGES DUE TO THE WEIGHT OF ICE AND SNOW ACCUMULATION ON TREES
AND POWER LINES.
CONFIDENCE IS INCREASING IN THE HIGH IMPACTS OF THIS EVENT...YET
THERE STILL EXISTS SOME UNCERTAINTY IN THE EXACT LOCATION OF THE
MIXED PRECIPITATION TYPES...AND HOW FAR NORTH THE TRANSITION ZONE
WILL REACH. AT THIS POINT...IT APPEARS THE HEAVIEST SNOW WILL BE
ACROSS PORTIONS OF NORTHERN MINNESOTA BUT A SMALL SHIFT WESTWARD
IN THE STORM TRACK WOULD LIKELY MEAN MORE ICE THAN CURRENTLY
FORECAST...EVEN ACROSS FAR NORTHERN MINNESOTA.
THE MAIN TAKE AWAY MESSAGE IS: NO MATTER THE EVENTUAL TYPE OF
PRECIPITATION...SLICK AND HAZARDOUS ROADS AND MAJOR IMPACTS TO
TRAVEL ARE EXPECTED ACROSS MOST OF THE REGION DURING ONE OF THE
BUSIEST TRAVEL PERIODS OF THE YEAR. IF YOU HAVE TRAVEL PLANS
TODAY OR TOMORROW...BE SURE TO STAY CURRENT WITH THE LATEST
WEATHER AND ROAD CONDITION INFORMATION. IF YOU PLAN TO TRAVEL
THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY...CONSIDER CHANGING YOUR PLANS TO
AVOID BEING ON THE ROAD DURING THAT TIME... WHICH WILL ENCOMPASS
THE PEAK OF THE STORM AND DANGEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS IN MANY
AREAS. THE HEAVY ACCUMULATIONS OF ICE AND HEAVY WET SNOW COULD
CAUSE POWER OUTAGES IN MANY AREAS...SO BE SURE TO PREPARE NOW FOR
THE POTENTIAL FOR LOSS OF POWER.
MNZ018-019-026-035-037-260245-
/O.EXT.KDLH.WS.W.0007.161225T1638Z-161226T1800Z/
NORTH ITASCA-CENTRAL ST. LOUIS-SOUTH ITASCA-NORTHERN AITKIN-
CARLTON/SOUTH ST. LOUIS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BIGFORK...HIBBING...GRAND RAPIDS...
HILL CITY...DULUTH
1038 AM CST SUN DEC 25 2016
...WINTER STORM WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST MONDAY...
* LOCATIONS...BIGFORK...THE IRON RANGE CITIES...COTTON...AND
DULUTH.
* TIMING...MIDDAY TODAY THROUGH MIDDAY MONDAY.
* ICE ACCUMULATIONS...ONE QUARTER TO ONE THIRD OF AN INCH.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...2 TO 5 INCHES.
* SUSTAINED WINDS...EAST 15 TO 25 MPH TODAY AND TONIGHT. WEST 20
TO 30 MPH ON MONDAY.
* WIND GUSTS...UP TO 40 MPH.
* IMPACTS...SNOW AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS WILL MAKE MANY ROADS
TREACHEROUS AND IMPASSABLE. THE WEIGHT OF THE SNOW AND ICE ON
TREE LIMBS AND POWER LINES COULD PRODUCE WIDESPREAD OUTAGES.
STRONG WINDS WILL LEAD TO BLOWING SNOW...REDUCED VISIBILITY...
AND ADDITIONAL POWER OUTAGES.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW AND WINTRY MIXED
PRECIPITATION MEANS HEAVY ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW...SLEET AND
FREEZING RAIN ARE EXPECTED. EXPECT EXTREMELY SLIPPERY AND
DANGEROUS SNOW AND ICE COVERED ROADS. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...
EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION AND ALLOW EXTRA TIME TO REACH YOUR
DESTINATION. HAVE A WORKING CELL PHONE IN CASE YOU BECOME
STRANDED. KEEP A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT IN YOUR VEHICLE...INCLUDING
A FLASHLIGHT...FOOD...AND WATER. PREPARE NOW FOR POTENTIAL POWER
OUTAGES THAT COULD LAST FOR LONGER THAN A FEW HOURS.
Powerful storm system
The low pressure system that is causing our travel problems will move from southwestern Nebraska into northwestern Minnesota by Monday morning, then continue to the east-northeast.
NOAA's North American Mesoscale forecast model shows the projected path:
Winds will be very strong from this afternoon through most of Monday.
Clickable maps, with forecast updates for your area, are available from the following National Weather Service forecast offices:
You can see updated winter storm information on our severe weather live blog.
Please share your photos and storm reports with our Public Insight Network and we can include them in our coverage.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation has current road conditions.
Programming note
You can hear my live weather updates on Minnesota Public Radio at 7:35 a.m. and 4:35 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.