Blizzard warnings in Northwest Minnesota, winter weather advisories across the state

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Two distinct clipper systems sail through Minnesota over the next 72 hours.

https://twitter.com/NWSduluth/status/939238726252851201

The Twin Cities gets grazed by Friday night's passing clipper. The second clipper sails south along a similar track Sunday night into Monday morning. That one may affect Monday morning rush hour.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Global Forecast System captures the essence of the two systems.

Glancing blow Friday night for the Twin Cities

Gusty northwest winds kick in behind the system overnight Friday into Saturday morning.

Snowfall rates in northeast Minnesota and northern Wisconsin are rather impressive. I've seen visibility under 1 mile in some of the snow bands. That translates into a quick 1 to 3 inches of fresh fluff tonight.

Temperatures run a few degrees either side of average the next few days. The average high and low for the Twin Cities Saturday? 29 and 14. NOAA forecast temperatures for Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport below via Weather Bell.

Overall the next two weeks look seasonably cold. Highs in the 20s across Minnesota are pretty typical weather fare as we move into mid-December. A few of the upper air maps suggest a brief Pacific surge and thaw in the days before Christmas.

Other than our minor clippers, I don't see any big snow chances for the next week or so. NOAA's GFS hints at something that could produce a few inches along about Dec. 18.

It's still very low confidence that far out, but at least some hope for snow lovers.

Christmas is two weeks from Monday. How did that happen exactly?  Model runs strongly favor temperatures mostly below freezing the next two weeks across Minnesota. Most of the snow we get in the next two weeks will stick around.

Historically chances for a white Christmas run about 71 percent in the Twin Cities. It's closer to 100 percent up north.

 from the Minnesota DNR Climate Working Group.

The Deep South is looking more festive than parts of the Upper Midwest these days. Cold air pushing south is producing some impressive snowfall totals from Texas to Atlanta and beyond.

https://twitter.com/mikeseidel/status/939139976729686016

https://twitter.com/DDwx/status/939270195461451779

The snow works up the East Coast this weekend.

https://twitter.com/NWS_BaltWash/status/939245416155090945

Clippers bracket weekend, impressive Deep South snow totals

Go Deeper.

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