Update on our Sunday snow

Here’s a mid-afternoon update, with more details to follow at around 6 p.m.

Computer models still show rain spreading across portions of southern Minnesota Saturday evening, then rain or a rain/snow mix in southern Minnesota, the Twin Cities metro area, and parts of western Wisconsin late Saturday night and early Sunday. The mix transitions to wet snow in most areas as we go through Sunday, and the snow continues into Sunday night.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North American Mesoscale (NAM) forecast model shows the potential precipitation pattern Saturday evening through Sunday evening:

Warnings and advisories

Winter storm warnings are in effect Sunday and Sunday night for much of southern Minnesota plus south and east portions of the metro area and parts of western Wisconsin.:

Scott and Dakota counties plus Washington County of the Twin Cities metro area are included in the winter storm warning. Carver, Hennepin, Ramsey and Anoka counties are in a winter weather advisory Sunday and Sunday evening.

Here are details of the winter storm warning:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 242 PM CDT Sat Apr 11 2020 ...Heavy Snow Expected Sunday into Monday... .A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for areas along and south of a line from Saint James to Mankato to Cottage Grove in Minnesota, continuing to New Richmond and Rice Lake in Wisconsin. A Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for a small swath of counties just to the north of that line. Heavy snow is expected to fall across parts of the area Sunday into Monday. Snowfall rates of one inch per hour or higher appear possible Sunday afternoon and evening which will allow the snow to quickly accumulate. The chance for snowfall amounts of 6 inches or more appears highest from southern and east central Minnesota into west central Wisconsin. In addition, this will likely be a heavy, wet snow. Some tree damage and power outages could occur due to the combination of gusty winds and the heavy wet snow. MNZ063-069-070-076>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ023>026-120400- /O.UPG.KMPX.WS.A.0006.200412T1200Z-200413T1200Z/ /O.NEW.KMPX.WS.W.0004.200412T1200Z-200413T1200Z/ Washington-Scott-Dakota-Le Sueur-Rice-Goodhue-Watonwan-Blue Earth- Waseca-Steele-Martin-Faribault-Freeborn-St. Croix-Pierce-Dunn- Pepin- Including the cities of Stillwater, Shakopee, Hastings, Le Sueur, Faribault, Red Wing, St James, Mankato, Waseca, Owatonna, Fairmont, Blue Earth, Albert Lea, Hudson, River Falls, Menomonie, and Durand 242 PM CDT Sat Apr 11 2020 ...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM SUNDAY TO 7 AM CDT MONDAY... * WHAT...Heavy snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 6 to 10 inches. Winds gusting as high as 40 mph. * WHERE...Portions of west central Wisconsin and east central, south central and southeast Minnesota. * WHEN...From 7 AM Sunday to 7 AM CDT Monday. * IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult. Patchy blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility. Due to the heavy, wet nature of the snow, tree damage and power outages could occur. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. The latest road conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by calling 5 1 1.

And here are details of the winter weather advisory Sunday and Sunday night, which includes Minneapolis and St. Paul:

Hennepin-Ramsey-Sibley-Carver-Brown-Nicollet- Including the cities of Minneapolis, St Paul, Gaylord, Chanhassen, Chaska, Victoria, New Ulm, and St Peter 242 PM CDT Sat Apr 11 2020 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM SUNDAY TO 7 AM CDT MONDAY... * WHAT...Snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 3 to 6 inches. Winds gusting as high as 35 mph. * WHERE...Portions of central, east central and south central Minnesota. * WHEN...From 7 AM Sunday to 7 AM CDT Monday. * IMPACTS...Travel could be difficult. Patchy blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility. Due to the heavy, wet nature of the snow, tree damage and power outages could occur.

You can hear updated weather information on the MPR network, and you’ll see updated weather info on the MPR News live weather blog.

Programming note

You can hear my live weather updates on MPR News at 7:35 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 4:35 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.