Storm update: Evening snowburst likely with 2 to 5 inches for Twin Cities
Snowfall totals could reach more than 6 inches in southwest Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin
Here’s an update on our still evolving winter storm across the Upper Midwest.
Winter storm warnings cover a big swath of Minnesota from the southwest through the Twin Cities into northwest Wisconsin. Ice storm warnings cover parts of southern Minnesota.
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 1219 PM CST Tue Nov 10 2020
...PRECIPITATION CONTINUES TO EXPAND NORTHWARD...
...WINTER STORM WARNING EXPANDED WESTWARD TO REDWOOD FALLS AND ST. CLOUD AREAS...
A complex system will impact the region through this evening, bringing a variety of weather impacts. Freezing rain is expected this afternoon across southern and eastern Minnesota into western Wisconsin where a tenth to a quarter of an inch of ice accumulation.
The freezing rain will turn to all snow between 5 and 7 PM and become heavy at times across eastern Minnesota and far western Wisconsin. 3 to 5 inches of snow will fall throughout the evening in those areas.
All snow is expected across western Minnesota where 4 to 7 inches are forecast.
An Ice Storm Warning remains in effect for Freeborn, Steele and Faribault Counties until 6 PM this evening.
A Winter Storm Warning is in effect from the rest of south central Minnesota to northwest Wisconsin through this evening, including the Twin Cities metro.
A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for areas from Red Wing, to Eau Claire, to Ladysmith where some light ice and snow accumulations are likely; and across western Minnesota through the evening where several inches of snow are likely.
The system
A low-pressure system tracks northeast across Wisconsin through tonight. The air mass is cold enough over Minnesota to produce a mix of freezing rain changing to all snow by this evening.
NOAA’s NAM 3 km resolution model is typical of those solutions that bring the heaviest snowburst across eastern Minnesota Tuesday evening through the night.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.
Twin Cities: Evening snowburst
The heaviest snowburst for the Twin Cities will likely occur between the hours of 5 and 10 p.m. Tuesday. Heavier snow will persist in northwest Wisconsin and along the North Shore through midnight into the early a.m. hours Wednesday.
Snowfall totals
A warm layer aloft has changed some of the precipitation to freezing rain Tuesday. That will likely reduce snowfall total a bit in the Twin Cities.
Overall I’m leaning toward the Canadian and European model solutions which suggest between 2 and 5 inches for the greater Twin Cities area by the time snow wraps up around midnight. Lighter snowfall totals will favor the southeast Twin Cities, with heavier totals favoring the north and west.
Heavier snowfall bands will favor a strip from southwest Minnesota into northwest Wisconsin. Significant ice accumulations will also favor southern Minnesota.
Here’s the updated Twin Cities National Weather Service snow and ice projection.
