Winter storm warnings in northern Minnesota

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 to include the greater Twin Cities area until 6 a.m. Thursday. Here’s the warning language from the Twin Cities National Weather Service office:

Our first major winter storm of the winter season is in progress across the Upper Midwest. A reminder, for up-to-the-minute storm reports, follow the 

Weather conditions are already dangerous in western Minnesota. Visibility is near zero in some open areas with blowing snow. 

are in effect from much of western, central, and southern Minnesota. The western Twin Cities is included in the blizzard warning zone. That’s a fairly rare event. 

 include the greater Twin Cities area northward through northeast Minnesota.

Rain changed to snow just before noon in the southwest Twin Cities.

The storm is still on track, cranking up high winds and heavy snow across Minnesota. NOAA’s NAM 3 km resolution model shows the progression of heavy snow bands from Mankato through the Twin Cities to Duluth and the North Shore.

The heaviest snow bands will fall between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesday. Snowfall rates could reach 1 to 2 inches per hour.

Most forecast models still crank out the heaviest snowfall zone from Mankato through the Twin Cities to the North Shore. A consensus suggests snowfall totals between 6 and 12 inches in and around this zone. There could be some locally higher totals.

Here’s NOAA’s NAM model from the morning (12Z) run Wednesday.

Wind gusts could reach 60 mph in open areas of western Minnesota. I expect gusts over 50 mph in the Twin Cities late this afternoon and evening. temperatures will plunge into the teens and single digits by this evening. That may produce “flash-freeze” conditions as precipitation freezes rapidly on roads and walkways. 

The combination of high winds and heavy snow will make travel difficult to impossible this afternoon and evening in much of Minnesota.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

Blizzard warnings are in effect from much of western, central, and southern Minnesota. The greater Twin Cities area is included in the blizzard warning zone.

Updated blizzard and winter storm warnings map

Twin Cities National Weather Service

NOAA NAM 3 km model between noon and 6 pm Wednesday

Blizzard warnings expanded to include Twin Cities

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