Wintry mix spreads across Minnesota

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Welcome to March in Minnesota. This is the state where we can get heavy snow and tornadoes on the same day. Winter storm warnings and severe weather risk cover parts of our state Wednesday. 

Get up to the minute updates today with the 

Tornado watch includes southeast Twin Cities until 8 p.m.

A low-pressure system is producing rain and thunderstorms through Wednesday afternoon. Colder air on the backside of the system will change rain to snow as we move through Wednesday evening.

Here’s the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s NAM 3 km resolution model between 3 p.m. and midnight.

Areas of heavy snow between 3 and 8 inches favor the winter storm zones from west-central Minnesota through the Arrowhead. 

Pockets of 8 inches could fall in parts of northeast Minnesota by midday Thursday.

The atmosphere is unstable on the warmer side of the system. A cluster of thunderstorms is likely between about 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. from the Twin Cities south and east. NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center has issued the first slight risk zone of 2021 that includes the southeast half of the Twin Cities. 

There is enough low-level wind shear late this afternoon to produce possible tornadoes. I can’t rule out a spin-up or two in or near the Twin Cities and in parts of southeast Minnesota and western Wisconsin today. 

The highest threat window appears to be between about 4 and 7 p.m. 

Stay alert for possible severe weather warnings into the early evening.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

Welcome to March in Minnesota. Winter storm warnings and severe weather risk cover parts of our state Wednesday. 

Heavy snow and tornado risk in Minnesota today

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