Parts of southern Minnesota could get 6+ inches of snow

Updated: 8:56 a.m.

A strong winter storm brings heavy snow to portions of southern Minnesota Monday, while sunshine and mild temperatures continue north.

Monday’s snowstorm

The same storm that brought Colorado blizzard condition over the weekend is now moving through the central U.S. Monday. Although the center of the storm stays well south of our state, the northern edge of the moisture is already bringing snow to southern Minnesota, including a heavier band of snow we have been monitoring through the morning.

That snow slowly spreads north into the afternoon.

Because of the position of the storm, plus drier air north and east, the heaviest snow stays south, and portions of southern Minnesota will see 6 inches of snow or more. This has most of southern Minnesota under either a winter storm warning or winter weather advisory through Monday evening, including the western and southern Twin Cities metro area.

The Twin Cities should see 2 to 4 inches, and the precipitation will likely impact the Monday evening commute.

Here is the expected snowfall for the rest of Monday, although please note it does not include some of the snow that has already fallen in southwestern Minnesota (many reports of 3 inches or more, with 6 inches reported in Edgerton as of 8 a.m.):

For central Minnesota, only trace amounts of snow are forecast, and the northern edge of the state is expected to dodge the storm entirely. In fact, that area might not even get the cloud cover and could have sunshine during the day.

That contrast is also shown in the temperatures. Under clear skies, the Arrowhead had single digits and teens Monday morning, while much of the state was the 20s and low 30s. However, northern Minnesota is forecast to be the warm spot Monday afternoon, with 40s, while areas seeing the clouds and precipitation say in the 30s.

Those 30s south mean the snow will be a wet, heavy snow, and there could be some rain mixed in during the afternoon hours. 

It will also be windy, especially in southern Minnesota, with gusts expected over 30 mph at times. The winds diminish by the evening, and the snow clears out through the overnight.

Extended forecast

Any lingering snow around the state ends by early Tuesday, and highs for most of the state will be near 40 under mostly cloudy skies. 

More sunshine returns Wednesday, then mostly sunny skies prevail through the rest of the week. 

Temperatures also continue to rise, with most of the state back in the 50s by Thursday, and a few 60s possible south on Sunday.

While the rest of this week is looks predominantly dry after Monday’s snow, weather models show the early part of next week may turn active again. By then, temperatures would be mild enough that rain and thunderstorms would be more probable than significant snowfall.  

We’ll keep you posted as anything approaches!

Programming note

You can hear my live weather updates on Minnesota Public Radio at 7:48 a.m. Monday through Friday morning.