Election Day showers increase into evening; winter storm watches up north

Major winter storm taking aim and Red River Valley and northern Minnesota.

NOAA HRRR model
NOAA High-Resolution Rapid Refresh model between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tuesday
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, via Tropical Tidbits

Here’s a quick nowcast for the rest of Election Day in Minnesota until the polls close at 8 pm.

Scattered rain showers continue to sweep eastward across our state. The overdue rain is welcome, but of course, it arrives on election day.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s High-Resolution Rapid Refresh model shows bands of scattered showers with a possible clap of thunder pushing east through Minnesota into this evening. The forecast model loop above runs between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Tuesday.

For the Twin Cities, the heaviest rain cells Tuesday favor the hours surrounding 6 p.m. Here’s a look at our model-driven MPR News weather radar future projection for 5:28 p.m. It paints possible thunder cells favoring the south metro area.

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Future radar projection
Future radar projection for 5:28 p.m. Tuesday
NOAA, MPR News

Winter storm watches up north

A major fall-winter storm system is still on track for later this week. A couple of models have shifted the heaviest rainfall slightly north of the Twin Cities, but some still project multi-inch rains around the greater Twin Cities.

Rainfall outlook
Rainfall outlook
Twin Cities National Weather Service

The signal is still loud for heavy snow and high winds for the Red River Valley and northern Minnesota.

Snow potential
Snow potential for the Red River Valley and northwest Minnesota.
Grand Forks, N.D., National Weather Service office

Winter storm watches are posted from North Dakota all the way to the Iron Range and Ely in northern Minnesota.

Including the cities of Fosston, Fertile, McIntosh, Erskine, Bagley, Clearbrook, Bemidji, Mahnomen, Naytahwaush, Waubun, Alida, Ebro, Lake Itasca, Long Lost Lake, Lower Rice Lake, Roy Lake, Upper Rice Lake, Park Rapids, Detroit Lakes, Wolf Lake, Fergus Falls, Perham, New York Mills, Parkers Prairie, Henning, Battle Lake, Wadena, Menahga, Elbow Lake, Hoffman, Ashby, Herman, and Barrett

354 AM CST Tue Nov 8 2022

...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON...

* WHAT...Heavy snow, freezing rain, and blowing snow possible. Total snow accumulations of 4 to 10 inches possible, with the potential for locally higher amounts. Ice accumulations up to one quarter of an inch possible. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph.

* WHERE...Portions of central, north central, northwest and west central Minnesota.

* WHEN...From late Wednesday night through Friday afternoon.

* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult. Areas of blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility at times. Power outages and tree damage are possible due to the ice where freezing rain occurs.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Uncertainty remains for the areas that could receive the heaviest snow and timing and coverage of freezing rain or sleet. This will create large spread in potential impacts, and the storm track could still shift.