Blizzard warnings in Northwest Minnesota, winter weather advisories across the state

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A potent and wintry November storm is taking aim from eastern North Dakota across northern Minnesota Thursday and Friday.

 were issued around midday Wednesday for the region. Winter weather advisories cover areas just south of the heaviest snow zone. (map above)

The wintry weather transition begins Wednesday night and will kick into high gear Thursday. By Thursday morning, ice and snow will be falling across a good part of northwestern Minnesota and the Red River Valley. 

The peak of the snowfall intensity will occur Thursday and Thursday night. 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Global Forecast System model shows heavy snow bands across northwestern Minnesota, with rain and possible thunder across central and southern Minnesota including the Twin Cities area. 

Snowfall totals look likely to exceed a foot in northwest Minnesota. We could see some localized 15 to 18-inch totals in the region. 

This system will bring much-needed soaking rainfall to central Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. Forecast models lay out the heaviest rainfall zone through central Minnesota into northwest Wisconsin just north of the Twin Cities. 

About an inch may fall in much of the Twin Cities with the best chance for 2 inches favoring the northern Twin Cities. Rainfall totals between 2 to as much as 5 inches are possible into northwestern Wisconsin. 

Here’s the latest (12Z Wednesday) European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts model precipitation output. 

The Twin Cities and southern Minnesota ride the warmer side of this system. Highs will be in the 60s to near 70 degrees in southeastern Minnesota. 

Temperatures crash into the 20s and 30s later this week into the weekend.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

Dangerous travel conditions developing Thursday and Friday for northwest and northern Minnesota.

NOAA

Forecast weather conditions for 6 am Thursday

NOAA via tropical tidbits

European model (ECMWF) precipitation output

Blizzard, winter storm warnings up for NW Minnesota

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