Prompts winter weather advisories as cold air moves in Friday night

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A weak low-pressure system centered over eastern South Dakota Monday Monday morning is pulling up moisture from the south. Snow reached the Twin Cities before sunrise and the morning commute quickly became a mess. 

At least five vehicles slid into the ditch at the Shepard Road entrance to Interstate 35E in St. Paul by the 7 a.m. hour. Note how little snow it took to create such slipperiness.

Light snow will be widespread across Minnesota through Monday night. Most of the state except maybe the northwest corner should get at least measurable snow.  

Many event totals will likely be around 1 to 3 inches.

A winter weather advisory for slightly greater amounts of 2 to 5 inches has been issued for south-central Minnesota including Mankato, Faribault, Owatonna, Waseca, Albert Lea and St. James until 6 p.m. on Monday.

A winter weather advisory is also in effect for Lake and Cook counties in the northeast until 6 p.m. on Tuesday. Winds blowing in from Lake Superior could generate accumulations in excess of 6 inches in the higher terrain near the North Shore.

For the Twin Cities area, accumulations should be mainly around 2 to 3 inches by Monday night with maybe some spots getting a bit less.

Chilly, then much colder through the weekend

Temperatures will remain well below normal all week. Highs on Monday will be from the upper 20s to low 30s, with the Twin Cities likely coming in around 30 on a day when the average high is 43. Winds will be light, so drifting will not be an issue. 

Tuesday and Wednesday will also be on the chilly side of normal. Then look for much colder temperatures for Thursday through next weekend as more cold Canadian air arrives from Saskatchewan and Manitoba. By Friday and Saturday, many highs will be just in the teens.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Bill Endersen

Author

Periods of light snow into Monday night. More flurries and light snow Tuesday, Wednesday and maybe Thursday. Then even colder.

Kerem Yücel | MPR News

Minnesota Department of Transportation

NOAA Weather Prediction Center

Twin Cities National Weather Service

Winter weather advisory until 6 p.m. Monday

National Weather Service

Winter weather advisory until 6 p.m. Tuesday

Widespread light snow Monday; colder late in the week

Go Deeper.

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