Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Snow bands shift north; North Shore blizzard; more snow statewide Thursday

Southern Minnesota sees a break from most precipitation Wednesday

NE Blizzard
Blizzard warnings for the North Shore of Lake Superior through Thursday
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, via Pivotal Weather

Updated 9:05 a.m. Wednesday

Most of the intense winter weather will be in northeastern Minnesota Wednesday, with heavy snow and high winds of up to 40-45 mph. Blizzard warnings continue for the North Shore. Snow returns statewide Wednesday night into Friday.

Snow totals so far

Overnight rain changed to snow with accumulations of four-tenths of an inch (.4) to to 2.5 inches across the Twin Cities metro area. The highest totals were central and north-central Minnesota.

snow totals 8am
Observed snow totals from the past 24 hours through 8 a.m. Wednesday. Snow is still piling up in northeastern Minnesota.
National Weather Service

In Duluth, thunder snow has been reported and confirmed by the Duluth National Weather Service office. We can observe the brief flash of lightning on radar. Some are reporting power outages as well.

radar GIF
Watch the lightning flash around 7:37 a.m.
RadarScope

Most snow lifts north Wednesday

Bands of snow are lifting north early Wednesday and it’s northeastern Minnesota and the North Shore that will see the biggest impacts of the winter storm Wednesday. Rain and snow showers return to southern Minnesota Wednesday evening.

precip WED 6a
Forecast precipitation 6 a.m. Wednesday through 10 p.m. Wednesday
College of DuPage weather lab

The snow will really pile up through the day with intense bands of snow in northeastern Minnesota.

snow 24
Forecast snowfall 12 a.m. Wednesday through 12 a.m. Thursday. This snow is already on the ground in the Twin Cities.
NOAA, via Pivotal Weather

In addition to the heavy snowfall, gusty winds will blow to further reduce visibilities.

Wed winds
Forecast wind gusts Wednesday
College of DuPage weather lab

Waves on the big lake will grow to 10 to 12 feet through the day Wednesday.

wave hts
Forecast wave heights Wednesday on Lake Superior
National Weather Service

Southern Minnesota will be in the dry slot of the system with mainly cloudy, mild conditions and just a few stray rain or snow showers during the day. High temperatures will be near 40 degrees in southern Minnesota Wednesday.

wed highs
Forecast high temperatures Wednesday
NOAA, via Pivotal Weather

Snow showers return Wednesday night into Friday night

As this slow-moving low drags itself east, we’ll see bands of snow showers wrap around late Wednesday night into Thursday and Friday bringing additional accumulations statewide.

thu_fri precip
Forecast precipitation 9 p.m. Wednesday through 9 p.m. Friday
NOAA, via Pivotal Weather

Depending on precise timing, we could have a few fresh inches right before or during the morning commute early Thursday in the Twin Cities area. Precipitation will start as rain-snow showers Wednesday night but turn quickly to snow.

NAM 12 hour
Forecast snowfall for 12 a.m. Thursday through 12 p.m. Thursday. Much of it could fall Thursday in the Twin Cities during the morning commute.
NOAA North American Mesoscale Forecast System model, via Pivotal weather

We’ll see additional snowfall Thursday into Friday, making for impressive overall totals across the state.

storm total NWS
Overall storm total snowfall through Friday evening
National Weather Service