Winter storm warnings, heavy snow across central Minnesota

Wednesday’s compact low-pressure swirl is producing some impressive snowfall rates and totals across central Minnesota.

You can see the swirl crossing southern Minnesota Wednesday morning on the GOES-16 infrared satellite loop. It’s generating an impressive snow shield across central Minnesota to the north of the low.

Winter storm warnings are in effect until 3 p.m. for central Minnesota and 6 p.m. for the Duluth area.

Including the city of Duluth

1247 PM CST Wed Mar 1 2023

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS EVENING...

* WHAT...Heavy snow. Additional snow accumulations of up to three inches. Winds gusting as high as 35 mph.

* WHERE...Carlton and South St. Louis County. This includes the Tribal Lands of the Fond du Lac Band. * WHEN...Until 6 PM CST this evening.

* IMPACTS...Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the evening commute.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s NAM 3 km model shows the snow zone gradually fading and shifting east Wednesday into Wisconsin by around 6 p.m.

Snowfall totals so far

The Twin Cities are on the easy southern edge of this system with less than an inch of snow and rainy drizzle. About 2 inches of snow have fallen in the northern suburbs. Snowfall totals farther north are impressive.

Here are some select snowfall reports so far, in inches.

• Ham Lake, Ramsey, Lindstrom, 2

• North Branch, 2.5

• Onamia, 3.1

• Osakis, 3.5

• Fort Ripley, 3.7

• Milaca, 4

• Duluth National Weather Service office, 4.9

• Upsala, 5

• Detroit Lakes, 6

• Lester Park, Duluth, 7

• Park Rapids, 7.5

• Floodwood, 9.5

• Fargo, N.D., 12

Overall snowfall totals will range between about 3 and 7 inches across central and northeastern Minnesota.