Wintry mix spreads across Minnesota

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You knew our balmy late fall weather couldn’t last forever.

A late fall storm is pumping much colder air into Minnesota this week. It’s also packing heavy snow through North Dakota and the northwest corner of Minnesota. 

A winter storm warning remains in effect for far northwestern Minnesota until 7 a.m. Friday. Winter weather advisories are in effect just east of the warning zone (see the map above).

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s NAM 3 km model has done a pretty good job of detailing snow and rainfall zones. 

The loop below runs between 7 p.m. Thursday and 1 p.m. Friday. Note the snow zone in northwestern Minnesota while most of the state sees occasional rain showers. 

Overall snowfall totals will land between 6 and 12 inches in the far northwestern corner of Minnesota. Areas just to the east will see a little less snow. 

The biggest impact for all of Minnesota will be the sharp temperature plunge as the cold front sweeps across our state overnight. Friday brings gusty northwest winds and falling temperatures into the 30s.

Watch as NOAA’s NAM 3 km model below shows the last sweet remnants of milder air being swept away to the southeast and replaced by frigid temperatures in the 20s and 30s. The loop below runs between 7 p.m. Thursday and 7 p.m. Friday. 

Highs Saturday and Sunday will hover in the 30s across most of Minnesota. 

There’s still a chance for some snow showers and flurries across southern Minnesota Saturday.

Most forecast models keep the bulk of the snow showers south of the Twin Cities, but a few show snow grazing the Twin Cities area Saturday afternoon and evening. 

Here’s NOAA’s NAM 3 km model again between 1 p.m. Saturday and 1 a.m. Sunday: 

A few models suggest a light coating of snowfall across southern Minnesota late Saturday. 

Halloween looks dry but frigid this year. Highs will remain in the 30s across most of Minnesota next Tuesday.

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Big changes ahead include freezing temperatures, snowflakes

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