Winter storm warnings and watches: Potential for significant snowfall followed by cold
Subzero temperatures will grip all of Minnesota this weekend
Updated 9:15 a.m.
Snow is ongoing along the North Shore. More snow develops for southern Minnesota late Thursday into Friday and Saturday followed by bitter cold.
Winter storm warnings and watches take effect late Thursday
Ongoing lingering snow will continue along the North Shore Thursday. Additional snowfall totals of several or more inches are possible for parts of the North Shore, especially in the higher-terrain areas.
Temperatures are dropping in the west as a cold front sweeps across Minnesota. It will stall somewhat, setting the stage for our next winter storm. That temperature gradient will help to squeeze the moisture out of the atmosphere. Temperatures dipped to subzero readings earlier Thursday morning.
We’re watching a big storm to our south that will graze southern Minnesota with snow showers developing Thursday evening into the overnight. The snow showers will persist into Friday and Saturday.
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Snowfall will be heaviest in far southeast Minnesota. Significant accumulation will reach as far north as the Twin Cities area. There’s still a wide range of possibilities. A shift of just 60 miles with this storm track, for example, could result in the difference of 3 inches in final snow tallies.
Bitter cold invades Minnesota as the snow falls Friday
Winds will then increase and temperatures will fall. Winds Friday will become 15 to 30 mph from the north by the afternoon.
High temperatures will still be above zero Saturday in most of eastern Minnesota, but will struggle to reach zero Sunday and remain subzero for most of western and northern Minnesota.
Overnight lows will be well below zero by Saturday and Sunday nights with western Minnesota seeing subzero readings Thursday and Friday nights as well.
Winds will remain elevated through the weekend so wind chills will be a major concern. Sunday morning wind chills will be as cold as 40 below zero in western Minnesota.
Temperatures will slowly modify toward normal throughout next week.