Cooler but still well above normal this week

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Our record-breaking March storm is not done yet. It’s still snowing across most of western, central and northern Minnesota. Tuesday morning looks like the worst rush hour of the storm for the Twin Cities and much of central Minnesota. 

Our rainy Monday in the Twin Cities will change to snow as colder air rushes in behind the passing low-pressure systems early Tuesday morning. 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s NAM 3 km resolution model shows the low-pressure system spinning by Tuesday. 

On the map below, see how the colder air behind the storm changes rain to snow Tuesday morning?

The likely timing for the Twin Cities for a change from a rainy, wintry mix overnight favors the hours between about 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. Tuesday. 

The dynamics behind the cold front look primed to produce a burst of heavy wind-driven snow for a few hours on Tuesday morning. Combine that with temperatures below freezing and roads will likely be worse than what we saw Sunday. 

Several forecast models are leaning into snowfall totals with Tuesday’s burst of snow. I’m inclined to think a few hours of heavier snow will add up to between 1 and 4 inches for much of the Twin Cities Tuesday morning. 

A few models suggest the potential for up to 6 inches of snow in the northern Twin Cities by midday Tuesday. 

Here’s the latest NOAA snowfall projection for Minnesota issued Monday afternoon:

For much of Minnesota, the snow continues to accumulate Monday even as the Twin Cities saw rain. 

As of this writing late Tuesday afternoon the highest snowfall total I’ve seen come in from Minnesota is a whopping 17 inches a few miles southwest of Duluth:

 continue for most of western, central, and northern Minnesota.

 for the Twin Cities area on Tuesday morning. I’m leaning a little heavier on possible snowfall totals. 

Expect a challenging commute Tuesday morning.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

Our record March storm is not over yet. Snow continues in central and northern Minnesota.  Rain will change to snow on Tuesday morning in the Twin Cities. 

Storm continues; wind-driven snow Tuesday morning for Twin Cities

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