Wintry mix spreads across Minnesota

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The most ferocious blizzard I can remember in years is still raking the North Shore overnight into Thursday morning.

The combination of a potent winter storm with plenty of moisture, fierce upslope winds rising along higher terrain and lake-enhanced snowfall has dumped 2 to 3 feet along portions of the North Shore.

Hovland, a few miles east of Grand Marais, reports picking up 8 inches of snow in just 3 hours Wednesday afternoon. That’s an incredible snowfall rate of nearly 3 inches per hour, pushing the physical limits of the atmosphere for snowfall rates.

Here are some updated snowfall totals as of late Wednesday. It is still snowing, so final storm snowfall totals will still go higher in many areas. (A few totals are still from earlier Wednesday.)

While most of northern Minnesota picked up plowable snow, the totals are not as high as North Shore communities.

The Twin Cities picked up significant snow, affecting the afternoon rush hour Wednesday.

A persistent band of heavier snow centered around the southern Twin Cities has dropped 2 to 4 inches as of early Wednesday evening in the southern Twin Cities.

Forecast models how this persistent feature gradually winding down overnight. 

Our weather turns quieter Thursday. The next storm system on Friday appears aimed at Wisconsin with the western edge grazing the eastern parts of Minnesota. 

Let’s see if the storm track on this on zigs or zags in Thursday’s forecast model runs.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

Prolific snowfall totals fell along Lake Superior’s North Shore region. Highs winds gusted to over 60 mph. 

2 to 3 feet of snow on North Shore; significant accumulations in the Twin Cities

NOAA/Twin Cities NWS Office.

Blizzard conditions along Highway 61 near Grand Marais Wednesday.

2 to 3 feet of snow on North Shore; significant accumulations in the Twin Cities

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