Sloppy storm rolls in

Mixed precipitation bag will trend toward all snow tonight in Minnesota.

The guy who plows my driveway is making off like a bandit this year.

Don't get me wrong, my neighbor Howie is a great guy, and he deserves the business afte the past few winters. It's just that it would be much more economical to have our snow come in one or two big storms rather than getting 2" at a time like we've often seen this season.

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Get ready to hear that chorus of snow plows again tomorrow.

Our next weather maker is brining more wintery weather to the Upper Midwest. We're actually getting off pretty lucky this time as the bulk of the storm will pass south. A MAJOR snow and ice storm is plowing through the central plains eastward into the Washington, D.C. area by Friday. As much as a foot of snow could fall in our nation's capitol.

Expect spotty scattered freezing rain and snow showers today. The bulk of the steadier snow should begin after about 6pm tonight and continue into Friday. The latest thinking from the weather lab is that we'll see a 1-2 punch this weekend.

Part one is the snow and mixed precip tonight into Friday. Right now, I expect anywhere from 2" to 4" anywhere from the metro south to the Iowa border. 1" to 2" looks more likely along I-94 from Alexandria to St. Cloud.

Models favor 2" to 4" snowfall for the metro and much of southern Minnesota by Friday night. Note additional accumulating snow Sunday and Monday.(Click on image for bigger picture.)

We should be in between systems Saturday. The next clipper-like system spins south for Super Bowl Sunday with another shot of snow lingering into Monday. A reinforcing shot of chilly polar air will follow for the first part of next week. We could pick up several more inches with this system Sunday night and Monday.

At least we're warming up in the short term. Temperatures should climb to and hover near freezing today and Friday.

Tempreatures climb into the 30s through Friday. Note the drop as polar air moves in again next week.

Keep track of changes in forecasts over the next 24-36 hours. This system may still throw us a curve or two before the weekend arrives.

-Twin Cities radar loop

-Sioux Falls radar loop

-Latest surface map

-Latest hourly surface reports

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