Light Snow: 2″ to 4″ by Tuesday night

Our next weather system is a slow moving upper low that is spreading light snow into the region.

While not a "blockbuster snow event" the snow will persist through Tuesday night in most areas...and should add up to several inches in most of the southern two thirds of Minnesota.

Create a More Connected Minnesota

MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.

Here are some forecast snow totals by late Tuesday night.

North Central Minnesota: (Fargo-Brainerd-Duluth) 1" to 3"

Metro: 2" to 4"

Southwest & south central: (Sioux Falls, Worthington, Pipestone, Redwood Falls, Mankato, Albert Lea) 5" to 10"

NAM model output suggests 3.3" of snow at MSP airport by Tuesday night. Note the dry powdery snow:water ratio at 17:1!

Snowmageddon 2010-2011: 3rd snowiest start on record

Our barrage of snow storms this winter season means business. It also adds up to the 3rd snowiest start to winter on record for the Twin Cities! (with similar rankings for much of southern Minnesota)

Some perspective:

-The 45.3" (and counting) metro snow total so far is the 3rd snowiest start to winter on record.

-Average snowfall to date is 24.2" (The metro is +21.1" season to date so far)

-Last winter's entire season snowfall total was 40.7"!

-Average winter snowfall for the metro is 55.9"

Weekend Arctic Outbreak:

It still looks like an arctic cold front will drop south out of Canada into Minnesota this weekend. The models differ on the magnitude of the cold wave. It may take another day or two to determine just how cold it will get by Sunday, but Minnesotans should prepare for what may possibly be the coldest shot of air so far this winter.

It is possible temps may stay below zero Sunday, and that we may (significantly?) plunge below our coldest temperature so far in the metro which has been -8.

Arctic front due this weekend. (Click for bigger image)

Stay tuned!

PH