Snow tapers off; wind next; Spring begins Wednesday with wintery chill

Another Monday, another snowy commute. I count at least some snow or wintery mix on 8 of the past 10 Mondays in the metro. Talk about adding wintery insult to injury for Monday commuters.

MNDOT Cam at I-94 & Snelling shows slow commute this morning.

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Here's the latest as we track the snow...and the wind to follow this afternoon.

Back Edge of Snow:

We've had about 2" so far in many metro locations. Here's the 10am radar loop...witht he back edge of the snow now crawling east through the metro. Snow had ended in Minneapolis and the west metro. Look for snow to gradually taper off from west to east this morning.

[image]

-Latest Twin Cities radar loop

Here are the latest snow totals from Twin Cities NWS.

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN

835 AM CDT MON MAR 18 2013

...LATEST SNOWFALL TOTALS FROM WINTER STORM TODAY...

SNOW REPORTS LISTED BY AMOUNT

INCHES LOCATION ST COUNTY TIME

------ ----------------------- -- -------------- -------

4.00 LONG PRAIRIE MN TODD 0600 AM

4.00 CARLOS MN DOUGLAS 0549 AM

3.50 SAUK RAPIDS MN BENTON 0715 AM

3.50 KIMBALL MN STEARNS 0600 AM

3.30 8 S HILLMAN MN MORRISON 0723 AM

3.30 ST CLOUD STATE UNIV MN STEARNS 0700 AM

3.20 ST CLOUD AIRPORT MN STEARNS 0650 AM

2.50 MILACA MN MILLE LACS 0730 AM

2.50 FARIBAULT MN RICE 0700 AM

2.40 1 W CARVER MN CARVER 0745 AM

2.00 EDEN PRAIRIE MN HENNEPIN 0813 AM

2.00 NEW PRAGUE MN SCOTT 0700 AM

2.00 WACONIA MN CARVER 0700 AM

1.90 4 E MANKATO MN BLUE EARTH 0700 AM

1.80 CHANHASSEN NWS MN CARVER 0700 AM

1.80 MINNEAPOLIS ST PAUL APT MN HENNEPIN 0645 AM

1.80 ALBERT LEA MN FREEBORN 0800 AM

1.60 HAMBURG MN CARVER 0800 AM

1.50 MANKATO MN BLUE EARTH 0645 AM

1.50 MINNEAPOLIS LWR ST ANTHO MN HENNEPIN 0600 AM

1.50 REDWOOD FALLS MN REDWOOD 0530 AM

1.30 CHASKA MN CARVER 0600 AM

1.10 ROBERTS WI ST. CROIX 0800 AM

0.80 3 E NEW ULM MN NICOLLET 0600 AM

Here's a map of early snowfall totals including some 6"+ totals from northern Minnesota.

Wind Next:

After this morning snow shot, winds will pick up this afternoon. That's when the blowing and drifting snow kicks in.

The rest of the week looks quiet but cold.

Spring begins on Wednesday at 6:02am CDT with the Vernal Equinox.

Looks like the weather maps will not follow the calendar this year....take a look at the wintyer temps in the forecast for the 1st day of spring.

We'll probably see at least some snow this spring...but overall the maps look encouraging that this may be our last significant snow of winter in the metro and southern Minnesota. No guarantees...but the maps do look encouraging.

Weather fingers crossed.

PH