The main event: Heavy snow tonight; soggy in Wisconsin
Beginning last Saturday a series of weather systems have been producing waves of precipitation across the region. Most recently, on Tuesday and Tuesday night heavy rain fell in southeast Minnesota and Wisconsin. Thunderstorms were reported along the southern tier of counties in Minnesota during the evening.
Overnight the rain pushed east with embedded thunderstorms, while snow spread across east central Minnesota. Two inches of snow were measured at Chaska and Hastings early this morning. At daybreak, the latest in the series of wet weathermakers was moving through Wisconsin. Snow was breaking out in western South Dakota.
A record rainfall was measured at the LaCrosse NWS Office.
RECORD EVENT REPORT...CORRECTED
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NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
240 AM CDT WED APR 10 2013
...NEW RECORD DAILY RAINFALL SET AT LA CROSSE WI FOR APRIL 9TH...
ON APRIL 9TH...1.83 INCHES OF PRECIPITATION WAS RECORDED AT THE LA
CROSSE WISCONSIN AIRPORT. THIS BREAKS THE PREVIOUS DAILY RECORD FOR
APRIL 9TH OF 0.87 INCHES SET IN 1973.
RECORDS FOR LA CROSSE DATE BACK TO 1873.
Source:MPR/Weather underground
The much advertised snow event is in the process of evolving. Snow is expected to fall heavy at times in southwest Minnesota this afternoon.
NOAA meteorologists have integrated the model output and have produced a good forecast of the region likely to receive 8 inches or more of snow in the next 24 hours.
Here is a snippet of their snowfall forecast discussion:
THIS RESULTS IN THE BAND OF 6 TO 12 INCH SNOWFALL FROM PARTS OF EASTERN SD INTO WISCONSIN WEDNESDAY INTO EARLY THURSDAY. ANY ICING WILL BE SOUTH OF THE AREA OF SNOW IN THE UPPER MIDWEST TO THE GREAT LAKES AS MOISTURE LADEN RIDES UP AND OVER THE COLD DOME.
As Paul has been noting and questioning, the models have not strayed much from putting the Twin Cities metro region in close proximity to the band of heaviest snow. I see no reason to differ from the numbers posted this morning from the NWS Office in Chanhassen.
This is a major weather producer with the threat of severe weather in the warmer air to our south. Try to remember it is April.
From NOAA's Storm Prediction Center, the threat for damaging winds from thunderstorms today and tonight.
This system will move slowly and precipitation will last through Thursday. Heavy snow is expected to reach northwest Wisconsin tomorrow. Much below normal temperatures are likely in our neck of the woods through the weekend.
An active weather pattern is seen next week as well.
Craig Edwards