Snowfall to create icy roads this evening into Christmas morning
Temperatures were bitter cold this morning. Early morning low temperatures dropped to 35 below zero at Babbitt and Embarrass in northern Minnesota.
Wind chill readings have eased slightly as temperatures have moderated today. But snow has been falling in western Minnesota since early afternoon with the heaviest snowfall in Morris, Appleton and Ortonville. This snow is tracking east.
Snowfall amounts in southern and eastern Minnesota as well as western Wisconsin will tally between 2 to 4 inches the remainder of the afternoon and evening.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Weather Prediction Center paints an area in line to receive 4 inches of snow this evening in western Wisconsin.
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There is the possibility of another burst of snow coming before daybreak on Christmas morning in central Minnesota. The North American Mesoscale Forecast System depicts a bulls-eye of a quick inch of snow around 6 a.m. on Wednesday.
Temperatures will be not as cold on Christmas Day, but another surge of cold air arrives Wednesday night.
A more robust moderation in temperatures moves in on Friday but winds will add a bit of a chill.
As we close out 2013, I see a continuation of surges of arctic air keeping temperatures below normal along with frequent bouts of snow.
