Snow continues; advisory and warning update
It's a winter wonderland this Sunday morning.
Some impressive snow totals have already been reported, and it is still snowing over much of Minnesota.
Redwood Falls, in southwestern Minnesota, has received 7.3 inches of snow since Saturday afternoon.
In southern Minnesota to the south of the Twin Cities, 7 inches is the report from Northfield, and St. Peter has received 6.5 inches.
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Snow will diminish later this morning in southwestern Minnesota, and taper off during the afternoon to the east.
Many roads and streets are slippery, and the snow is causing reduced visibilities.
The National Weather Service has a winter storm warning in effect until 9 a.m. in parts of southwestern and south-central Minnesota, and until noon from Scott county in the southern Twin Cities metro area through southeastern Minnesota:
Here are details, courtesy of the Twin Cities office of the National Weather Service:
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
356 AM CST SUN DEC 11 2016
...SNOWFALL TO START DIMINISHING THIS MORNING...
.SNOW THAT STARTED SATURDAY AFTERNOON WILL START TO DIMINISH LATER
THIS MORNING...WITH A BROAD AREA OF SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS FROM 5
TO 8 INCHES EXPECTED BY THIS AFTERNOON. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY
REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR LOCATIONS GENERALLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF A
BENSON...TO THE TWIN CITIES...CHIPPEWA FALLS WISCONSIN LINE.
WITHIN THIS BROAD AREA OF SNOWFALL...A MUCH NARROWER BAND OF 8 TO
10 INCHES DEVELOPED OVERNIGHT OVER PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN
MINNESOTA. THIS BAND HAS PROMPTED AN UPGRADED TO A WINTER STORM
WARNING. THIS BAND IS LOCATED ALONG A LINE FROM REDWOOD FALLS...TO
ST. PETER...TO PINE ISLAND.
MNZ069-076>078-084-085-111800-
/O.EXT.KMPX.WS.W.0005.000000T0000Z-161211T1800Z/
SCOTT-LE SUEUR-RICE-GOODHUE-WASECA-STEELE-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SHAKOPEE...LE SUEUR...FARIBAULT...
RED WING...WASECA...OWATONNA
356 AM CST SUN DEC 11 2016
...WINTER STORM WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TODAY...
THE WINTER STORM WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TODAY.
* EXPECT SNOW TO CONTINUE...DIMINISHING AROUND NOON.
* STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 10 INCHES ARE EXPECTED.
* LOOK FOR SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN VISIBILITY AT TIMES.
* PLAN ON DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS ARE OCCURRING. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA
FLASHLIGHT...FOOD AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN
EMERGENCY. THE LATEST ROAD CONDITIONS FOR THE STATE YOU ARE
CALLING FROM CAN BE OBTAINED BY CALLING 5 1 1.
To the north of the winter storm warning area, there is a winter weather advisory for snow, slippery roads and reduced visibilities, which will cause difficult driving conditions:
MNZ059-060-062-063-068-093-111800-
/O.EXT.KMPX.WW.Y.0015.000000T0000Z-161211T1800Z/
WRIGHT-HENNEPIN-RAMSEY-WASHINGTON-CARVER-FREEBORN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MONTICELLO...MINNEAPOLIS...ST PAUL...
STILLWATER...CHASKA...ALBERT LEA
356 AM CST SUN DEC 11 2016
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TODAY...
THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST
TODAY.
* EXPECT SNOW TO CONTINUE...DIMINISHING AROUND NOON.
* THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL RATES WILL OCCUR UNTIL 8 AM THIS
MORNING.
* STORM TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 7 INCHES ARE EXPECTED.
* LOOK FOR REDUCED VISIBILITIES AT TIMES.
* PLAN ON SLIPPERY ROAD CONDITIONS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS PERIODS OF SNOW WILL
CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED
ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.
THE LATEST ROAD CONDITIONS FOR THE STATE YOU ARE CALLING FROM CAN
BE OBTAINED BY CALLING 5 1 1.
Additional snow accumulations this morning of one to two inches are possible in the Twin Cities metro area and southeastern Minnesota.
Here is the simulated radar from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. today, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 4 km resolution North American Mesoscale forecast model:
By the way, ignore the color chart for snow on the lower right. It shows the colors used for different signal strengths that return to the radar, not inches of snow!
You can see updated winter storm information on our severe weather live blog.
Please share your photos and storm reports with our Public Insight Network and we can include them in our coverage.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation has current road conditions.
Milder temps today, then cold
Highs today will be milder than yesterday, with 20s over central and southeastern Minnesota:
Highs tomorrow will be in the teens south:
Single digit highs are on tap for northwestern Minnesota on Monday.
Tuesday and Wednesday will be very cold statewide, with single digit high temps.
You'll need your warmest coat through the coming week!
Programming note
You can hear my live weather updates on Minnesota Public Radio at 7:35 a.m. and 4:35 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.