Winter weather advisories this weekend

Lawns that are mostly green in much of southern Minnesota will look like a winter wonderland by this evening.

Snow will spread across southern Minnesota today,  arriving in the Twin Cities this afternoon.

Snow is expected to continue overnight and  much of Sunday

Here is the total snowfall potential, courtesy of the Twin Cities office of the National Weather Service:

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rt1210snow
NWS Twin Cities

Winter weather advisories for snow, reduced visibilities and difficult driving conditions have been issued for southern Minnesota and the Twin Cities metro area.

Here are details of the advisory in the Twin Cities:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN

322 AM CST SAT DEC 10 2016

...LONG DURATION SNOWFALL EVENT THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY FOR

SOUTHERN MINNESOTA AND WESTERN WISCONSIN...

.A LONG PERIOD OF SNOWFALL WITH ACCUMULATIONS FROM 5 TO 8 INCHES

IS EXPECTED FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY. A WINTER WEATHER

ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR LOCATIONS GENERALLY ALONG AND SOUTH

OF A GRANITE FALLS...TO THE TWIN CITIES...TO CHIPPEWA FALLS LINE.

MNZ060-062-068>070-101730-

/O.EXB.KMPX.WW.Y.0015.161210T2100Z-161212T0000Z/

HENNEPIN-RAMSEY-CARVER-SCOTT-DAKOTA-

INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MINNEAPOLIS...ST PAUL...CHASKA...

SHAKOPEE...HASTINGS

322 AM CST SAT DEC 10 2016

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO

6 PM CST SUNDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN HAS ISSUED

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM

THIS AFTERNOON TO 6 PM CST SUNDAY.

* EXPECT SNOW TO DEVELOP AROUND 3 PM AND THEN DIMINISH AROUND 6

PM SUNDAY.

* THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL RATES WILL OCCUR BETWEEN 6 AM AND NOON

SUNDAY.

* TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 4 TO 7 INCHES ARE EXPECTED.

* LOOK FOR REDUCED VISIBILITIES AT TIMES.

* PLAN ON DIFFICULT DRIVING 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.

The winter weather advisory runs from 9 a.m. today to noon Sunday in southwestern Minnesota.

In south-central Minnesota, the winter weather advisory starts at noon today and ends at noon Sunday.

From the Twin Cities metro area through southeastern Minnesota, the winter weather advisory starts at 3 p.m. today and runs to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

Here’s the simulated radar for today through Sunday morning, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 4 km resolution North American Mesoscale forecast model:

rt1210fcstsfc
NOAA NAM 4 km model simulated radar from 9 a.m. today to noon Sunday, via tropicaltidbits.com

I'll post updated information on the snow potential when new forecast model data is available around mid-morning.

10 a.m. update

There are no changes in the projected snowfall amounts or advisories.

The latest computer model info is consistent with the previous run of the model.

Here’s the newest simulated radar from 4 p.m. today through 4 p.m. Sunday, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 4 km resolution North American Mesoscale forecast model:

rt1210fcstsfc2
NOAA NAM 4 km model simulated radar from 9 a.m. today to noon Sunday, via tropicaltidbits.com

Cool temps

Highs today will be in the teens over southeastern Minnesota, with single digits to the north:

rt1210h3

On Sunday, 20s return to southern and central Minnesota:

rt1211h2

Temps will take a big dip by Tuesday, with highs in the single digits above zero in the south:

rt1213h

Below-zero highs are expected in parts of northern Minnesota on Tuesday.

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.