Alberta Clipper on its way
Alberta clippers are snow events that often originate in Alberta, Canada, just east of the Canadian Rockies and then race into Minnesota from the northwest.
They generally are much weaker storms than the big ones that come out of Colorado to our southwest. We have had few of them this winter but today one is on our doorstep.
Today
This morning a warm front from Canada is working across Minnesota.
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Snow will fall ahead of that warm front today. Winter weather advisories have been issued for a few inches of snow, mostly north of the Twin Cities metro area.
The Twin Cities metro area should be near the southern edge of this system today.
Twin Cities metro area
As of around 7 a.m. this morning, weather radar is showing mostly light snow tracking southeastward down the I-94 corridor into the metro area.
The Twin Cities likely will get a light coating of snow this morning. After a lull into this afternoon, precipitation will begin again but as mainly light rain and drizzle because of warming temperatures into the low 40s. Those temperatures and the rain will melt some snow.
Statewide, afternoon high temperatures today should range from the low 20s in the northeast to the mid 40s in the southwest.
Winds will increase, especially in the southwest where gusts greater than 40 mph are likely this afternoon and evening.
Snowfall amounts
Snowfall amounts will be light to moderate in a broad northwest-southeast band from northwest Minnesota to northwest and central Wisconsin today. Most amounts along the main track will be in the 3-inch to 5-inch range with a few spots likely to touch 6 inches. The northeast metro area might get a couple inches but less will fall to the southwest.
Tonight and Tuesday
Some snow will linger tonight and then taper off as scattered light snow showers tomorrow.
Turning colder on Wednesday
Much cooler, but not really bitter, weather will build in behind this clipper on Wednesday and hang around for several days.
The messy weather will track off to the east with snow for the Northeast and rain and snow from the Ohio Valley to the Mid-Atlantic States.