Winter storm warning northeastern MN, advisories for the remainder of MN
It's probably a good thing that many Minnesotans have Monday off this week, since some roads will be slippery.
Periods of snow are expected over most of Minnesota this Sunday night and Monday. Parts of northern Minnesota will see the snow linger into Monday night and early Tuesday.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North American Mesoscale forecast model shows the possible precipitation pattern from 9 p.m. this Sunday evening through 3 p.m Tuesday:
In the forecast loop, blue areas are where the precipitation is likely to be snow for that time in the loop. Green areas are likely to be rain, but the rain could freeze at ground level if surface temps are cold enough.
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The color chart on the lower right of the loop refers to the strength of the radar signal returning to the radar, not inches of snow!
The highest snow totals this Sunday night through Tuesday will be over northern Minnesota:
A closer look at the winter storm warning for much of northeastern Minnesota, which runs from midnight this Sunday night to 6 p.m. Tuesday:
South and west of the warning area, there is a winter weather advisory.
Here are details of the winter storm warning, from the Duluth office of the NWS:
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
356 PM CST SUN JAN 1 2017
...WINTER STORM WILL BRING SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATION TONIGHT
THROUGH WEDNESDAY MORNING...
.A WINTER STORM WILL MOVE THROUGH THE NORTHLAND TONIGHT THROUGH
WEDNESDAY MORNING BRINGING A PROLONGED PERIOD OF ACCUMULATING
SNOW TO NORTHERN MINNESOTA AND PORTIONS OF NORTHWEST WISCONSIN.
AREAS NORTH OF MINNESOTA HIGHWAY 210 LOOK TO HAVE THE BEST CHANCE
OF RECEIVING 6 TO 12+ INCHES OF SNOW. AREAS GENERALLY SOUTH OF
MINNESOTA HIGHWAY 210 CAN EXPECT TO SEE BETWEEN 2 TO 6 INCHES OF
SNOW...WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR A WINTRY MIX MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY
MORNING. SNOW MAY TAPER OFF FOR A TIME MONDAY MORNING BEFORE
ANOTHER ROUND OF SNOW MOVES INTO CENTRAL AND NORTHERN MINNESOTA
MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THERE MAY BE SOME LAKE ENHANCEMENT
ALONG THE NORTH SHORE AS WINDS TURN MORE EAST TO SOUTHEAST.
AS THE SYSTEM DEPARTS LATE TUESDAY INTO WEDNESDAY MORNING...GUSTY
NORTHWEST WINDS BETWEEN 20 AND 25 MPH ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP...
WHICH COULD LEAD TO BLOWING SNOW ACROSS THE AREA. THE WINTER
WEATHER HEADLINES MAY NEED TO BE EXTENDED INTO WEDNESDAY
MORNING...DEPENDING ON CONDITIONS.
MNZ010>012-018>021-026-020800-
/O.EXT.KDLH.WS.W.0001.170102T0600Z-170104T0000Z/
KOOCHICHING-NORTH ST. LOUIS-NORTHERN COOK/NORTHERN LAKE-
NORTH ITASCA-CENTRAL ST. LOUIS-SOUTHERN LAKE/NORTH SHORE-
SOUTHERN COOK/NORTH SHORE-SOUTH ITASCA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...INTERNATIONAL FALLS...ELY...ISABELLA...
BIGFORK...HIBBING...TWO HARBORS...SILVER BAY...GRAND MARAIS...
GRAND RAPIDS
356 PM CST SUN JAN 1 2017
...WINTER STORM WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO
6 PM CST TUESDAY...
* LOCATIONS...MUCH OF NORTH-CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST MINNESOTA...
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF INTERNATIONAL FALLS...ELY...ISABELLA...
BIGFORK...HIBBING...TWO HARBORS...SILVER BAY...GRAND MARAIS...
AND GRAND RAPIDS.
* TIMING...TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...8 TO 12 INCHES.
* WINDS...EAST TO NORTHEAST 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 25
MPH...TURNING NORTHWEST 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH ON
TUESDAY.
* VISIBILITIES...AS LOW AS ONE HALF OF A MILE.
* IMPACTS...THE HEAVY SNOW WILL MAKE MANY ROADS HAZARDOUS OR
IMPASSABLE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SIGNIFICANT SNOW
ACCUMULATION IS ANTICIPATED...AND THAT SNOWFALL RATES OF ONE INCH
PER HOUR OR GREATER ARE POSSIBLE. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...EXERCISE
CAUTION AND ALLOW EXTRA TIME TO REACH YOUR DESTINATION. TELL
SOMEONE YOUR TRAVEL ROUTE AND EXPECTED ARRIVAL TIME. HAVE A
WORKING CELL PHONE IN CASE YOU BECOME STRANDED. KEEP A WINTER
SURVIVAL KIT IN YOUR VEHICLE...INCLUDING A FLASHLIGHT...FOOD AND
WATER. IF YOU CHOOSE TO TRAVEL...BE AWARE THAT YOU MAY BECOME
STRANDED AND THAT IT MAY TAKE MANY HOURS FOR HELP TO ARRIVE.
And details of the winter weather advisory that includes Brainerd and Duluth:
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...PINE RIVER...BRAINERD...HILL CITY...
AITKIN...DULUTH
356 PM CST SUN JAN 1 2017
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO
6 PM CST TUESDAY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN DULUTH HAS ISSUED A WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS
EVENING TO 6 PM CST TUESDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER
IN EFFECT.
* LOCATIONS...DULUTH...BRAINERD...HILL CITY...AITKIN...PINE RIVER.
* TIMING...TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...4 TO 7 INCHES.
* IMPACTS...THE HEAVY SNOW WILL MAKE MANY ROADS HAZARDOUS OR
IMPASSABLE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT ACCUMULATING SNOW
WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED ROADS
AND REDUCED VISIBILITY...AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING. ALLOW
EXTRA TIME TO REACH YOUR DESTINATION.
Northwestern Minnesota also has a winter weather advisory until 6 p.m. Monday, followed by a winter storm watch:
Here are details of the advisory and watch, from the Grand Forks, ND office of the NWS:
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
327 PM CST SUN JAN 1 2017
MNZ014-015-022>024-027-028-031-032-032130-
/O.NEW.KFGF.WW.Y.0001.170102T0600Z-170103T0000Z/
/O.EXT.KFGF.WS.A.0005.170103T0000Z-170104T0000Z/
RED LAKE-EAST POLK-MAHNOMEN-SOUTH CLEARWATER-HUBBARD-WEST BECKER-
EAST BECKER-EAST OTTER TAIL-WADENA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...RED LAKE FALLS...FOSSTON...FERTILE...
MCINTOSH...ERSKINE...MAHNOMEN...NAYTAHWAUSH...WAUBUN...ALIDA...
EBRO...LAKE ITASCA...LONG LOST LAKE...LOWER RICE LAKE...
ROY LAKE...UPPER RICE LAKE...PARK RAPIDS...DETROIT LAKES...
WOLF LAKE...PERHAM...NEW YORK MILLS...PARKERS PRAIRIE...HENNING...
BATTLE LAKE...WADENA...MENAHGA
327 PM CST SUN JAN 1 2017
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO
6 PM CST MONDAY...
...WINTER STORM WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY EVENING THROUGH
TUESDAY AFTERNOON...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A WINTER
WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT
TONIGHT TO 6 PM CST MONDAY.
* TIMING...EXPECT SNOW TO DEVELOP AROUND MIDNIGHT AND THEN
DIMINISH MONDAY MIDDAY.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES
ARE EXPECTED.
* WINDS / VISIBILITIES...LOOK FOR REDUCED VISIBILITIES AT TIMES.
* IMPACTS...PLAN ON SLIPPERY ROAD CONDITIONS.
THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY EVENING
THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON.
* TIMING...SNOW IS LIKELY FROM MONDAY EVENING THROUGH TUESDAY
AFTERNOON.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...ADDITIONAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 6 INCHES
ARE POSSIBLE.
* WINDS / VISIBILITIES...WINDS GUSTING AS HIGH AS 35 MPH COULD
CAUSE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. IN ADDITION...AREAS
OF POOR VISIBILITY ARE POSSIBLE.
* WIND CHILL VALUES...EXPECT WIND CHILLS TO RANGE FROM 25 ABOVE
ZERO TO 25 BELOW ZERO BETWEEN 6 PM MONDAY AND 6 PM
TUESDAY...WITH THE COLDEST WIND CHILLS OCCURRING AROUND 9 AM
TUESDAY.
* IMPACTS...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.
A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT
SNOW...SLEET OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL.
CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.
The snow in northwestern Minnesota is expected to come in two episodes:
Central and southern Minnesota, and western Wisconsin also have winter weather advisories:
Central Minnesota is expected to see mainly snow, but the Twin Cities area, western Wisconsin and parts of southern Minnesota could see a wintry mix of snow, light rain, light freezing rain and freezing drizzle Monday and Monday evening.
The winter weather advisory for the Twin Cities starts at midnight Sunday night and runs until midnight on Monday.
Here are more details of the advisory, from the Twin Cities office of the of the NWS:
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
327 PM CST SUN JAN 1 2017
...A WINTRY MIX OF FREEZING PRECIPITATION AND SNOW IS EXPECTED
ACROSS MUCH OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA AND WESTERN
WISCONSIN THROUGH MONDAY...
.A WINTRY MIX OF FREEZING DRIZZLE...LIGHT FREEZING RAIN...AND
SNOW IS EXPECTED TONIGHT INTO MONDAY. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY
REMAINS IN EFFECT TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY. LIGHT ICE ACCUMULATIONS
ARE POSSIBLE...MAINLY ALONG AND SOUTH OF A MONTEVIDEO TO
LITCHFIELD TO TWIN CITIES LINE. TO THE NORTH OF THIS LINE...LESS
MIXED PRECIPITATION AND A LONGER DURATION OF SNOWFALL WILL YIELD
HIGHER SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS IN THE 2 TO 4 INCH RANGE. THE BULK
OF THE SNOW WILL FALL TONIGHT AND MONDAY...WITH BLOWING SNOW
BECOMING POSSIBLE LATE MONDAY NIGHT AS NORTHWEST WINDS INCREASE.
MNZ059>063-066>070-074>077-082>085-091>093-020530-
/O.EXT.KMPX.WW.Y.0001.170102T0600Z-170103T0600Z/
WRIGHT-HENNEPIN-ANOKA-RAMSEY-WASHINGTON-MCLEOD-SIBLEY-CARVER-
SCOTT-DAKOTA-BROWN-NICOLLET-LE SUEUR-RICE-WATONWAN-BLUE EARTH-
WASECA-STEELE-MARTIN-FARIBAULT-FREEBORN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...MONTICELLO...MINNEAPOLIS...BLAINE...
ST PAUL...STILLWATER...HUTCHINSON...GAYLORD...CHASKA...SHAKOPEE...
HASTINGS...NEW ULM...ST PETER...LE SUEUR...FARIBAULT...ST JAMES...
MANKATO...WASECA...OWATONNA...FAIRMONT...BLUE EARTH...ALBERT LEA
327 PM CST SUN JAN 1 2017
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO
MIDNIGHT CST MONDAY NIGHT...
* EXPECT A WINTRY MIX TO DEVELOP AROUND MIDNIGHT AND THEN
DIMINISH AROUND 6 PM MONDAY.
* TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF UP TO 2 INCHES AND ICE
ACCUMULATIONS OF A GLAZE ARE EXPECTED.
* LOOK FOR REDUCED VISIBILITIES AT TIMES.
* PLAN ON SLIPPERY ROAD CONDITIONS...INCLUDING DURING THE
EVENING COMMUTE ON MONDAY.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW...SLEET OR
FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR
SLIPPERY 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.
Updated weather information is posted on the MPR news live weather blog.
You can also check with the Duluth office , Grand Forks, ND office and Twin Cities office of the National Weather Service for weather updates.
The NWS sites have clickable maps for the forecast at your specific location.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation will have current road conditions.