Winter storm warning northern MN, advisories central and south
A winter storm will bring a combination of snow, rain, freezing rain and freezing drizzle to Minnesota and western Wisconsin today and tonight.
The heaviest snow is expected to fall over northern Minnesota:
Southeastern Minnesota will probably see light snow amounts, but periods of freezing drizzle and freezing rain could cause slippery roads.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North American Mesoscale forecast model shows the possible precipitation pattern from 9 a.m. today through 3 p.m Tuesday:
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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.
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!
Winter storm warnings northern MN
Here's an overview of the snowfall potential for northern Minnesota, from the National Weather Service:
A winter storm warning continues until 6 p.m. Tuesday for much of northeastern Minnesota:
South of the warning area, there is a winter weather advisory that includes Duluth and Brainerd until 6 a.m. tomorrow.
Here are details of the winter storm warning, from the Duluth office of the NWS:
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
351 AM CST MON JAN 2 2017
...WINTER STORM WILL BRING SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATION TONIGHT...
.THE FIRST ROUND OF SNOWFALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIRST WINTER
STORM OF THE NEW YEAR HAS BEGUN ACROSS THE NORTHLAND WITH LIGHT
TO MODERATE SNOWFALL SPREADING ACROSS NORTHERN MINNESOTA AND
NORTHWEST WISCONSIN...BRINGING AROUND 1 TO 3 INCHES OF SNOWFALL
BY MID DAY. A BREAK IN THE SNOW IS POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON WITH
OFF AND ON LIGHT SNOW LINGERING UNTIL THE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM
APPROACHES FROM THE WEST THIS EVENING...RESULTING IN MODERATE TO
HEAVY SNOWFALL RAPIDLY DEVELOPING FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS
NORTHERN MINNESOTA AND NORTHWEST WISCONSIN. THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL
WILL BE ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA INTO THE BORDERLAND...WITH
LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS ALSO POSSIBLE ALONG THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF
THE NORTH SHORE. ELSEWHERE ACROSS EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND
NORTHWEST WISCONSIN AN EARLY ENDING TO THE SNOWFALL WILL LEAD TO
LESSER AMOUNTS. SNOWFALL WILL END FROM WEST TUESDAY MORNING...WITH
SNOW SHOWERS LINGERING ACROSS THE ARROWHEAD INTO TUESDAY
AFTERNOON. SOME LAKE EFFECT SNOW SHOWERS ARE ALSO EXPECTED
THROUGH TUESDAY ALONG THE SOUTH SHORE.
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.
MNZ010>012-018>021-025-026-022000-
/O.CON.KDLH.WS.W.0001.000000T0000Z-170104T0000Z/
KOOCHICHING-NORTH ST. LOUIS-NORTHERN COOK/NORTHERN LAKE-
NORTH ITASCA-CENTRAL ST. LOUIS-SOUTHERN LAKE/NORTH SHORE-
SOUTHERN COOK/NORTH SHORE-NORTH CASS-SOUTH ITASCA-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...INTERNATIONAL FALLS...ELY...ISABELLA...
BIGFORK...HIBBING...TWO HARBORS...SILVER BAY...GRAND MARAIS...
WALKER...GRAND RAPIDS
351 AM CST MON JAN 2 2017
...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST
TUESDAY...
* LOCATIONS...MUCH OF NORTH-CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST MINNESOTA...
INCLUDING THE BORDERLAND...IRON RANGE...ARROWHEAD...AND NORTH
SHORE. THE HEAVIEST SNOW AMOUNTS WILL BE ACROSS THE BORDERLAND
AND ALONG THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE NORTH SHORE.
* TIMING...LIGHT SNOW TODAY...THEN HEAVY SNOW BEGINNING THIS
EVENING AND CONTINUING OVERNIGHT. SNOW RATES DIMINISH TUESDAY
MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...8 TO 12 INCHES...MOST OF THAT FALLING
OVERNIGHT TONIGHT.
* WINDS...NORTHEAST 5 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 25 MPH...SHIFTING
TO THE NORTHWEST TUESDAY MORNING.
* VISIBILITIES...AS LOW AS A QUARTER MILE AT TIMES OVERNIGHT.
* IMPACTS...THE HEAVY SNOW WILL MAKE MANY ROADS IMPASSABLE AND MAY
PRODUCE POWER OUTAGES DUE TO THE WEIGHT OF THE SNOW ON TREE
LIMBS AND POWER LINES.
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:
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...PINE RIVER...BRAINERD...HILL CITY...
AITKIN...DULUTH...PINE CITY...HINCKLEY
351 AM CST MON JAN 2 2017
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM CST TUESDAY...
* LOCATIONS...EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA INCLUDING THE BRAINERD LAKES
AND LAKE MILLE LAKES REGIONS...THE TWIN PORTS...AND THE
INTERSTATE 35 CORRIDOR.
* TIMING...NOW THROUGH TONIGHT...WITH THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL RATES
THIS EVENING INTO TONIGHT.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...4 TO 6 INCHES.
* IMPACTS...A PERIOD OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOWFALL TONIGHT WILL
RESULT IN SNOW COVERED AND SLIPPERY ROADS. SNOWFALL RATES MAY
REDUCE VISIBILITY TO A HALF MILE OR LESS AT TIMES.
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 will also see some significant snow:
A winter weather advisory through mid afternoon in northwestern Minnesota becomes a winter storm warning from 3 p.m. today to noon Tuesday:
Here are details of the winter storm warning in northwestern Minnesota, from the Grand Forks, ND office of the NWS:
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
414 AM CST MON JAN 2 2017
MNZ005-008-013>016-040000-
/O.UPG.KFGF.WS.A.0005.170103T0000Z-170104T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KFGF.WS.W.0001.170102T2100Z-170103T1800Z/
/O.EXT.KFGF.WW.Y.0001.000000T0000Z-170102T2100Z/
ROSEAU-EAST MARSHALL-PENNINGTON-RED LAKE-EAST POLK-
NORTH CLEARWATER-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ROSEAU...WARROAD...GREENBUSH...
NEWFOLDEN...MIDDLE RIVER...GRYGLA...THIEF RIVER FALLS...
RED LAKE FALLS...FOSSTON...FERTILE...MCINTOSH...ERSKINE...
BAGLEY...CLEARBROOK
414 AM CST MON JAN 2 2017
0
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM CST THIS
AFTERNOON...
...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO
NOON CST TUESDAY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN GRAND FORKS HAS ISSUED A WINTER
STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM THIS
AFTERNOON TO NOON CST TUESDAY.
* TIMING...EXPECT A SECOND ROUND OF SNOW TO DEVELOP AROUND 3 PM
AND THEN DIMINISH AROUND NOON TUESDAY.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...EXPECT 2 TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW TO FALL BY
NOON TODAY. EXPECT THE SECOND ROUND OF SNOW TO BRING AN
ADDITIONAL 4 TO 6 INCHES TONIGHT AND TOMORROW MORNING...FOR
TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 TO 10 INCHES.
* WINDS / VISIBILITIES...WINDS GUSTING AS HIGH AS 25 MPH WILL
CAUSE AREAS OF DRIFTING SNOW.
* IMPACTS...PLAN ON HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED. 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.
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.
Winter weather advisories central and southern minnesota
A winter weather advisory covers central and southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin today and this evening:
In central and west-central Minnesota, the winter weather advisory continues until Tuesday morning.
From the Twin Cities metro area southeastward, we aren't expecting significant snow amounts, but periods of light freezing rain or freezing drizzle are expected to cause some ice on roads and sidewalks.
Here are details of the winter weather advisory that is in effect until midnight for the Twin Cities metro area, from Twin Cities office of the NWS:
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
306 AM CST MON JAN 2 2017
...A WINTRY MIX OF FREEZING DRIZZLE AND SNOW IS EXPECTED ACROSS
MUCH OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA AND WESTERN WISCONSIN
THROUGH MONDAY...
.SNOW AND FLURRIES OVER CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA WILL
TRANSITION TO A WINTRY MIX OF FREEZING DRIZZLE AND SNOW AREA WIDE
TODAY. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT. TOTAL SNOW
ACCUMULATIONS OF 2 TO 4 INCHES WITH ISOLATED 5 INCH TOTALS ARE
EXPECTED NORTH OF A LINE FROM MADISON TO ST CLOUD AND CAMBRIDGE.
UP TO 2 INCHES CAN BE EXPECTED SOUTH OF THAT LINE. LIGHT ICE
ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE. BLOWING SNOW IS THEN POSSIBLE LATE
MONDAY NIGHT ACROSS WESTERN MINNESOTA AS NORTHWEST WINDS INCREASE.
MNZ051-052-059>063-066>070-074>077-082>085-091>093-021800-
/O.CON.KMPX.WW.Y.0001.170102T1200Z-170103T0600Z/
SHERBURNE-ISANTI-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...ELK RIVER...CAMBRIDGE...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
306 AM CST MON JAN 2 2017
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM THIS
MORNING TO MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT...
* EXPECT A WINTRY MIX TO DEVELOP AROUND 6 AM AND THEN DIMINISH
AROUND MIDNIGHT.
* TOTAL WET SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF UP TO 1 INCH AND ICE
ACCUMULATIONS OF A LIGHT ICING ARE EXPECTED.
* LOOK FOR REDUCED VISIBILITIES AT TIMES.
* THE ICE MAY RESULT IN DIFFICULT TRAVEL CONDITIONS...INCLUDING
DURING THE EVENING COMMUTE.
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, Twin Cities office and La Crosse, WI 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.