Blizzard rages: Whiteout, civil emergency messages

As expected, the first real blizzard of the winter season is raging today across western and northern Minnesota.

Scenes like this one are common across Minnesota this afternoon.

Heavy snow and winds gusting from 50 to 71 mph are causing whiteout conditions across western and northern Minnesota and eastern South Dakota.

No travel is advised across a huge swath of Minnesota today.

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Counties in western Minnesota and eastern South Dakota have issued civil emergency messages advising no travel due to whiteout conditions.

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Blizzard warnings have been expanded to include the Brainerd Lakes area and north central Minnesota.

Rain is changing to snow across the Twin Cities metro this afternoon.

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Weather Underground

Expect wet roads early, but conditions will deteriorate as the afternoon progresses. Potential for significant snow accumulations will favor the northwest metro.

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