Windy and colder with occasional flakes; winter storm warning northern MN
Wind will be the biggest weather problem over southern and central Minnesota today, but we'll also occasional light snow.
High wind warnings are in effect until 3 p.m. for southwestern and west-central Minnesota, due to winds of 30 to 45 mph and possible gusts to 65 mph:
A wind advisory for 30 to 40 mph winds and possible gusts to 55 mph is in effect until 3 p.m. for the remainder of central and southern Minnesota, including the Twin Cities.
A blizzard warning for whiteout conditions continues to 4 p.m. today for Kittson and Marshall counties of far northwestern Minnesota:
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Winter storm warnings continue until noon for parts of northwestern Minnesota, and there is a winter weather advisory until 4 p.m. that includes Thief River Falls, Detroit Lakes and Fergus Falls.
Details of the warnings and advisories in northwestern Minnesota, from the National Weather Service:
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
351 AM CST MON DEC 26 2016
MNZ004-007-NDZ006>008-014>016-024-026>029-038-054-262200-
/O.CON.KFGF.BZ.W.0006.000000T0000Z-161226T2200Z/
KITTSON-WEST MARSHALL-TOWNER-CAVALIER-PEMBINA-BENSON-RAMSEY-
EASTERN WALSH COUNTY-EDDY-NELSON-GRAND FORKS-GRIGGS-STEELE-BARNES-
WESTERN WALSH COUNTY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...HALLOCK...KARLSTAD...LANCASTER...
WARREN...STEPHEN...ARGYLE...CANDO...LANGDON...CAVALIER...
WALHALLA...DRAYTON...PEMBINA...NECHE...ST. THOMAS...FORT TOTTEN...
MADDOCK...LEEDS...MINNEWAUKAN...DEVILS LAKE...GRAFTON...
PARK RIVER...NEW ROCKFORD...LAKOTA...MCVILLE...ANETA...TOLNA...
GRAND FORKS...COOPERSTOWN...FINLEY...HOPE...VALLEY CITY...
EDINBURG...ADAMS...LANKIN
351 AM CST MON DEC 26 2016
...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM CST THIS
AFTERNOON...
* TIMING...EXPECT BLIZZARD CONDITIONS TO CONTINUE...DIMINISHING
THIS AFTERNOON.
* WINDS / VISIBILITIES...WINDS GUSTING AS HIGH AS 50 MPH WILL
CAUSE WHITEOUT CONDITIONS IN BLOWING SNOW. SIGNIFICANT
DRIFTING OF THE SNOW IS LIKELY...ESPECIALLY IN OPEN AREAS.
TREE BRANCHES COULD FALL AS WELL.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...ADDITIONAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 6
INCHES ARE EXPECTED.
* IMPACTS...TRAVEL WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT TO
IMPOSSIBLE...INCLUDING DURING THE MORNING COMMUTE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS
AND POOR VISIBILITIES ARE LIKELY. THIS WILL LEAD TO WHITEOUT
CONDITIONS...MAKING TRAVEL EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. DO NOT TRAVEL. IF
YOU MUST TRAVEL...HAVE A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT WITH YOU. IF YOU GET
STRANDED...STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE. THE LATEST ROAD CONDITIONS FOR
THE STATE YOU ARE CALLING FROM CAN BE OBTAINED BY CALLING 5 1 1.
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
351 AM CST MON DEC 26 2016
MNZ005-006-008-009-261800-
/O.CON.KFGF.WS.W.0006.000000T0000Z-161226T1800Z/
ROSEAU-LAKE OF THE WOODS-EAST MARSHALL-NORTH BELTRAMI-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ROSEAU...WARROAD...GREENBUSH...
BAUDETTE...NEWFOLDEN...MIDDLE RIVER...GRYGLA...RED LAKE...REDBY...
PONEMAH
351 AM CST MON DEC 26 2016
...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TODAY...
* TIMING...EXPECT SNOW TO CONTINUE...DIMINISHING AROUND NOON.
* PRECIPITATION RATES...THE HEAVIEST SNOWFALL RATES WILL OCCUR
THROUGH THE MORNING.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...ADDITIONAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 3 TO 5
INCHES ARE EXPECTED.
* WINDS / VISIBILITIES...WINDS GUSTING AS HIGH AS 35 MPH WILL
CAUSE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. IN ADDITION...AREAS
OF POOR VISIBILITY ARE EXPECTED.
* IMPACTS...PLAN ON DIFFICULT DRIVING CONDITIONS...INCLUDING
DURING THE MORNING COMMUTE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS ARE OCCURRING. 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.
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
351 AM CST MON DEC 26 2016
MNZ002-003-022>024-027>032-040-NDZ039-049-052-053-262200-
/O.CON.KFGF.WW.Y.0015.000000T0000Z-161226T2200Z/
NORMAN-CLAY-MAHNOMEN-SOUTH CLEARWATER-HUBBARD-WEST BECKER-
EAST BECKER-WILKIN-WEST OTTER TAIL-EAST OTTER TAIL-WADENA-GRANT-
CASS-RANSOM-SARGENT-RICHLAND-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...ADA...TWIN VALLEY...HALSTAD...
MOORHEAD...MAHNOMEN...NAYTAHWAUSH...WAUBUN...ALIDA...EBRO...
LAKE ITASCA...LONG LOST LAKE...LOWER RICE LAKE...ROY LAKE...
UPPER RICE LAKE...PARK RAPIDS...DETROIT LAKES...WOLF LAKE...
BRECKENRIDGE...FERGUS FALLS...PERHAM...NEW YORK MILLS...
PARKERS PRAIRIE...HENNING...BATTLE LAKE...WADENA...MENAHGA...
ELBOW LAKE...HOFFMAN...ASHBY...HERMAN...BARRETT...FARGO...
LISBON...ENDERLIN...GWINNER...MILNOR...FORMAN...RUTLAND...
WAHPETON
351 AM CST MON DEC 26 2016
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM CST THIS
AFTERNOON...
* TIMING...EXPECT A WINTRY MIX TO CHANGE TO ALL SNOW THIS
MORNING...DIMINISHING AROUND 4 PM.
* SNOW AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS...ADDITIONAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF
UP TO 2 INCHES AND ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF A GLAZE ARE EXPECTED.
* WINDS / VISIBILITIES...WINDS GUSTING AS HIGH AS 40 MPH WILL
CAUSE AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW IN OPEN AREAS. IN
ADDITION...AREAS OF POOR VISIBILITY ARE EXPECTED.
* IMPACTS...PLAN ON SLIPPERY ROAD CONDITIONS...INCLUDING DURING
THE MORNING 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.
Winter storm warnings continue until noon for north-central and northeastern Minnesota:
Details, from the National Weather Service:
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
419 AM CST MON DEC 26 2016
...WINTER STORM WINDING DOWN TODAY ACROSS THE NORTHLAND...
.THE MAJOR WINTER STORM THAT HAS PRODUCED SIGNIFICANT
ACCUMULATIONS OF ICE...SLEET AND SNOW ACROSS THE NORTHLAND WILL
SLOWLY LOSE ITS GRIP ON THE REGION TODAY. HOWEVER...ADDITIONAL
IMPACTS FROM LIGHT WINTRY MIXED PRECIPITATION WILL PERSIST THROUGH
AROUND MID MORNING...AND LIGHT SNOW COMBINED WITH STRONG AND GUSTY
WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS UP TO 40 MPH WILL STILL AFFECT MUCH OF THE
NORTHLAND INTO EARLY THIS EVENING. IN ADDITION...MANY AREAS WILL
BEGIN TO RECOVER FROM THE ICE AND SLEET ACCUMULATIONS FROM
CHRISTMAS EVENING...AND MANY ROADS WILL REMAIN SNOW AND ICE
COVERED...RESULTING IN CONTINUED HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS.
TEMPERATURES ACROSS MUCH OF NORTHWEST WISCONSIN HAVE RISEN INTO
THE MID 30S...TEMPORARILY ENDING THE FREEZING DRIZZLE AND SLEET
THREAT AND ALLOWING SOME MELTING. HOWEVER...TEMPERATURES WILL FALL
INTO THE MID TO UPPER 20S BY MIDDAY...AND SOME LIGHT SNOW OR LIGHT
MIXED PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TO REDEVELOP...RESULTING IN RE-
FREEZING AND CONTINUED SLICK ROADS IN MOST AREAS.
BOTH THE MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN DEPARTMENTS OF TRANSPORTATION
REPORT ROADS ARE COMPLETELY OR PARTIALLY COVERED WITH SNOW AND
ICE EARLY THIS MORNING...WITH HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS IN MOST
AREAS. AS SOUTHWEST WINDS INCREASE TODAY...TREES AND POWER LINES
THAT ALREADY HAVE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF ICE ON THEM COULD
FAIL...RESULTING IN ADDITIONAL POWER OUTAGES AND POSSIBLE BLOCKED
ROADS. TRAVEL CONDITIONS WILL LIKELY NOT IMPROVE APPRECIABLY IN
MANY AREAS UNTIL SOMETIME ON TUESDAY.
MNZ018-019-026-035-037-261800-
/O.CON.KDLH.WS.W.0007.000000T0000Z-161226T1800Z/
NORTH ITASCA-CENTRAL ST. LOUIS-SOUTH ITASCA-NORTHERN AITKIN-
CARLTON/SOUTH ST. LOUIS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...BIGFORK...HIBBING...GRAND RAPIDS...
HILL CITY...DULUTH
419 AM CST MON DEC 26 2016
...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TODAY...
* LOCATIONS...BIGFORK...THE IRON RANGE CITIES...COTTON...AND
DULUTH.
* TIMING...A WINTRY MIXTURE OF SLEET...SNOW AND FREEZING RAIN WILL
CONTINUE EARLY THIS MORNING...BUT SHOULD CHANGE TO ALL SNOW BY 9
OR 10 AM. LIGHT SNOW SHOULD END SOMETIME LATER THIS AFTERNOON.
* SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATIONS...TOTAL ACCUMULATION OF 3 TO 7
INCHES...HIGHEST IN THE IRON RANGE TO BIGFORK.
* SUSTAINED WINDS...EAST 15 TO 25 MPH THIS MORNING. SOUTHWEST 20
TO 30 MPH MIDDAY THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON.
* WIND GUSTS...UP TO 40 MPH...STRONGEST NEAR LAKE SUPERIOR.
* IMPACTS...SNOW AND ICE COVERED ROADS WILL CONTINUE TO RESULT IN
VERY HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS. THE WEIGHT OF THE SNOW AND ICE
ON TREE LIMBS AND POWER LINES COULD PRODUCE NUMEROUS OUTAGES AND
BLOCK SOME ROADWAYS.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW AND WINTRY MIXED
PRECIPITATION MEANS HEAVY ACCUMULATIONS OF SNOW...SLEET AND
FREEZING RAIN ARE EXPECTED. EXPECT EXTREMELY SLIPPERY AND
DANGEROUS SNOW AND ICE COVERED ROADS. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...
EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION AND ALLOW EXTRA TIME TO REACH YOUR
DESTINATION. HAVE A WORKING CELL PHONE IN CASE YOU BECOME
STRANDED. KEEP A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT IN YOUR VEHICLE...INCLUDING
A FLASHLIGHT...FOOD...AND WATER. PREPARE NOW FOR POTENTIAL POWER
OUTAGES THAT COULD LAST FOR LONGER THAN A FEW HOURS.
The storm track
The low pressure that is bringing Minnesota strong winds, rain and snow is moving northeastward today.
NOAA’s North American Mesoscale forecast model shows the projected path:
Winter storm links
Clickable maps, with forecast updates for your area, are available from the following National Weather Service forecast offices:
You can see updated winter storm information on our severe weather live blog.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation has current road conditions.
Down, then up
Colder air is spreading over Minnesota today.
Highs tomorrow will be in the 20s over southern Minnesota, with teens to the north:
The average high temp is 24 degrees on December 27 in the Twin Cities metro area, so we'll be "average" tomorrow.
Temps rebound on Wednesday, with 30s over central and southern Minnesota:
Northern Minnesota will see highs in the 20s.