Sunday evening snow update

Snow will continue this Sunday evening over about the southern half of Minnesota, then it tapers off north to south late Sunday night.

Here's how radar might look as we go through Sunday night and into early Monday:

We're already seeing some impressive snow totals through late Sunday afternoon: 8.0 inches at Wabasso, which is southwest of Redwood Falls, and 8.3 inches in Madelia in south-central Minnesota.

Visibilities are very low in many parts of southern Minnesota:

Numerous accidents were being reported on Twin Cities highways late Sunday afternoon:

Warnings and advisories

Winter storm warnings are in effect for much of southern Minnesota this Sunday afternoon through Sunday night:

The winter storm warning runs until 7 a.m. Monday in southwestern Minnesota and parts of west-central Minnesota, and until 1 p.m. Monday in south-central Minnesota.  In southeastern Minnesota, the winter storm warning continues until 7 p.m. Monday.

Here are details of the winter storm warning in south-central Minnesota:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE

National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN

318 PM CDT Sun Mar 12 2017

...HEAVY SNOW CONTINUE ACROSS PARTS OF SOUTHERN MINNESOTA...WITH

SNOW SPREADING EAST INTO WISCONSIN...

.A winter storm warning remains in effect through tonight along

the Minnesota River Valley in west central Minnesota to the I-90

corridor in south central Minnesota. A winter weather advisory is

in effect north of the warning up to the I-94 corridor, including

Alexandria, St Cloud, the Twin Cities metro, and Eau Claire.

Snowfall accumulations of 6 to 11 inches are expected within the

warning, with 3 to 6 inches anticipated within the advisory area.

Snow, heavy at times, will continue to spread over south central

Minnesota tonight. Moderate snow will move across the Twin Cities

and toward Eau Claire by evening. The heaviest snow is expected

to continue into the evening, with snowfall rates of around an

inch or two an hour likely in the warning area. The snow will

slowly taper off from northwest to southeast tonight into Monday

morning.

MNZ076-077-083>085-092-093-130430-

/O.CON.KMPX.WS.W.0003.000000T0000Z-170313T1800Z/

Le Sueur-Rice-Blue Earth-Waseca-Steele-Faribault-Freeborn-

Including the cities of Le Sueur, Faribault, Mankato, Waseca,

Owatonna, Blue Earth, and Albert Lea

318 PM CDT Sun Mar 12 2017

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM CDT MONDAY...

* Snow...heavy at time will continue. Snowfall rates around an inch

an hour expected. Snow will slowly taper off late tonight into

Monday morning.

* Total snow accumulations of 6 to 11 inches are possible.

* Significant reductions in visibility are possible, along with

patchy blowing snow.

* Plan on difficult 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.

And warning details for southeastern Minnesota:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE

National Weather Service La Crosse WI

315 PM CDT Sun Mar 12 2017

...Snow Spreading in now...Set to overspread much of the area

through this evening...

.As of 3 pm, the leading edge of the snow had crossed I-35 into

portions of southeast Minnesota. Visibilities were already

dropping to less than a mile along and west of I-35. Untreated

roads are going to quickly become snow covered and slippery within

an hour or so of the snow spreading in.

The snow will continue to spread east across much of southeast

Minnesota and northeast Iowa through 5 PM and into western

Wisconsin through 7 PM.

Accumulations of 4 to locally 9 inches are likely, with the

highest amounts expected south of a Rochester Minnesota to

Richland Center Wisconsin line. A majority of this snow is

expected to fall through 1 AM.

Hourly snow rates of 1 of 2 inches per hour are expected,

especially across southeast Minnesota, northeast Iowa, and far

southwest Wisconsin.

There will be travel impacts, including roads quickly becoming

snow covered and slippery, and potentially hazardous during the

higher snow rate period when visibilities will be low and the

snow will accumulate rather quickly. Plan for a difficult commute

Monday morning.

IAZ008>010-018-019-MNZ086>088-094>096-130415-

/O.CON.KARX.WS.W.0003.000000T0000Z-170314T0000Z/

Mitchell-Howard-Winneshiek-Floyd-Chickasaw-Dodge-Olmsted-Winona-

Mower-Fillmore-Houston-

Including the cities of Osage, Cresco, Decorah, Charles City,

New Hampton, Dodge Center, Rochester, Winona, Austin, Preston,

and Caledonia

315 PM CDT Sun Mar 12 2017

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM CDT MONDAY...

* Through 5 PM, expect snow to move into northeast Iowa and

Southeast Minnesota.

* Total snow accumulations of 6 to locally 9 inches are expected.

* A majority of this snow is expected to fall through 1 AM Monday.

Hourly snow rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour are expected through

10 PM.

* Look for significant reductions in visibility at times.

* Plan on difficult driving conditions, including the Monday

morning commute.

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 covers areas to the north of the winter storm warning, including the Twin Cities metro area.

Here are some details of the winter weather advisory, from the Twin Cities office of the NWS:

MNZ060>063-068>070-130430-

/O.CON.KMPX.WW.Y.0009.000000T0000Z-170313T1500Z/

Hennepin-Anoka-Ramsey-Washington-Carver-Scott-Dakota-

Including the cities of Minneapolis, Blaine, St Paul, Stillwater,

Chaska, Shakopee, and Hastings

318 PM CDT Sun Mar 12 2017

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM CDT

MONDAY...

* Snow will continue, with the heaviest snow expected this

evening. Snow will slowly taper off late tonight.

* Total snow accumulations of 3 to 6 inches are expected.

* Plan on difficult driving conditions developing this afternoon

and evening.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Winter Weather Advisory for snow means that periods of snow

will cause primarily travel difficulties. Be prepared for snow

covered roads and limited visibilities...and use caution while

driving.

The highest snow totals in Twin Cities metro area will tend to be over southwestern parts of the metro, where some spots could see 5 t0 6 inches by about 3 a.m. Monday.

There is also a winter weather advisory for Sunday evening through Monday morning in parts of northeastern Minnesota:

Some advisory details:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE

National Weather Service Duluth MN

343 PM CDT Sun Mar 12 2017

...SNOW FOR THE NORTH SHORE AND THE CITY OF SUPERIOR THIS EVENING

THROUGH MONDAY...

.Parts of the North and South Shore along with the cities of

Duluth, Superior and Ashland will receive several inches of snow.

Snow will spread into the region from west to east this evening,

with most of the snow falling tonight through Monday morning.

Higher amounts of snow are possible if lake effect snow bands

become stationary.

MNZ020-037-130645-

/O.EXT.KDLH.WW.Y.0012.170312T2100Z-170313T1800Z/

Southern Lake/North Shore-Carlton/South St. Louis-

Including the cities of Two Harbors, Silver Bay, and Duluth

343 PM CDT Sun Mar 12 2017

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 PM CDT MONDAY...

* LOCATIONS...Duluth to Two Harbors.

* TIMING...Until 1 PM Monday.

* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS...3 to 5 inches with locally higher amounts.

* IMPACTS...The snow will create snow covered roads and poor

travel conditions.

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.

Updates

Minnesota Public Radio will keep you updated on this winter storm.

Updated weather information will also be posted on the MPR news live weather blog.

You can also check with the Twin Cities office, La Crosse, WI office, Duluth office and Sioux Falls, SD 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 and Wisconsin Department of Transportation will have current road conditions.