Flakes today; cold and bright on Sunday
It's appropriate that Super Bowl visitors are seeing some snow.
This is Minnesota, after all!
Fans from New England and Philadelphia have seen snow before, but this might be the first time that folks from some warm-weather cities have ever witnessed the beauty of falling snowflakes.
Snow details
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A low pressure system is spreading snow across Minnesota this Saturday morning, and the snow will continue through most of the afternoon in many areas.
A smaller area of snow is expected to move through parts of Minnesota Saturday night.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's North American Mesoscale forecast model shows the potential snow pattern this Saturday and Saturday night:
The color chart to the right of the loop refers to the strength of the signal that returns to the radar, not to the amount of snow.
The highest snow totals are expected north of I-94, where some spots could see 3 to 4 inches:
The winter weather advisory for the heaviest snow areas was expanded around mid-morning to include Isanti and Chisago counties.
Parts of the north metro, especially Anoka county and far northern Washington county, could see 3 to 4 inches of snow by Saturday evening.
The latest forecast model info shows that Minneapolis and St. Paul are candidates for about 2 to 3 inches of snow, with 1 to 2 inches in the far southern part of the metro.
Here are details of the winter weather advisory for Isanti and Chisago counties:
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
854 AM CST Sat Feb 3 2018
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR A PORTION OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND
WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN TODAY...
...DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS TONIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING...
.A winter weather advisory has been expanded across west central
Wisconsin and a portion of east central Minnesota for the
afternoon. The area north of a line from near Mora, to Taylors
Falls and Bloomer will likely see 2 to 4 inches of snow through
the afternoon. Farther south 1 to 2 inches of snow could
accumulate across the remainder of central and southern Minnesota.
A wind chill advisory remains in effect for portions of west
central and central Minnesota between midnight and noon on Sunday.
The wind chill advisory will expand to include the rest of
central and east central Minnesota, as well as a portion of
southwest and south central Minnesota from 4 am to noon on Sunday.
The wind chill advisory will include areas west of a line from
Taylors Falls, Wisconsin, to Stillwater, Lakeville, Mankato and
Fairmont Minnesota. This includes all of the Twin Cities Metro
area. Much colder air and increasing winds will drop wind chill
values well below zero later tonight. Wind chill values will
average between 20 to 30 degrees below zero later tonight, and
continue into Sunday morning.
MNZ045-052-053-032300-
/O.EXA.KMPX.WW.Y.0004.000000T0000Z-180204T0000Z/
/O.CON.KMPX.WC.Y.0010.180204T1000Z-180204T1800Z/
Kanabec-Isanti-Chisago-
Including the cities of Mora, Cambridge, and Center City
854 AM CST Sat Feb 3 2018
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS
EVENING...
...WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO NOON CST
SUNDAY...
* WHAT...Snow. Plan on slippery road conditions. Snow
accumulations of 2 to 3 inches are expected. Expect wind chills
to range from 20 below zero to 30 below zero.
* WHERE...Kanabec, Isanti and Chisago Counties.
* WHEN...For the Winter Weather Advisory, until 6 PM CST this
evening. For the Wind Chill Advisory, from 4 AM to noon CST
Sunday.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Be prepared for reduced visibilities at
times. The cold wind chills will cause frostbite in as little
as 30 minutes to exposed skin.
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 Minnesota can be found at
511mn.org and for Wisconsin at 511wi.gov, or by calling 5 1 1 in
either state.
A Wind Chill Advisory means that cold air and the wind will
combine to create low wind chills. Frost bite and hypothermia can
occur if precautions are not taken. Make sure you wear a hat and
gloves.
The winter weather advisory to the northeast includes Hinckley and Duluth over to northwestern Wisconsin until 6 p.m. Saturday.
Some details:
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Duluth MN
716 AM CST Sat Feb 3 2018
...SNOW TODAY AND VERY COLD WEATHER TONIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING...
.Snow will spread in from the west through central and northeast
Minnesota and then northwest Wisconsin today. This will bring a
quick 2 to 4 inches to many areas from central Minnesota to
northwest Wisconsin, with the higher amounts in northwest
Wisconsin. Roads are expected to become snow covered and slippery
across the Northland. If you plan to travel across the affected
regions today, be sure to allow some extra time to reach your
destination. The snow will be caused by an area of low pressure
moving from the Northern Plains this morning to Midwest this
afternoon. Colder air will move into the Northland tonight,
setting the stage for a period of very cold wind chills across
central and northeast Minnesota and far northwest Wisconsin
tonight through Sunday morning.
MNZ037-038-WIZ001-040130-
/O.CON.KDLH.WW.Y.0007.000000T0000Z-180204T0000Z/
/O.CON.KDLH.WC.Y.0012.180204T0600Z-180204T1800Z/
Carlton/South St. Louis-Pine-Douglas-
Including the cities of Duluth, Pine City, Hinckley, and Superior
716 AM CST Sat Feb 3 2018
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM CST THIS
EVENING...
...WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO
NOON CST SUNDAY...
* WHAT...Snow expected. Very cold wind chills expected. Plan on
slippery road conditions. Total snow accumulations of 2 to 4
inches are expected. Expect wind chills to range from 20 below
zero to 30 below zero.
* WHERE...In Wisconsin, Douglas County. In Minnesota, Carlton,
Southern St. Louis and Pine Counties.
* WHEN...For the Winter Weather Advisory, until 6 PM CST this
evening. For the Wind Chill Advisory, from midnight tonight to
noon CST Sunday.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Be prepared for reduced visibilities at
times. The cold wind chills will cause frostbite to exposed
skin in as little as 30 minutes.
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 Minnesota can be found at
511mn.org, and for Wisconsin at 511wi.gov, or by calling 511 in
either state.
A Wind Chill Advisory means that cold air and the wind will
combine to create low wind chills. Frostbite and hypothermia can
occur if precautions are not taken. Make sure you wear a hat and
gloves.
Most of Minnesota is in a wind chill advisory overnight Saturday night through Sunday morning:
The wind chill advisory starts at 6 p.m. Saturday in northwestern Minnesota and at 9 p.m. Saturday in northeastern Minnesota.
From the Twin Cities metro area through southwestern Minnesota, the wind chill advisory runs from 4 a.m. Sunday until noon:
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
854 AM CST Sat Feb 3 2018
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR A PORTION OF CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND
WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN TODAY...
...DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS TONIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING...
.A winter weather advisory has been expanded across west central
Wisconsin and a portion of east central Minnesota for the
afternoon. The area north of a line from near Mora, to Taylors
Falls and Bloomer will likely see 2 to 4 inches of snow through
the afternoon. Farther south 1 to 2 inches of snow could
accumulate across the remainder of central and southern Minnesota.
A wind chill advisory remains in effect for portions of west
central and central Minnesota between midnight and noon on Sunday.
The wind chill advisory will expand to include the rest of
central and east central Minnesota, as well as a portion of
southwest and south central Minnesota from 4 am to noon on Sunday.
The wind chill advisory will include areas west of a line from
Taylors Falls, Wisconsin, to Stillwater, Lakeville, Mankato and
Fairmont Minnesota. This includes all of the Twin Cities Metro
area. Much colder air and increasing winds will drop wind chill
values well below zero later tonight. Wind chill values will
average between 20 to 30 degrees below zero later tonight, and
continue into Sunday morning.
MNZ044-049>051-057>063-065>070-073>076-082-083-091-032300-
/O.CON.KMPX.WC.Y.0010.180204T1000Z-180204T1800Z/
Mille Lacs-Stearns-Benton-Sherburne-Kandiyohi-Meeker-Wright-
Hennepin-Anoka-Ramsey-Washington-Renville-McLeod-Sibley-Carver-
Scott-Dakota-Redwood-Brown-Nicollet-Le Sueur-Watonwan-Blue Earth-
Martin-
Including the cities of Princeton, St Cloud, Foley, Elk River,
Willmar, Litchfield, Monticello, Minneapolis, Blaine, St Paul,
Stillwater, Olivia, Hutchinson, Gaylord, Chaska, Shakopee,
Hastings, Redwood Falls, New Ulm, St Peter, Le Sueur, St James,
Mankato, and Fairmont
854 AM CST Sat Feb 3 2018
...WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO NOON CST
SUNDAY...
* WHAT...Very cold wind chills expected. The cold wind chills will
cause frostbite in as little as 30 minutes to exposed skin.
Expect wind chills to range from 20 below zero to 30 below
zero.
* WHERE...Portions of central, east central, south central and
southwest Minnesota.
* WHEN...From 4 AM to noon CST Sunday.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A Wind Chill Advisory means that cold air and the wind will
combine to create low wind chills. Frost bite and hypothermia can
occur if precautions are not taken. Make sure you wear a hat and
gloves.
Temperature trends
Saturday high temperatures will range from the single digits in northwestern Minnesota to some 20s in the far south.
The Twin Cities metro area could reach about 20 degrees Saturday afternoon.
Highs during the daylight hours of Super Bowl Sunday will be in the single digits above zero in most of Minnesota:
Super Bowl attendees can expect a Sunday afternoon high of around 6 degrees in Minneapolis.
Some spots in southwestern Minnesota could reach double digit highs.
Highs rebound into the teens in most of Minnesota on Monday:
Twin Cities metro area highs are expected to be in the teens Monday through Friday of next week.
A warm Valentine
Twin Cities high temps will reach the upper 20s on Valentine's Day and the following day, according to NOAA's Global Forecast System model:
I'm sure that many romantics like the timing of that dose of "warmth".
Programming note
You can hear my live weather updates on Minnesota Public Radio at 7:49 a.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and at 7:35 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 4:35 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.