Shower chance Sunday; winter storm watch for Monday snow

We watched our snowcover shrink a bit Saturday afternoon.

We'll probably be watching the snow pile up again on Monday.

So it goes during March in Minnesota!

Mild temps, but breezy on Sunday

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Our average high temp is 35 degrees this time of year in the Twin Cities metro area.

We'll probably reach the mid 40s Sunday afternoon.

Most of Minnesota should see highs in the 40s Sunday afternoon, with some upper 30s in parts of the far north:

rt304h3

Minnesota will see some drizzle and showers at times on Sunday. There could be some areas in northern Minnesota with a mix of light rain, drizzle, freezing drizzle and snowflakes early Sunday.

Winter storm watch starts Monday 

The National Weather Service has expanded the winter storm watch to include most of the Twin Cities metro area from 6 a.m. Monday through 6 a.m. Tuesday:

rt0303wch3
NWS Twin Cities

Details of the Twin Cities portion of the winter storm watch:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE

National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN

228 PM CST Sat Mar 3 2018

...HEAVY SNOW EXPECTED MONDAY INTO MONDAY NIGHT...

.A winter storm watch has been issued for Monday into Monday

night for locations near and north of Interstate 94, including

most of the Twin Cities metro area.

Precipitation is expected to rapidly transition to all snow

Monday morning, with heavy snow possible into Monday evening.

Total snow accumulations in excess of 6 inches are expected

across the watch area, with the highest totals expected along the

Interstate 35 corridor north of the Twin Cities metro area. In

addition, northeast winds gusting to 30 mph will lead to some

blowing and drifting snow. Given the possibility of high snowfall

rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour, travel will likely become

difficult Monday across the watch area. There is still some

uncertainty on when the precipitation will change to snow and when

the heaviest snow will occur. It is possible that both commutes on

Monday could be significantly impacted by wintry weather, so check

for forecast updates and plan accordingly.

MNZ042-049-051-059>063-070-WIZ024-026-028-040430-

/O.EXA.KMPX.WS.A.0004.180305T1200Z-180306T1200Z/

Todd-Stearns-Sherburne-Wright-Hennepin-Anoka-Ramsey-Washington-

Dakota-Pierce-Pepin-Eau Claire-

Including the cities of Long Prairie, St Cloud, Elk River,

Monticello, Minneapolis, Blaine, St Paul, Stillwater, Hastings,

River Falls, Prescott, Durand, and Eau Claire

228 PM CST Sat Mar 3 2018

...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH LATE

MONDAY NIGHT...

* WHAT...Mixed precipitation will change to snow Monday morning.

Total snow accumulations of 5 to 8 inches, with localized

amounts up to 10 inches, and ice accumulations of a light glaze

are possible.

* WHERE...Portions of west central Wisconsin and central and

east central Minnesota.

* WHEN...From Monday morning through late Monday night.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Plan on difficult travel conditions,

including during the morning commute on Monday. Significant

reductions in visibility are possible.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Winter Storm Watch means there is potential for significant

snow, sleet or ice accumulations that may impact travel. Continue

to monitor the latest forecasts.

Scott and Carver county on the southwestern side of the Twin Cities metro area aren't in the winter storm watch, but they could see several inches of snow and slippery roads Monday and Monday evening.

Winter storm watches have been issued for Monday and Monday night across a good portion of Minnesota and western Wisconsin:

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NWS Twin Cities

The winter storm watch begins at 3 a.m. Monday and runs until 6 a.m. Tuesday in northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin.

Details of the watch in northeastern Minnesota:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE

National Weather Service Duluth MN

246 PM CST Sat Mar 3 2018

...HEAVY SNOW POSSIBLE SUNDAY NIGHT INTO MONDAY NIGHT...

.A complex low pressure system will affect the Northland as early

as tonight, but especially later Sunday night into Monday night.

The low pressure system will move slowly across the Northern

Plains and Upper Midwest from Sunday night into Tuesday. A band

of potentially heavy snow is expected to develop across portions

of Minnesota and Wisconsin late Sunday night into Monday, and

continue into early Tuesday. This system has the potential to

bring more than 6 inches of new snow to parts of central

and northern Minnesota, portions of the North Shore of Lake

Superior, and northern Wisconsin. There remains uncertainty

regarding the track of the low and when the precipitation will

become all snow so changes in the snowfall forecast will likely

occur over the next 24 to 36 hours. If you have travel plans

early, be sure to monitor the latest forecasts.

MNZ020-025-026-033>038-WIZ001>004-006>009-041030-

/O.EXT.KDLH.WS.A.0006.180305T0900Z-180306T1200Z/

Southern Lake/North Shore-North Cass-South Itasca-South Cass-

Crow Wing-Northern Aitkin-South Aitkin-Carlton/South St. Louis-

Pine-Douglas-Bayfield-Ashland-Iron-Burnett-Washburn-Sawyer-Price-

Including the cities of Two Harbors, Silver Bay, Walker,

Grand Rapids, Pine River, Brainerd, Hill City, Aitkin, Duluth,

Pine City, Hinckley, Superior, Washburn, Bayfield, Ashland,

Hurley, Grantsburg, Spooner, Hayward, and Phillips

246 PM CST Sat Mar 3 2018

...WINTER STORM WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FROM LATE SUNDAY NIGHT

THROUGH LATE MONDAY NIGHT...

* WHAT...Heavy snow possible. Total snow accumulations of 6 inches

or more are possible.

* WHERE...Portions of north central and northwest Wisconsin and

east central, north central and northeast Minnesota.

* WHEN...From late Sunday night through late Monday night.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Plan on difficult travel conditions,

including during the evening commute on Monday. Significant

reductions in visibility are possible.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Winter Storm Watch means there is potential for significant

snow, sleet or ice accumulations that may impact travel. Continue

to monitor the latest forecasts.

The winter storm watch begins at midnight Sunday night in much of northwestern and north-central Minnesota:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE

National Weather Service Grand Forks ND

310 PM CST Sat Mar 3 2018

MNZ005-006-008-009-013>017-052115-

/O.EXA.KFGF.WS.A.0003.180305T0600Z-180306T1200Z/

Roseau-Lake Of The Woods-East Marshall-North Beltrami-Pennington-

Red Lake-East Polk-North Clearwater-South Beltrami-

Including the cities of Roseau, Warroad, Greenbush, Baudette,

Newfolden, Middle River, Grygla, Red Lake, Redby, Ponemah,

Thief River Falls, Red Lake Falls, Fosston, Fertile, McIntosh,

Erskine, Bagley, Clearbrook, and Bemidji

310 PM CST Sat Mar 3 2018

...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH

LATE MONDAY NIGHT...

* WHAT...Heavy snow and mixed precipitation possible. Total snow

accumulations of 4 to 6 inches and ice accumulations of a light

glaze are possible.

* WHERE...Portions of north central and northwest Minnesota.

* WHEN...From late Sunday night through late Monday night.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Plan on difficult travel conditions,

including during the evening commute on Monday. Winds gusting

as high as 40 mph could cause patchy blowing and drifting snow.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Winter Storm Watch means there is potential for significant

snow, sleet or ice accumulations that may impact travel. Continue

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.