Brace For A Slushy Commute In The Twin Cities, Blizzard Conditions Far North
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Minnesotans are bracing for the season's first snow, which will fall during Friday morning's commute in the Twin Cities and leave some communities up north with up to eight inches of snow.
Related: MnDOT Prepares For 1st Snow
The wintry weather blasted into northwestern Minnesota around noontime Thursday on the back of strong winds.
Blizzard conditions in northeastern ND. Snow and wind gusts to 60mph. #NDwx pic.twitter.com/98xIWI1o2G
— Matt Brickman (@Matt_Brickman) October 26, 2017
The storm system is expected to move south overnight and settle over the metro area around 5 a.m. Those waking up for the morning commute should expect to deal with sloppy snow and the annual traffic headache it brings.
Raw day tomorrow with winds gusting over 30 mph, temps hovering in the mid-30s and the snow. Be careful. pic.twitter.com/GrGUeEUZjM
— Chris Shaffer (@WCCOShaffer) October 26, 2017
Wet snow will likely fall in the Twin Cities through most of the day Friday before the system moves out of Minnesota around 9 p.m. Current models show that the Twin Cities will get around 2.5 inches of snow, which will struggle to accumulate on the warm ground.
If the metro gets a little more than 2.5 inches, it'll be an October snowfall record.
We've got an outside shot at notching one of the 10 biggest October snowfalls on record in the Twin Cities. We'd need 2.5" or more. #mnwx pic.twitter.com/dFIzGrDYmQ
— Matt Brickman (@Matt_Brickman) October 26, 2017
Outside the metro, more snow is expected.
Just west of the Twin Cities, a large swath of central Minnesota looks to see anywhere from 2 to 4 inches of snow, with up to 5 inches possible near Brainerd and northwestern Minnesota. Most of the state is under a winter weather advisory.
Winter-like weather to make an early appearance...Snow & blustery winds are in the forecast later today & Friday! #mnwx #wiwx pic.twitter.com/rm7txf7zqZ
— NWS Twin Cities (@NWSTwinCities) October 26, 2017
Extreme northern Minnesota is under a winter storm warning. Communities along the Canadian border could see up to 8 inches of snow and experience blizzard conditions, with wind gusts as strong as 60 mph.
Looking ahead, the weekend looks to be cool, with below-average temperatures. The cooldown will linger into the workweek, but Halloween night looks to be dry.