Winter Storm System Hits Metro, Southern MN; Large Snow Totals Expected
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The first major winter storm of the season is here, and parts of Minnesota are already seeing impressive snow totals.
A winter storm warning goes into effect 3 p.m. Monday and lasts through Tuesday at noon for central and southern Minnesota, and west central Wisconsin.
By 10 p.m. the snow was falling in the Twin Cities area with a sharp cutoff in parts of the north Metro. Snow totals north of the Twin Cities are expected to be between 1 and 3 inches, while the south Metro could see 3 to 6 inches. Pockets of southern Minnesota could see up to a foot of snow by Tuesday.
WCCO's Jennifer Mayerle was in the southern part of the state Monday night, where residents were already beginning to dig out.
Heavy winds across the state were whipping snow around Monday night, and visibility was only three quarters of a mile in the Twin Cities. Parts of western Wisconsin saw visibility of only half a mile. The wind will continue overnight, though things should die down by the morning commute, though that doesn't mean the drive is all clear.
Two rounds of snow are expected with the system. The first round of heavier snow will be Monday evening and a second area of snow is expected to develop for Tuesday morning, starting at around 7:30.
The Minnesota State Patrol is urging drivers to stay home Monday night, if they can. As of 8:45 p.m., authorities say 88 crashes had been reported across the state.
#MSPNumbers STATEWIDE 1 pm-8:45 pm, 88 crashes (8 w/ inj, no serious/fatal), 69 VOR/VSOs, most activity in SE corner of state tonight
— State Patrol PIO (@MSPPIO) December 29, 2015
WCCO's Natalie Nyhus was in the Twin Cities area Monday night, where many drivers who were headed home late already ran into trouble.
Bloomington, Crystal, Mendota Heights, Plymouth, St. Louis Park and West St. Paul have already declared snow emergencies.
Minneapolis officials said a snow emergency won't be declared on Monday but advised drivers to look for an update Tuesday morning.
Related: Snow Emergency Information
Minnesota and Wisconsin are just two of 10 states under winter storm warnings across the country.