Season's First Storm Could Dump 14 Inches On Minn.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This story was published on Nov. 9, 2014.
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Minnesotans are preparing for Old Man Winter as the season's first major storm threatens to dump more than a foot of snow Monday on a swath of the state, including the metro.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for a stretch of several counties, including the Twin Cities metro area. The storm will move in from the west, dropping up to 2 inches of snow an hour as it marches across the state.
Follow The Storm: Local Radar
WCCO forecaster Kylie Bearse says the flakes may start falling overnight Sunday, making for a slick morning commute. The bigger concern, however, is that the heaviest snowfall in the metro will hit just before the afternoon commute. After that, the snowfall should continue overnight and into Tuesday, making for headaches that morning.
Winds are expected to play a factor. The weather service says northeast winds will blow at 25 mph, causing drifting and blowing snow. The snow may also cause power outages and be difficult to shovel.
The heaviest snow totals looks to fall in extreme east central Minnesota, like Pine City, down to the east metro and over into western Wisconsin, where 14-plus inches of snow is possible.
Farther south, the line from Canby to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, could see over 6 inches of snow. Also, a wintry mix of rain and snow may fall during the day Monday on communities south of the metro.
As of writing, there's been no word of school closings. Minneapolis Public Schools says it doesn't anticipate canceling class, and the St. Paul district said if classes are canceled officials will notify parents as soon as possible.
Plows are ready for the weather, MnDOT says. But whether or not Minnesota drivers are prepared is another question. On Saturday, many auto body shops in the metro said people were rushing in to swap out their summer tires for winter ones.
Watch WCCO-TV and check back with WCCO.com for the latest forecast.
