Minnesotans Seeing First Snow Of The Season
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – It's late October, and several Minnesota communities are seeing their first snows of the season.
The storm system that moved into the state Tuesday brought snow Wednesday morning as temperatures dropped.
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Forecaster Kylie Bearse says the flakes started falling in a pocket of cold air in northwestern Minnesota near Bemidji.
Sharon McCarthy Vaerst snapped a photo of the snow on Turtle Lake. It shows a back yard with a thin layer of wet snow on tree branches, yard furniture and among blades of still-green grass.
As the day continues, more snow is expected as the cold front swings south over central Minnesota and the Twin Cities metro.
But don't expect much accumulation.
"A lot of it will be melting as soon as it hits the ground," Bearse said.
The National Weather Service says heavy, slushy snow could stack up in grassy areas and along roadways and bridges.
Winds will also play a factor. Blowing from the northwest, gusts could reach up to 40 mph.
October Snows
WCCO meteorologist Matt Brickman says Minnesota is no stranger to October snows.
"Everyone remembers the Halloween Blizzard of 1991, but as recently as 2009, the Twin Cities saw 2.5 inches of snow fall in mid-October," Brickman said.
The average date for first measurable snow (.01 inches) in the Twin Cities is Nov. 4. The average first inch of snow comes on Nov. 18.
Halloween Forecast
Those flashbacks to 1991 can remain memories, because there is no blizzard in sight this year.
While there'll be rain showers in the morning, it should be dry during prime trick-or-treating hours. The day's highs look to be in the low 60s.
