Winter Storm Warnings For Wednesday
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A winter storm warning has been scheduled for northwestern Minnesota, as well as numerous watches and warnings and a winter weather advisory for almost the entire state.
The winter weather advisory for all of Minnesota will begin Wednesday morning at 6 and is expected to last until midnight.
WCCO Meteorologist Chris Shaffer said in the Twin Cities, the wintery weather should start at around noon. The southern metro could start off with a brief period of freezing rain or sleet mix, but not anything like we saw Saturday night. That will be followed by between 1 and 3 inches of snow falling throughout the day.
Shaffer expects 2 to 3 inches in the area of St. Cloud and Brainerd in central Minnesota. Typical totals further north will reach 4 to 7 inches, but some towns could reach double digits. He's concerned winds between 10 and 20 mph could blow snow across roads, reducing visibility.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation said Tuesday night, six trucks were already laying chemicals on roads to help keep snow and ice from bonding to the road. Crews will be called in at 3:30 a.m. Wednesday. They'll start salting when the snowfall starts.
The winter storm warning for eastern Marshall, Lake of the Woods, northern Beltrami and Roseau counties in northwestern Minnesota will go from noon Wednesday to 6 p.m. Thursday.
A winter storm watch for Lake and Cook counties in far northeastern Minnesota will go from Wednesday afternoon through Thursday morning.
Shaffer said the storm will move from west to east, mostly clearing by midnight. The Twin Cities should get a window when snowfall stops at about 10 p.m. Wednesday. Thanksgiving morning some more flurries are possible, but additional accumulation isn't likely outside of northern Minnesota.
The real concern Thursday will be the cold and wind. Shaffer predicts dreary skies, a high temperature of 18 and wind about as strong as from Wednesday, which could drag wind chill temperatures to single digits or below 0.
Shaffer said the good news is for Friday and into the weekend. Friday will still be cold, but without the strong winds it should be more bearable. He doesn't expect any more snow or rain, and weekend temperatures should climb higher than 30.
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