Spring fever? Winter storm watch is no cure

From MPR News weather editor Steve Nelson:

If you were out and about along the Mississippi River in Saint Paul this morning, you might have seen a speedboat cutting through the frigid water with two skiers in tow. Those bold and presumably chilly souls may have had a case of something that seems to spread across Minnesota every March: spring fever. The cure is a healthy dose of sun and warmer temperatures, but it appears Mother Nature is not yet ready to write that prescription.

A winter storm watch is in effect starting Sunday evening for much of western and southern Minnesota, including the Twin Cities. The northeastern border of the watch extends along a line from Fargo to Brainerd through the metro and down to Red Wing. Almost every county south and west of that line in Minnesota, indicated in blue below, is included.

Here's how the National Weather Service expects the storm to develop:

A LOW PRESSURE STORM SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO MOVE SOUTHEAST ACROSS THE DAKOTAS AND MINNESOTA FROM SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY. THIS SYSTEM MAY BRING SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 INCHES OR MORE TO MUCH OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA. AT THIS TIME... THE GREATEST THREAT FOR HEAVY SNOW IS ALONG AND WEST OF A LINE FROM LONG PRAIRIE TO ALBERT LEA.

It's a bit early to lock in snow total predictions, and as you can see in this graphic, a lot will depend on storm's track. Stay tuned.