Winter weather possible today; MnDOT ready

Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin are likely to get their first taste of winter weather starting today.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory effective at 4 p.m. for central Minnesota. It runs through Wednesday morning. Forecasters say 3 to 5 inches of snow are possible, with up to 6 inches in some isolated areas.

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• Weather reports from around the state
• Road condition around the Twin Cities

The Minnesota Department of Transportation says its ready to clear the roads. Spokesman Kevin Gutknecht says drivers should be ready, too.

"We've been preparing for snow and ice operations for several weeks now. The trucks are ready, the salt sheds are full, the sand piles are where they need to be in terms of amounts. We just finished up a couple of sessions of snow plow operator training, so folks are ready to go," he said.

"The biggest issue quite frankly is that motorists need to prepare themselves with driving in snow and ice conditions," Gutknecht said. "Make sure your car is ready to deal with winter weather. When you're driving in snow and ice conditions, you need to drive according to the weather and road conditions. Take your time. Slow down."

The storm is expected to start with rain on the Minnesota-Iowa border this afternoon, and continue through the night and through 9 a.m. on Wisconsin's Lake Superior shoreline.