Rain, ice and snow across Minnesota today, wild temp swings ahead
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They say all weather is local. That's certainly true across Minnesota today.
Our long anticipated Thursday winter/spring weather system is here. Take your pick of Minnesota weather today. Depending on where you are, there may be fog, rain, ice, snow, dryness, and thunder.
Here's the breakdown on what to expect across Minnesota today as the system rolls through. First, the headlines.
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Winter weather advisories in effect today for much of central and northeast Minnesota.
Freezing rain and icy conditions have been reported across the state from Alexandria through Brainerd to near Duluth.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center issues "mesoscale discussion" for heavy snow rates of more than one inch per hour from Watertown, S.D., through Brainerd.
Drizzle increases to rain in the metro today, then changes to snow in the afternoon.
A snow burst may affect the evening rush hour in the Twin Cities.
Thunder has been reported in northern Iowa, and may get into southern Minnesota today.
Much warmer temps ahead this weekend.
The storm
Our powerful low pressure system rolls through today. Here's the latest storm track from NOAA. Click on the map below to roll the loop.
Here's another look at the wind field. Note the multiple low pressure centers, which will converge into one stronger low later today.
The low delivers a wide variety of weather across Minnesota today. Here's a whip-around from National Weather Service offices around the Upper Midwest.
Twin Cities
Duluth
Sioux Falls, S.D.
La Crosse, Wis.
Metro: Rain to snow this afternoon
The Twin Cities look warm enough for all rain through midday. As the low pulls by this afternoon, colder winds will shove the critical 850 millibar freezing line through the metro. Look for rain to mix with and change to snow from northwest to southeast across the metro between about 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
That should produce a pretty good 2-4 hour snow burst in time for the evening rush hour. Here's the surface map at 6 p.m. tonight, showing snow from the metro to Duluth and beyond.
Snowfall totals
The heaviest snowfall totals still favor a swath of heavy snow with 3 to 8 inches likely in Minnesota from Morris through Alexandria, Brainerd, Duluth and the North Shore. My read still favors the Twin Cities likely to see a coating to 2 inches of slushy accumulation late today, with the potential for 2 to 4 inches edging into the far north and northwest metro.
NOAA's Global Forecast System output is likely quite overdone, but lays out the coverage for the heavy snow zone.
Bottom line: Heavy snow in western, central and northeast Minnesota today. Rain to snow this afternoon on the Twin Cities. Snow ends from west to eat this evening.
Temp roller coaster ahead
Our long awaited spring-like weekend is still on track. Next week looks cooler, and more chances for rain and or snow loom next Monday and perhaps next Wednesday-Thursday. For once we get some nice mild weather on a weekend.
Stay tuned!
