Winter weather advisory Monday for southern MN

The latest computer model information shows that a wintry mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow is likely to affect mainly southern Minnesota Monday and Monday night.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North American Mesoscale forecast model shows the potential mix of precipitation:

In the forecast loop, blue areas are where the precipitation is likely to be snow for that time in the loop. Purple areas are sleet or freezing rain. Green areas are likely to be rain, but the rain could freeze at ground level if surface temps are cold enough.

The color chart on the lower right of the loop refers to the strength of the radar signal returning to the radar, not inches of snow!

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for far southern Minnesota for Monday and Monday night:

Here are some advisory details, from the NWS:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN

317 PM CST SUN JAN 15 2017

...A WINTRY MIX OF PRECIPITATION FOR FAR SOUTHERN MINNESOTA MONDAY

AND MONDAY NIGHT...

.A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR FAR SOUTHERN

MINNESOTA FOR MONDAY AND MONDAY NIGHT. THE ADVISORY AREA IS ALONG

AND SOUTH OF A LINE FROM ST. JAMES TO OWATONNA. THIS INCLUDES THE

INTERSTATE 90 CORRIDOR. LIGHT FREEZING RAIN...SLEET AND SNOW WILL

SPREAD INTO FAR SOUTHERN MINNESOTA MONDAY MORNING AND CONTINUE

THROUGH MONDAY EVENING BEFORE DIMINISHING. ICE ACCUMULATIONS UP TO

A TENTH OF AN INCH ARE POSSIBLE WITH SNOW ACCUMULATIONS UP TO 2

INCHES. THIS WILL LIKELY LEAD TO SLIPPERY TRAVEL CONDITIONS AND

MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO SLOW DOWN AND ALLOW EXTRA TRAVEL TIME.

THE WINTER STORM WATCH FOR EAST CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL

MINNESOTA HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

MNZ082>085-091>093-160530-

/O.UPG.KMPX.WS.A.0001.170116T1200Z-170117T1200Z/

/O.NEW.KMPX.WW.Y.0004.170116T1200Z-170117T1200Z/

WATONWAN-BLUE EARTH-WASECA-STEELE-MARTIN-FARIBAULT-FREEBORN-

INCLUDING THE CITIES OF ST JAMES, MANKATO, WASECA, OWATONNA,

FAIRMONT, BLUE EARTH, AND ALBERT LEA

317 PM CST SUN JAN 15 2017

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM MONDAY TO 6 AM CST

TUESDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN HAS ISSUED

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR A WINTRY MIX OF SNOW...SLEET AND

FREEZING RAIN...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM MONDAY TO 6 AM CST

TUESDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* SNOW...SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN ARE POSSIBLE FROM MONDAY MORNING

THROUGH LATE MONDAY NIGHT.

* TIMING...THE WINTRY MIX WILL SPREAD INTO MONDAY MORNING BETWEEN

6 AM AND 9 AM.

* TOTAL WET SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF UP TO 2 INCHES AND ICE

ACCUMULATIONS UP TO A TENTH OF AN INCH ARE POSSIBLE.

* SIGNIFICANT REDUCTIONS IN VISIBILITY ARE POSSIBLE.

* THE ICE COULD RESULT IN DIFFICULT TRAVEL CONDITIONS ON MONDAY.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW...SLEET...OR

FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR

SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE

DRIVING.

The Twin Cities metro area is no longer in a winter storm watch. There is a chance of light snow and patchy freezing drizzle in the Twin Cities metro area Monday afternoon and Monday evening.

Freezing rain continues tonight over parts of Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Illinois.

Be sure to check the weather if you’re driving south tonight or Monday!

The NWS has clickable warning maps for detailed weather updates at any location.

Programming note

You can hear my live weather updates on Minnesota Public Radio at 7:35 a.m. and 4:35 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.