Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Blizzard, winter storm warnings up for NW Minnesota

More than a foot of snow and high winds Thursday into Friday

Winter storm warnings and advisories
Winter storm warnings and advisories
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

It’s back.

A potent and wintry November storm is taking aim from eastern North Dakota across northern Minnesota Thursday and Friday.

Blizzard and winter storm warnings were issued around midday Wednesday for the region. Winter weather advisories cover areas just south of the heaviest snow zone. (map above)

Including the cities of Hallock, Karlstad, Lancaster, Roseau, Warroad, Greenbush, Newfolden, Middle River, Grygla, Thief River Falls, Red Lake Falls, Cando, Langdon, Cavalier, Walhalla, Drayton, Pembina, Neche, St. Thomas, Fort Totten, Maddock, Leeds, Minnewaukan, Devils Lake, Edinburg, Adams, and Lankin

1210 PM CST Wed Nov 9 2022

...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM THURSDAY TO 10 AM CST FRIDAY...

* WHAT...Blizzard conditions expected. Total snow accumulations of 4 to 14 inches and ice accumulations of a light glaze. Winds gusting as high as 50 mph.

* WHERE...Portions of northwest Minnesota and northeast North Dakota.

* WHEN...From 4 AM Thursday to 10 AM CST Friday.

* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult to impossible in open country. Widespread blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute. Gusty winds could bring down tree branches.

The wintry weather transition begins Wednesday night and will kick into high gear Thursday. By Thursday morning, ice and snow will be falling across a good part of northwestern Minnesota and the Red River Valley.

Forecast weather conditions for 6 am Thursday
Forecast weather conditions for 6 a.m. Thursday
NOAA

The peak of the snowfall intensity will occur Thursday and Thursday night.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Global Forecast System model shows heavy snow bands across northwestern Minnesota, with rain and possible thunder across central and southern Minnesota including the Twin Cities area.

NOAA GFS model Thursday and Friday
NOAA GFS model between 6 p.m. and midnight Thursday
NOAA, via Tropical Tidbits

Snowfall totals look likely to exceed a foot in northwest Minnesota. We could see some localized 15 to 18-inch totals in the region.

Snowfall projection
Snowfall projection
NOAA

Soaking rains

This system will bring much-needed soaking rainfall to central Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. Forecast models lay out the heaviest rainfall zone through central Minnesota into northwest Wisconsin just north of the Twin Cities.

About an inch may fall in much of the Twin Cities with the best chance for 2 inches favoring the northern Twin Cities. Rainfall totals between 2 to as much as 5 inches are possible into northwestern Wisconsin.

Here’s the latest (12Z Wednesday) European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts model precipitation output.

European model (ECMWF) precipitation output
Precipitation output forecast
European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, via Pivotal Weather

The Twin Cities and southern Minnesota ride the warmer side of this system. Highs will be in the 60s to near 70 degrees in southeastern Minnesota.

Forecast high temperatures Wednesday 1
Forecast high temperatures Wednesday
NOAA

Temperatures crash into the 20s and 30s later this week into the weekend.