Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Widespread light snow Monday; colder late in the week

A snow cleaner works at Rice Park
A snow cleaner works at Rice Park in St. Paul after the first major snow Monday morning.
Kerem Yücel | MPR News

A weak low-pressure system centered over eastern South Dakota Monday Monday morning is pulling up moisture from the south. Snow reached the Twin Cities before sunrise and the morning commute quickly became a mess.

At least five vehicles slid into the ditch at the Shepard Road entrance to Interstate 35E in St. Paul by the 7 a.m. hour. Note how little snow it took to create such slipperiness.

I-35E southbound at Shepard Rd, St. Paul
I-35E southbound at Shepard Road in St. Paul.
Minnesota Department of Transportation

Light snow will be widespread across Minnesota through Monday night. Most of the state except maybe the northwest corner should get at least measurable snow.  

Forecast weather map for Monday
Forecast weather map for Monday
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Weather Prediction Center

Many event totals will likely be around 1 to 3 inches.

Monday's snow forecast
Monday's snow forecast
Twin Cities National Weather Service

Winter Weather Advisories

A winter weather advisory for slightly greater amounts of 2 to 5 inches has been issued for south-central Minnesota including Mankato, Faribault, Owatonna, Waseca, Albert Lea and St. James until 6 p.m. on Monday.

Winter weather advisory until 6 p.m. Monday
Winter weather advisory until 6 p.m. Monday
National Weather Service

A winter weather advisory is also in effect for Lake and Cook counties in the northeast until 6 p.m. on Tuesday. Winds blowing in from Lake Superior could generate accumulations in excess of 6 inches in the higher terrain near the North Shore.

Winter weather advisory until 6 p.m. Tuesday
Winter weather advisory until 6 p.m. Tuesday
Duluth National Weather Service office

For the Twin Cities area, accumulations should be mainly around 2 to 3 inches by Monday night with maybe some spots getting a bit less.

Chilly, then much colder through the weekend

Temperatures will remain well below normal all week. Highs on Monday will be from the upper 20s to low 30s, with the Twin Cities likely coming in around 30 on a day when the average high is 43. Winds will be light, so drifting will not be an issue.

Tuesday and Wednesday will also be on the chilly side of normal. Then look for much colder temperatures for Thursday through next weekend as more cold Canadian air arrives from Saskatchewan and Manitoba. By Friday and Saturday, many highs will be just in the teens.

Forecast high temperatures Saturday
Forecast high temperatures Saturday
NOAA Weather Prediction Center