Sunny, mild Monday; snow, widespread rain arrive Tuesday

Monday will treat Minnesota to springlike temperatures with mostly sunny skies decorated with patchy high clouds. Afternoon highs will be in the upper 30s to mid 40s.

The Twin Cities should warm to about 46 degrees on a date when the average high is 28. More ice will melt from neighborhood streets.

Rain and snow Tuesday

A soggy storm system with high water content is tracking toward Minnesota. Rain from the southwest will reach southwestern Minnesota Tuesday morning and then spread over most of the state.

Rain is likely to reach the Twin Cities area closer to noon. Later in the day, snow and wintry mixed precipitation will break out across west central and northwestern Minnesota and increase in coverage Tuesday evening.

Winter storm watch

A winter storm watch has been posted for west-central Minnesota for Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Fresh snow along with strong winds causing blowing and drifting coupled with falling temperatures could impact travel.

The rest of Minnesota will get primarily rain with many locations likely to pick up half an inch or more. The rain will change over to all snow from west to east Tuesday night and end rather quickly on Wednesday.

Snowfall amounts from later Tuesday into Wednesday will depend on when the rain and mixed precipitation transition to all snow, but a few inches seem likely in the watch area and lesser amounts to the east and south.

The Twin Cities area might get up to around an inch of snow Wednesday morning.

Turning colder

Colder air will arrive on Wednesday and linger for Thursday.

Another mild weekend coming

Friday will see some temperature recovery. Then another significant warmup will come our way for next weekend. The Twin Cities could see highs around 40 degrees.