Spring is on its way — really!
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Let's take one last look at the snowfall totals from the storm of this past Wednesday and Thursday.
While the rain-snow line kept the southern suburbs of the Twin Cities just wet but not white, well over a foot of snow fell from east central Minnesota just north of the metro area into northern Wisconsin. The greatest amount I saw was 20 inches near North Branch, Minn.
The snowfall intensified as the band tracked from St. Cloud through Hinckley, Minn., and into northern Wisconsin. Here's the accumulation map from the National Weather Service
Friday was a bit murky at times, but temperatures warmed into the 50s in the Twin Cities metro area, lots of snow melted, and some of the grass has started to turn green in my neighborhood.
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Sad to say, but winter has not given up completely. A compact weather system will spread rain, snow and an icy mix of freezing rain and sleet across northern Minnesota tonight and into Saturday morning.
The most wintry conditions will be in northeastern Minnesota as the temperatures will cool by the time the precipitation arrives there.
A winter weather advisory has been issued for northeastern Minnesota including International Falls, Grand Rapids, Hibbing, Ely, Duluth and the Arrowhead from midnight until noon Saturday.
Around 2 to 5 inches of snow should fall near the Canadian border from International Falls, Minn., to Grand Portage, Minn., while 1 to 3 inches is expected on the Iron Range and over toward Grand Marais, Minn.
The biggest headache could come from a mixture of freezing rain and sleet from the Iron Range and Ely, Minn., to Duluth and Two Harbors, Minn. Ice accumulations of 1 to 2 tenths of an inch are forecast and could cause severe travel disruptions.
Once temperatures begin to rise on Saturday, highs should range from only around 40 in the far northeast to mostly 60s elsewhere and low 70s in the south.
Southerly winds will be gusty ahead of an advancing cold front and there likely will be a scattering of spring showers and thunderstorms, but severe weather is not expected.
Sunday will be warm again. Rain and thunderstorms are likely in southeastern Minnesota.
After another warm day on Monday, temperatures will return to near normal beginning on Tuesday, which will be a welcome improvement over much of this past week.
The next storm system pointed our way in the forecast models is scheduled to be here Wednesday-Thursday with rain and thunderstorms. Some light rain is possible on the back side on Friday, possibly mixed with light snow way up north.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center on Thursday issued its outlook for May. While northern Minnesota is favored to be a bit cooler than normal, the rest of the state could go either way ("EC" means equal chances of above or below normal).
Likewise with precipitation, the climatological forecasts don't point our way toward a particularly wet or dry May We will just have to wait and see.