Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Major winter storm is arriving

A major winter storm that will disrupt travel and close schools today is on our doorstep. Early this Monday morning, rain and mixed precipitation are falling in south-central and southeastern Minnesota while wet snow is beginning to fall in the southwestern part of the state.

Jan 22 - mpx radar 445A
Weather radar at 4:45 a.m. Monday. Twin Cities National Weather Service

Heavy, wet snow will develop across southern and east-central Minnesota this morning. And the wind will pick up.

Blizzard

"Blizzard" is a word that commands attention. A blizzard warning continues for the rest of today for much of south-central and southwestern Minnesota. Areas included so far are Brown, Watonwan, Blue Earth, Martin and Faribault counties -- that is, the area from Mankato to points south and southwest. That area should expect whiteout conditions at times today.

Jan 22 - mpx warnings
Winter weather warnings in effect for Monday. National Weather Service

Heavy, wet snow on the way

Heavy snow will expand northeastward throughout Monday, so a large area of winter storm warnings, as shown above in pink, have been posted from Minnesota well into Wisconsin.

By the time the snow winds down Monday night, a foot or more of snow will have fallen on much of the warned area.

Jan 22 - mpx snow fcst
Forecast snowfall amounts. Twin Cities National Weather Service

The Twin Cities metro area will be right on an unusually-sharp northwestern edge of this storm.  While Farmington in the southeast metro might get a solid foot of snow, some northwestern suburbs might struggle to get a couple inches. The inner core areas of Minneapolis and St. Paul are likely to get something around half a foot. Of course, these specific amounts can change greatly if the storm shifts its track just a bit.

I will be doing extra weather broadcasts on MPR this morning and will post an expanded Updraft blog as time permits.