Winter storm warnings begin Wednesday across much of state

Two City of Mankato snowplows clear a road
Two City of Mankato snowplows clear a road near River Hills Mall in 2014.
Jackson Forderer / For MPR News

We may have escaped a white Christmas, but hold on as we head into the week.

A major snowstorm is headed our way beginning Wednesday evening for much of Minnesota. The Twin Cities metro area should see a mix of rain and snow.

Snow totals are likely to be highest over much of western, central and northern Minnesota, with the National Weather Service forecasting between 8 and 13 inches between Wednesday and into early Friday.

The Twin Cities is predicted to see between 1 to 3 inches of snow by Wednesday afternoon. But the snow is expected to be followed by rain.

For the full forecast, maps and the latest go to the MPR News Updraft blog.