Snow spreads across Minn. today and tonight, lingers into Tuesday; temps bottom out on Friday

Today's Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday will feature accumulating snow in parts of Minnesota.

Periods of snow are likely across all of Minnesota and western Wisconsin overnight tonight and into Tuesday.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North American Mesoscale forecast model shows the potential precipitation pattern Monday morning through Tuesday evening:

The color chart to the right of the loop refers to the strength of the signal that returns to the radar, not to the amount of snow.

The heaviest snow totals by late Tuesday are expected to be over northern Minnesota and parts of southern Minnesota:

A few snow showers are possible in the Twin Cities metro area this afternoon, with only minor accumulations. The metro area could pick up an inch or two of snow overnight tonight and another inch or two on Tuesday. The southeast part of the metro area might see a bit more snow than that on Tuesday.   Check forecast updates.

Advisories and watches

As of Monday morning, winter weather advisories with various start times had been issued for northern Minnesota and parts of southern Minnesota:

A winter storm watch starts at midnight Monday night in southeastern Minnesota.

Here's how the winter weather advisory looks in northeastern Minnesota:

Details of the advisory that includes Duluth:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE

National Weather Service Duluth MN

852 AM CST Mon Jan 21 2019

MNZ011-012-019>021-037-220300-

/O.EXP.KDLH.WC.Y.0006.000000T0000Z-190121T1500Z/

/O.CON.KDLH.WW.Y.0003.190122T0000Z-190122T1800Z/

North St. Louis-Northern Cook and Lake-Central St. Louis-

Southern Lake-Southern Cook-Carlton and South St. Louis-

Including the cities of Ely, Isabella, Hibbing, Two Harbors,

Silver Bay, Grand Marais, and Duluth

852 AM CST Mon Jan 21 2019

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS

EVENING TO NOON CST TUESDAY...

...WIND CHILL ADVISORY WILL EXPIRE AT 9 AM CST THIS MORNING...

* WHAT...Snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 4 to 6

inches expected.

* WHERE...Central St. Louis, Northern Cook and Lake, North St.

Louis, Southern Cook, Southern Lake and Carlton and South St.

Louis Counties.

* WHEN...From 6 PM this evening to noon CST Tuesday.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Travel could be very difficult. The

hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening

commute. The cold wind chills as low as 25 below zero could

cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 30 minutes.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Winter Weather Advisory for snow means periods of snow will

cause primarily travel difficulties. Expect snow covered roads

and limited visibilities, and use caution while driving.

The latest road conditions for Minnesota can be found at

511mn.org, and for Wisconsin at 511wi.gov, or by calling 511 in

either state.

Details of the advisory that includes Mankato and Albert Lea:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE

National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN

309 AM CST Mon Jan 21 2019

...WINTRY MIX FOLLOWED BY SNOW EXPECTED TO IMPACT TRAVEL TONIGHT

AND TUESDAY ACROSS SOUTHERN MINNESOTA...

.Travel impacts are likely later tonight and Tuesday as a wintry

mix of snow and freezing drizzle develops across southern Minnesota.

A light glazing of ice is possible. The wintry mix will change

over to snow Tuesday morning. A total of 3 to 5 inches of snow is

likely across the region. Winds will increase Tuesday evening to

around 20 to 25 mph which could cause some blowing and drifting

snow as well. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect generally

south of a line from New Ulm, Minnesota through Faribault from 6

pm Monday evening, through midnight Tuesday.

MNZ074>077-082>085-091>093-211715-

/O.NEW.KMPX.WW.Y.0004.190122T0000Z-190123T0600Z/

Brown-Nicollet-Le Sueur-Rice-Watonwan-Blue Earth-Waseca-Steele-

Martin-Faribault-Freeborn-

Including the cities of New Ulm, St Peter, Le Sueur, Faribault,

St James, Mankato, Waseca, Owatonna, Fairmont, Blue Earth,

and Albert Lea

309 AM CST Mon Jan 21 2019

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO

MIDNIGHT CST TUESDAY NIGHT...

* WHAT...Mixed precipitation expected. Total snow accumulations

of 3 to 5 inches and ice accumulations of a light glaze

expected.

* WHERE...Portions of south central Minnesota.

* WHEN...From 6 PM this evening to midnight CST Tuesday night.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Plan on slippery road conditions. The

hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening

commute.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Winter Weather Advisory means that periods of snow and freezing

drizzle will cause travel difficulties. Expect slippery roads and

limited visibilities, and use caution while driving.

The latest road conditions for Minnesota can be found at

511mn.org and for Wisconsin at 511wi.gov, or by

And finally, details of the winter storm watch that includes Rochester:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE

National Weather Service La Crosse WI

323 AM CST Mon Jan 21 2019

...Snow Returns For Tuesday...Several Inches Likely...

.A winter storm will bring another round of snow to the region

from late tonight through Tuesday night. The bulk of the snow will

fall from mid Tuesday morning into the later evening hours.

Periods of freezing precipitation are possible mostly south of

Interstate 90 overnight into Tuesday morning, with an additional

threat into the evening for parts of far northeast Iowa and

southwest Wisconsin.

Snow accumulations near 6 inches are currently expected, but

locally higher amounts are possible. Where the heavier snowbands

set up, and how much falls, is still not certain. There is some

potential for higher amounts. Trace icing possible.

Roads will become snow covered as the day wears on Tuesday, with

slippery to hazardous conditions expected for the evening commute.

Plan now for these travel impacts.

IAZ008>010-018-019-029-MNZ086>088-094>096-211730-

/O.NEW.KARX.WS.A.0002.190122T0600Z-190123T1200Z/

Mitchell-Howard-Winneshiek-Floyd-Chickasaw-Fayette-Dodge-Olmsted-

Winona-Mower-Fillmore-Houston-

Including the cities of Osage, Cresco, Decorah, Charles City,

New Hampton, Oelwein, Dodge Center, Rochester, Winona, Austin,

Preston, and Caledonia

323 AM CST Mon Jan 21 2019

...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH LATE

TUESDAY NIGHT...

* WHAT...Snow. Wintry mix possible. Total snow accumulations near

6 inches. Ice accumulations of a light glaze possible.

* WHERE...Portions of northeast Iowa and southeast Minnesota.

* WHEN...From late tonight through late Tuesday night.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Travel could be very difficult. The

hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening

commute.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Winter Storm Watch means there is potential for significant

snow, sleet or ice accumulations that may impact travel. Continue

to monitor the latest forecasts.

You can check the latest forecasts, warnings and advisories from the NWS offices in the Twin Cities, La Crosse, WI , Sioux Falls, SD, Grand Forks, ND and Duluth.

As always, updated weather information can be heard on the Minnesota Public Radio Network, and you’ll also see updated weather info on the MPR News live weather blog.

You'll be able to check snow accumulations for Minnesota and western Wisconsin as they are posted by the NWS. Hover over a location on the NWS snow map to see the snow total and the time of observation.

Updated road conditions will be posted by the Minnesota and Wisconsin transportation departments.

Temperature trends

Minnesota highs will be mostly in the teens today, some single digits possible northwest.

Teens will be widespread on Tuesday, with some lower 20s in the metro area and south-central and southeastern Minnesota:

The Twin Cities metro area will probably see highs in the upper teens on Wednesday. Metro area temps might be in the lower teens very early on Thursday, with sharply falling temps through the day, dropping below zero during the afternoon. Our high temp on Friday is expected to be right around zero; that's a real arctic blast!

Another peek at the eclipse

If you stayed up Sunday evening to watch the total lunar eclipse, you might be a bit sleepy this morning.

Here's one last look at the eclipsed moon, from Sunday evening:

It was worth staying up a bit later!