A Winter Weather Advisory running through Thursday evening is bringing snow, sleet and heavy rain to Minnesota, prompting school closings and a warning of hazardous travel conditions.
Another round of winter weather
A late-season storm is moving across Minnesota on Wednesday night and into Thursday, prompting a number of schools across the state to announce closings or shifts to virtual learning before the system even arrives.
The National Weather Service issued a Winter Weather Advisory running from 7 p.m. Wednesday through 7 p.m. Thursday as a messy mix of precipitation pushes through the region. WCCO issued a Next Weather Alert in response to the developing system.
What to expect and where
The storm will not hit all parts of the state equally. Northwestern Minnesota is expected to see wet snow, while the southeastern corner of the state will likely receive rain. The areas in between are forecast to get a wintry mix of snow, sleet and heavy rain, which forecasters say will create the most challenging travel conditions.
Roads are expected to become slippery and hazardous as the system moves through, with the morning commute on Thursday expected to be the most difficult stretch. Reduced visibility will add to the challenge for drivers heading out during peak hours. Conditions are expected to improve as the day progresses, with the system forecast to move out of the region by Thursday evening.
Travelers across the affected areas are advised to allow extra time, check road conditions before departing and reduce speed on slippery surfaces.
Two rounds, not one
Thursday’s storm is only the first of two systems threatening the region this week. A second round of snow and ice is expected to move in Friday and continue into Saturday, raising the possibility of a back-to-back weather event that could keep roads difficult through much of the weekend.
Early estimates for the second system point to 3 to 6 inches of snow along a line from Alexandria to St. Cloud and north of the Highway 8 corridor in western Wisconsin, with lesser amounts of snow and rain farther south. Forecasters cautioned that small shifts in the storm’s track could significantly change both the precipitation type and the amounts, and urged residents to monitor the forecast closely as the weekend approaches.
The second system also threatens to affect the Minnesota Twins’ home opener, which is scheduled for Friday.
What the first round looks like on the ground
In the Twin Cities metro, the National Weather Service expects roughly 1 to 2 inches of snow to accumulate, but the more serious concern is ice. Sleet and freezing rain accumulations of up to a quarter inch could glaze roads, bring down power lines and snap tree branches across the region.
A winter storm warning was posted from midnight Wednesday through noon Thursday for Scott, Dakota and Washington counties in the metro area, extending south toward Red Wing and into western Wisconsin. Farther north, central Minnesota could see 2 to 5 inches of snow.
The Weather Service issued specific guidance for pedestrians as well as drivers, warning that stairs, sidewalks and driveways could become icy and slippery, increasing the risk of falls. Anyone heading outside during or after the storm was urged to take extra care on those surfaces.
Schools respond ahead of the storm
Several Minnesota school districts announced closings or virtual learning days in advance of Thursday’s storm. The full list of closings and delays is being updated in real time as more districts make their decisions ahead of the weather’s arrival.
Parents and guardians are encouraged to monitor local listings and district communications for the latest information on whether their school will be in session Thursday.