Monday, February 8, 2010

STORM UPDATE - Monday Afternoon Update

The long duration and steady light to moderate snow event will continue today with daytime snowfall accumulations of 2" to 3" or so likely by 6pm. Bringing the Sunday and Monday totals to around 3" to 5" in the Twin Cities (higher amounts on the SW side of the metro). Light snow will continue overnight Monday, with an additional 1" to 2" possible and up to an additional 1" Tuesday bringing the total storm total to 4" to 7" spread across the Twin Cities metro from Sunday through Tuesday night. If you thought Monday mornings commute was bad, try Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning... UGH. The hassle factor will be quite high, so plan accordingly and SLOW DOWN! This light and fluffy snow will ensure slick roads and white knuckle driving for another 24 to 36 hours... Hang in there, we'll get through this.


**UPDATE** Winter Storm Warning Continues

...SNOW CONTINUES MOST AREAS....


.SNOW CONTINUES OVER MOST OF CENTRAL INTO SOUTH CENTRAL AND
SOUTHEAST MINNESOTA AS OF EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. THE MOST
SIGNIFICANT SNOW WAS IN A BAND FROM WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA NEAR
ALEXANDRIA AND MORRIS...TO WILLMAR AND HUTCHINSON...AND THE
SOUTHWEST AREAS OF TWIN CITIES...DOWN TO MANKATO AND ALBERT LEA.
THIS GENERAL TREND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE AFTERNOON. SNOWFALL
AMOUNTS OF 4 TO 7 INCHES HAVE BEEN COMMON IN THESE AREAS.

SNOW IS EXPECTED TO MOVE OR DEVELOP...BACK INTO SOUTHWEST
MINNESOTA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AS THE LOW PRESSURE AREA SLIDES INTO
IOWA. THE REST OF CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA...AS WELL AS
WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN WILL SEE CONTINUING SNOW OVERNIGHT...BUT
WITH DECREASING INTENSITY. IN ADDITION...NORTH TO NORTHWEST WINDS
OF 20 TO 25 MPH WILL DEVELOP OVER WEST CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST
MINNESOTA OVERNIGHT AND TUESDAY...CAUSING BLOWING AND DRIFTING
SNOW AND VERY LOW VISIBILITIES.

THE HIGHER GRAND TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS FROM THIS STORM...EXPECTED
BY MIDDAY TUESDAY...WILL BE REALIZED FROM ALEXANDRIA SOUTHWARD
TOWARDS WILLMAR AND HUTCHINSON...AND FURTHER SOUTH ACROSS THE
MINNESOTA RIVER VALLEY AND MUCH OF SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA.
AMOUNTS IN THIS AREA SINCE SUNDAY ARE EXPECTED TO FALL BETWEEN 8
AND 12 INCHES. THE TWIN CITIES METROPOLITAN AREA WILL LIKELY SEE
5 TO 9 INCH TOTALS FROM THE NORTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST. FAR WESTERN
WISCONSIN IS LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE 2 TO 4 INCH TOTALS.

A WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PORTION OF
CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA. THE WARNING IS IN EFFECT
THROUGH 6 AM TUESDAY FOR ALEXANDRIA...LITCHFIELD...LITTLE
FALLS...ST CLOUD... AND WILLMAR. THE REMAINDER OF THE WARNING
LASTS THROUGH NOON ON TUESDAY...INCLUDING A LARGE PORTION OF THE
TWIN CITIES METROPOLITAN AREA...AS WELL AS MOST OF SOUTH CENTRAL
MINNESOTA... INCLUDING ALBERT LEA...MANKATO...RED WING...AND
REDWOOD FALLS. THE WINTER STORM WARNING INCLUDES A LARGE PORTION
OF THE INTERSTATE 35...90...AND 94 CORRIDORS.

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY
FOR PARTS OF FAR EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND FAR WESTERN
WISCONSIN. THIS INCLUDES THE FAR EASTERN TWIN CITIES METROPOLITAN
AREA... CAMBRIDGE...MENOMONIE...NEW RICHMOND...AND MORA.


Updated Winter Weather Advisory Map



Snowfall Reports So Far:
...|SNOW TOTALS 8 AM TIL NOON|...

THE TOTALS BELOW ARE SEPARATED INTO SNOW...AND ICE AND SLEET
CATEGORIES...THEN BY AMOUNT...AND ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE
FINAL AMOUNT FOR EACH LOCATION.


SNOW REPORTS LISTED BY AMOUNT

INCHES LOCATION ST COUNTY TIME
------ ----------------------- -- -------------- -------
7.50 WILLMAR MN KANDIYOHI 0839 AM
5.00 1 NE GREEN ISLE MN SIBLEY 1128 AM
STORM TOTAL SINCE 6 PM SUN EVENING
5.00 6 NNE THORPE MN KANDIYOHI 1115 AM
SO FAR
4.90 NORTH ST PAUL MN RAMSEY 1128 AM
4.70 MORRIS MN STEVENS 0818 AM
U OF M
4.50 PRIOR LAKE MN SCOTT 1018 AM
4.50 NEW MARKET MN SCOTT 0838 AM
4.50 3 SE ALBERT LEA MN FREEBORN 0808 AM
4.40 1 W HUTCHINSON MN MCLEOD 0814 AM
4.00 LITCHFIELD MN MEEKER 0901 AM
3.90 ROCKFORD MN HENNEPIN 0905 AM
3.70 HAMBURG MN CARVER 0818 AM
3.50 MANKATO MN BLUE EARTH 1025 AM
UPDATED 10 AM TOTAL
3.50 ST JAMES MN WATONWAN 0949 AM
3.50 WATERTOWN MN CARVER 0949 AM
3.50 KIESTER MN FARIBAULT 0918 AM
3.50 5 SW ST PAUL MN RAMSEY 0834 AM
3.50 2 SW PRIOR LAKE MN SCOTT 0801 AM
3.50 NNW COLD SPRING MN STEARNS 0801 AM
3.50 3 W OWATONNA MN STEELE 0801 AM
3.10 LAKEVILLE MN DAKOTA 0856 AM
3.10 NORTH ST PAUL MN RAMSEY 0814 AM
3.10 FRIDLEY MN ANOKA 0801 AM
3.00 MANKATO MN BLUE EARTH 0814 AM
2.20 7 NNW OGILVIE MN KANABEC 1213 PM
2.00 3 NE FARIBAULT MN RICE 1115 AM
OVER LAST 2.5 HOURS STORM TOTAL 5.5 SO FAR
1.60 1 SSW LONSDALE MN RICE 0801 AM
1.50 5 N OGILVIE MN KANABEC 0801 AM
1.00 SPRINGFIELD MN BROWN 1209 PM
1.00 DURAND WI PEPIN 0856 AM
1.00 3 WSW PRINCETON MN SHERBURNE 0801 AM
0.80 CONNORSVILLE WI DUNN 0900 AM
0.80 ROBERTS WI ST. CROIX 0808 AM



Take a look at the snowfall map below. Computer models still put the heaviest of the accumulating snow just southwest of the I-94 corridor. Total accumulations from Sunday through late Tuesday will likely be around the 4" to 7" mark in the Twin Cities area with lighter amounts on the northeast side of town and heavier amounts on the west and southwestern side of town. Some spots around the Minnesota River Valley could get near 10".


To reiterate, this snow will not be a quick hitting event like the one that crippled the Mid-Atlantic states over the weekend. Rather, this will be a slow and steady event, which you will likely be able to stay on top of shoveling-wise. The commutes both today and tomorrow will not be great, but plan accordingly and drive slowly and all should be good.


Todd's Outlook for the Twin Cities


Rest of Monday: Cloudy with light snow showers likely, daytime accumulations of 2" to 3" or so. High: 24

Monday Night: Light snow continues, an additional 1" or 2". Low: 15

Tuesday: Scattered light snow showers gradually ending, light coating possible. High: 18

Wednesday: Becoming partly cloudy. Chilly. High: 17

Thursday: Partly cloudy, slightly warmer. High: 18

Friday: Partly sunny, slight chance of light snow. High 22

Saturday: Partly cloudy, minor set back in the temperature department. High 18

Sunday: Partly cloudy and warmer. High 22

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