The Twin Cities are bracing for an onslaught of wintry weather with the National Weather Service issuing a series of alerts predicting snow accumulations and hazardous conditions. The forecast for Minneapolis, MN, suggests a sharp change from today's mostly sunny skies to a far chillier and blustery conclusion to the week.
While today reached a high near 49 with gusty winds, temperatures are set to plummet tonight to a low around 16, according to the weather.gov forecast. The service advises that Wednesday will bring sunny skies, albeit with a much cooler high near 31, while Thursday threatens a 30 percent chance of snow by the afternoon, with potential new snow accumulation of 3 to 5 inches come Thursday night.
A swath of 2-4" of snow is expected from western MN through west central WI late Thursday through early Friday. Locally higher totals are expected somewhere within the band. Another round of wintry weather is possible late this weekend, but it is too soon to get into specifics. pic.twitter.com/ZJaNqtxz7b
— NWS Twin Cities (@NWSTwinCities) March 19, 2024
Looking ahead to the weekend, forecasts warn of additional snowfall with an 80 percent chance of snow on Sunday that could be heavy at times, and a breezy east wind gusting as high as 30 mph. The service also predicts snow likely for Sunday night, possibly mixed with rain, and continued chances of rain and snow into Monday.
The National Weather Service's Hazardous Weather Outlook echoes this, highlighting the potential for elevated fire weather conditions today, mainly due to the strong northwest winds. The outlook also notes that "elevated fire weather conditions are likely across the entire coverage area Wednesday and for far eastern MN into western WI Thursday, mainly due to low relative humidity values."
Drivers are suggested to prepare for "accumulating snow and travel impacts for most of the coverage area" starting late Thursday through Thursday night as per the National Weather Service's Hazardous Weather Outlook. As the specifics of the impending snowstorms remain uncertain, residents and travelers should stay attentive to subsequent forecasts and prepare for potential disruptions. The Outlook does not activate SKYWARN spotter activation through tonight but urges the public to remain vigilant as the scenario unfolds.
