Advisories continue this afternoon and tonight southern MN
Radiosondes are launched daily all around the world at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., central standard time.
Weather data is gathered by the radiosondes as they rise up through the atmosphere, and that weather information is radioed back to receivers on the ground.
That weather information is used by weather forecast models, and the latest output of those forecast models is now in.
Bottom line: there isn't much change from the previous forecast for Minnesota.
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A wintry mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow is likely to affect southern Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin today and tonight.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North American Mesoscale forecast model shows the potential mix of precipitation:
In the forecast loop, blue areas are where the precipitation is likely to be snow for that time in the loop. Purple areas are sleet or freezing rain. Green areas are likely to be rain, but the rain could freeze at ground level if surface temps are cold enough.
The color chart on the lower right of the loop refers to the strength of the radar signal returning to the radar, not inches of snow!
The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for much of southern Minnesota and parts of western Wisconsin for today and tonight:
The winter weather advisory does not include the Twin Cities metro area, but Rice, Goodhue and Pierce counties are included in the advisory from noon today to 6 a.m. Tuesday.
The winter weather advisory runs from this morning until midnight in southwestern Minnesota, and from this morning until 6 a.m. Tuesday in south-central Minnesota.
The winter weather advisory runs from this morning until noon tomorrow in southeastern Minnesota.
Here are advisory details for southeastern Minnesota, from the NWS:
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LA CROSSE WI
750 AM CST MON JAN 16 2017
...ICY TRAVEL FOR MOST TODAY INTO TUESDAY...
.IOWA DOT HAS RECOMMENDED NO TRAVEL ACROSS NORTHEAST IOWA THIS
MORNING DUE TO WIDESPREAD ICING RESULTING IN HAZARDOUS DRIVING
CONDITIONS. WIDESPREAD ICING HAS ALSO BEEN REPORTED ACROSS PARTS
OF SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN.
FREEZING RAIN TO SLEET WILL CONTINUE THIS MORNING...MOSTLY SOUTH
OF INTERSTATE 90. THE PRECIPITATION WILL DIMINISH IN
INTENSITY...WITH THE MAIN ACCUMULATIONS SHIFTING INTO EASTERN
WISCONSIN.
ANOTHER SLUG OF A WINTRY MIX RETURNS THIS AFTERNOON...ADVANCING TO
THE INTERSTATE 94 CORRIDOR BY EARLY EVENING. FREEZING RAIN AND
SLEET WILL BE THE MAIN PRECIPITATION TYPES. ICING WILL OCCUR AND
IMPACT ANY AFTERNOON TRAVEL...INTO AND THROUGH THE EVENING
COMMUTE. FARTHER SOUTH OVER NORTHEAST IOWA AND SOUTHWEST
WISCONSIN...IT COULD WARM ENOUGH FOR RAIN. HOWEVER...COLD ROAD
TEMPERATURES COULD STILL LEAD TO ADDITIONAL ICE ACCUMULATIONS.
THE BULK OF THE ACCUMULATIONS WILL FALL DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON
AND EVENING HOURS. IF NOT ALREADY ICY...ROADS WILL QUICKLY GO
FROM SLIPPERY TO HAZARDOUS.
PLAN AHEAD NOW FOR THESE POOR TRAVEL CONDITIONS. AVOID TRAVEL IF
YOU CAN...ESPECIALLY TONIGHT.
IAZ008>011-018-019-029-030-MNZ086>088-094>096-WIZ041>044-053>055-
061-162200-
/O.CON.KARX.WW.Y.0006.000000T0000Z-170117T1800Z/
MITCHELL-HOWARD-WINNESHIEK-ALLAMAKEE-FLOYD-CHICKASAW-FAYETTE-
CLAYTON-DODGE-OLMSTED-WINONA-MOWER-FILLMORE-HOUSTON-LA CROSSE-
MONROE-JUNEAU-ADAMS-VERNON-CRAWFORD-RICHLAND-GRANT-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...OSAGE...CRESCO...DECORAH...WAUKON...
CHARLES CITY...NEW HAMPTON...OELWEIN...ELKADER...DODGE CENTER...
ROCHESTER...WINONA...AUSTIN...PRESTON...CALEDONIA...LA CROSSE...
SPARTA...TOMAH...MAUSTON...FRIENDSHIP...VIROQUA...
PRAIRIE DU CHIEN...RICHLAND CENTER...PLATTEVILLE
750 AM CST MON JAN 16 2017
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST
TUESDAY...
* EXPECT A WINTRY MIX TO CONTINUE...DIMINISHING TUESDAY MORNING.
* THE GREATEST AMOUNT OF ICE ACCUMULATION WILL OCCUR BETWEEN
NOON AND 6 PM THIS EVENING.
* ADDITIONAL SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATIONS OF UP TO 1 INCH...MOSTLY
FROM INTERSTATE 90 NORTH. ICE ACCUMULATIONS UP TO 2/10 OF AN
INCH.
* LOOK FOR REDUCED VISIBILITIES AT TIMES.
* POWER OUTAGES AND TREE DAMAGE ARE LIKELY DUE TO THE ICE.
TRAVEL WILL BE DANGEROUS AND NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE...INCLUDING
DURING THE EVENING COMMUTE.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW...SLEET OR
FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR
SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES...AND USE CAUTION WHILE
DRIVING. THE LATEST ROAD CONDITIONS FOR THE STATE YOU ARE CALLING
FROM CAN BE OBTAINED BY CALLING 5 1 1.
In the Twin Cities metro area, there is a chance of light snow and patchy freezing drizzle anytime from about mid afternoon into tonight.
It looks like the southern part of the metro area has the best chance of some light snow and patchy freezing drizzle and sleet later this afternoon and this evening.
Ice storm to our south
Freezing rain continues today over parts of Nebraska, Iowa and Kansas.
Ice storm warnings are in effect for those areas:
A winter weather advisory continues over the remainder of Iowa, due to a wintry mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow. According to the La Crosse, Wisconsin office of the NWS:
IOWA DOT HAS RECOMMENDED NO TRAVEL ACROSS NORTHEAST IOWA THIS
MORNING DUE TO WIDESPREAD ICING RESULTING IN HAZARDOUS DRIVING
CONDITIONS. WIDESPREAD ICING HAS ALSO BEEN REPORTED ACROSS PARTS
OF SOUTHWEST WISCONSIN.
Be sure to check the weather if you’re driving south today or tonight!
The center of the low pressure system that is causing the freezing rain is now over Kansas, and it's moving northeastward:
Updated weather information is posted on the MPR news live weather blog.
You can also check with the Twin Cities office and La Crosse, WI office of the National Weather Service for weather updates.
The NWS has clickable warning maps for detailed weather updates at any location.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation , Wisconsin Department of Transportation and Iowa Department of Transportation will have current road conditions.
Warming trend
Highs today will probably creep into the lower 30s over southern Minnesota, with 20s elsewhere.
Similar highs are expected tomorrow:
Southern Minnesota and the Twin Cities metro area will see upper 30s on Wednesday, and lower 40s Thursday through Saturday.
That's a real January thaw!