Plowable snow Saturday night; a quiet Sunday

This is our second round of significant snow this week!

It's a welcome snowy stretch for cross-country skiers and people with sleds and snowboards, but it'll be dicey for drivers until the roads are cleared this weekend.

Much of Minnesota and parts of western Wisconsin will see periods of heavy snow this Saturday evening.

Snow is expected to taper of by around 1 a.m. Sunday in the Twin Cities metro area, but it'll continue in parts of northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin into Sunday morning.

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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's North American Mesoscale forecast model shows the potential snow pattern Saturday evening through Sunday morning:

rt0224rad6
NOAA NAM simulated radar from Saturday evening through noon Sunday, via tropicaltidbits

The NAM model shows how snow accumulations increase Saturday evening into early Sunday:

rt0224rad5
NOAA NAM snow accumulations Saturday evening through noon Sunday, via tropicaltidbits

Here's a NWS summary of the Saturday and Saturday night snow potential:

rt224strymsp3
NWS Twin Cities

A closer look at northeastern Minnesota:

rt224strydlh2
NWS Duluth

Warnings and advisories

Winter storm warnings continue overnight Saturday night for much of Minnesota and western Wisconsin:

rt0224adv11.jpg
NWS Twin Cities
rt0224adv12
NWS Duluth

Here are details of the winter storm warning that includes the Twin Cities metro area from Saturday evening through 6 a.m. Sunday:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE

National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN

258 PM CST Sat Feb 24 2018

...HEAVY SNOW NOW UNDERWAY...SOME BLOWING SNOW EXPECTED

OVERNIGHT...

.A Winter Storm Warning is in effect tonight for areas east of a

line from Redwood Falls to St. Cloud, Minnesota except for Eau

Claire and Freeborn counties. A Winter Weather Advisory is in

effect for the remainder of the area.

Heavy snow with rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour will continue this

evening. Snowfall totals of 5 to 8 inches are likely. In addition,

northwest winds gusting to 30 to 35 mph late tonight will lead to

areas of blowing snow, especially across southern and eastern

Minnesota, and western Wisconsin. Travel will be very difficult

tonight.

MNZ050-051-058>063-066>070-076>078-084-085-WIZ023-024-026-250500-

/O.CON.KMPX.WS.W.0003.180224T2100Z-180225T1200Z/

Benton-Sherburne-Meeker-Wright-Hennepin-Anoka-Ramsey-Washington-

McLeod-Sibley-Carver-Scott-Dakota-Le Sueur-Rice-Goodhue-Waseca-

Steele-St. Croix-Pierce-Pepin-

Including the cities of Foley, Elk River, Litchfield, Monticello,

Minneapolis, Blaine, St Paul, Stillwater, Hutchinson, Gaylord,

Chaska, Shakopee, Hastings, Le Sueur, Faribault, Red Wing,

Waseca, Owatonna, Hudson, River Falls, Prescott, and Durand

258 PM CST Sat Feb 24 2018

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM CST SUNDAY...

* WHAT...Heavy snow and blowing snow expected. Total snow

accumulations of 5 to 8 inches, with localized totals of 9

inches.

* WHERE...Portions of west central Wisconsin and central, east

central, south central and southeast Minnesota.

* WHEN...Until 6 AM CST Sunday.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Plan on difficult travel conditions.

Winds gusting as high as 35 mph will cause areas of blowing

and drifting snow.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Winter Storm Warning for snow and blowing snow means severe

winter weather conditions will make travel very hazardous or

impossible. If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food

and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. The latest

road conditions for Minnesota can be found at 511mn.org and for

Wisconsin at 511wi.gov, or by calling 5 1 1 in either state.

And details of the winter storm warning that includes Duluth Saturday evening through 9 a.m. Sunday:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE...UPDATED

National Weather Service Duluth MN

347 PM CST Sat Feb 24 2018

...FAST-MOVING WINTER STORM TO BRING HEAVY SNOW TONIGHT AND

SUNDAY MORNING...

.Another winter storm will move rapidly across the Northland

region tonight and Sunday morning, bringing heavy snow to much of

northern Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin. A swath of heavy snow,

with accumulations anywhere from 6 to 12 inches is expected across

east-central Minnesota into the Minnesota Arrowhead, and across

much of northwest Wisconsin. Lesser snowfall totals from 2 to 5

inches are anticipated over north-central Minnesota. Locally

heavier amounts greater than a foot are possible along the north

shore of Lake Superior, where on shore winds could enhance heavy

snow overnight and Sunday morning. This storm will rapidly depart

the region Sunday morning, with snow ending by midday in most

locations.

MNZ035>038-WIZ001>004-006>009-251000-

/O.CON.KDLH.WS.W.0007.180225T0000Z-180225T1500Z/

Northern Aitkin-South Aitkin-Carlton/South St. Louis-Pine-Douglas-

Bayfield-Ashland-Iron-Burnett-Washburn-Sawyer-Price-

Including the cities of Hill City, Aitkin, Duluth, Pine City,

Hinckley, Superior, Washburn, Bayfield, Ashland, Hurley,

Grantsburg, Spooner, Hayward, and Phillips

347 PM CST Sat Feb 24 2018

...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 AM CST SUNDAY...

* WHAT...Heavy snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 6 to 10

inches.

* WHERE...Portions of north central and northwest Wisconsin and

east central and northeast Minnesota, including the interstate

35 corridor between Duluth and the Twin Cities.

* WHEN...Until 9 AM CST Sunday.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Plan on rapidly deteriorating road

conditions within an hour after snow begins, with very heavy

snowfall rates from late this evening into the overnight hours.

Travel will become very difficult by late evening due to a

combination of snow and ice covered roads, very low visibility,

and very heavy snowfall rates.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A Winter Storm Warning for snow means severe winter weather

conditions will make travel very hazardous or impossible. If you

must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food and water in your

vehicle in case of an emergency. 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.

Rochester and much of southeastern Minnesota are in a winter weather advisory until 6 a.m. Sunday:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE

National Weather Service La Crosse WI

556 PM CST Sat Feb 24 2018

...Roads Becoming Snow, Ice Covered...

.Precipitation has spread from northeast Iowa and southeast

Minnesota into western Wisconsin at early evening. Most locations

can expect a 1 to 2 hour period of freezing rain or rain initially

before switching over to snow. Roads are becoming snow and ice

covered, quickly becoming slick and hazardous.

Snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour in the heaviest snow is

possible. Total snow accumulations of 2 to 6 inches are expected.

A light glaze of ice is possible.

Road conditions will deteriorate as the evening wears on.

Consider adjusting your travel plans around the storm as travel

will be difficult to hazardous at times.

IAZ008-MNZ079-086-087-094-WIZ032-250800-

/O.CON.KARX.WW.Y.0010.000000T0000Z-180225T1200Z/

Mitchell-Wabasha-Dodge-Olmsted-Mower-Buffalo-

Including the cities of Osage, Wabasha, Dodge Center, Rochester,

Austin, and Alma

556 PM CST Sat Feb 24 2018

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM CST

SUNDAY...

* WHAT...Snow. Light freezing rain possible. Snow accumulations of

3 to 6 inches and ice accumulations of a light glaze are

expected. The snow may be heavy at times this evening.

* WHERE...Portions of west central Wisconsin, north central Iowa

and southeast Minnesota.

* WHEN...Until 6 AM CST Sunday.

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

addition, some reductions to visibility are likely. Winds

gusting as high as 40 mph will cause patchy blowing and drifting

snow early Sunday morning.

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.

Updates

Updated weather information can be heard on the Minnesota Public Radio Network, and you can read about any watches and warnings in the MPR News live weather blog.

National Weather Service offices in the Twin CitiesDuluth and La Crosse, WI will have updated forecast details.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Wisconsin Department of Transportation will post road condition updates.

Quiet Sunday

The daylight hours of Sunday should be quiet, with mild high temps:

rt225h2

Monday will be even milder, with highs in the 30s across most of Minnesota, and a few spots touching 40 degrees in the south:

rt226h2

Twin Cities highs are expected to be in the upper 30s most of this coming week, so some of our snow cover will melt.

Programming note

You can hear my live weather updates on Minnesota Public Radio at 7:49 a.m. Thursdays and Fridays, and at 7:35 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 4:35 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.