Winter Weather Advisory, Winter Storm Watch Issued Ahead of Impending Early Spring Storm

(KNSI) — The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory and a winter storm watch as “a complex prolonged winter storm” will bring “multiple precipitation types and associated impacts” across central and southern Minnesota Thursday afternoon through Friday night.

A winter weather advisory is in place from 3:00 Thursday afternoon until 10:00 a.m. Friday. A winter storm watch then kicks in Friday afternoon until Saturday morning. The Storm Prediction Center says portions of the state have the potential to see severe thunderstorms Thursday and Friday.

Freezing rain is expected with the winter weather advisory. Total snow accumulations of up to one inch and ice accumulations of one to two tenths of an inch are possible. Total snow accumulations of three to five inches are possible with the winter storm. Winds could gust as high as 45 miles an hour.

Most areas will start as snow Thursday afternoon and transition to a wintry mix from south to north throughout the day. Rain will slowly switch back over to snow in reverse from north to south before becoming all snow between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Winds will also pick up as that transition happens, causing blowing snow, reduced visibilities and the potential for “blizzard-like conditions,” Friday evening and night across western Minnesota.

Overnight lows will be in the teens Friday and Saturday. Sunday temps rebound slightly to near normal highs in the mid 40s.

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