(KNSI) — The word that may pop to mind for the forecast over the next few days is messy.
Starting at 9:00 Thursday morning, the area is under a wind advisory with sustained west winds between 25 and 30 miles an hour with gusts around 50 expected. Anything not tied down could blow away Wizard of Oz style. Forecasters say it will also make travel difficult for those who drive a higher profile vehicle, box truck or semi. The National Weather Service also expects patchy blowing snow in the more open areas. That will reduce visibility and could cause slick spots. The wind advisory is in effect until 6:00 p.m.
Next, a potent storm system is expected to make its way toward us late Friday night and into Saturday with a “broad swath of accumulating snow likely,” and anyone with weekend travel plans may run into some issues.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch from 9:00 Friday night until 3:00 Saturday afternoon.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, better known as NOAA, says, “This is one of the best signals we’ve had all winter for a wide swath of accumulating snow. There is still time for the track to change slightly, but snow is very likely for Friday into Saturday.”
Snow is expected to start west of St. Cloud Friday evening and move eastward through the evening and overnight hours. As of late Wednesday night, there is a greater than 70% chance of snow accumulation of over 4″ for much of the area, but that could change.
Temperatures are expected to be in the upper teens to low 20s, resulting in higher snow to liquid ratios. That means the snow may be more compact and heavy, leading to lower snow totals. Large, fluffy flakes would lead to lighter snow and higher snow totals.
With more model runs as the system gets closer, confidence will increase in the system’s track.
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