Slow and Steady to Shovelable Levels

Here's the latest winter weather headlines from the National Weather Service

Winter Storm Warning

...LONG LASTING ACCUMULATING SNOWFALL EXPECTED THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING...

.A TWO TO TWO AND A HALF DAY SNOWFALL EVENT...WITH SOME
COMMUNITIES EXPERIENCING SIGNIFICANT TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS...WILL
IMPACT THE AREA TONIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING. DUE TO THE
LENGTHY DURATION OF THE SNOW...THIS WEATHER SYSTEM HAS THE
LIKELIHOOD TO PRODUCE A BROAD SWATH OF SNOWFALL TOTALS OF 5 TO 11
INCHES OVER A TWO DAY PERIOD. THE LARGEST SNOWFALL TOTALS OF 8 TO
11 INCHES...ARE MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR FROM NEAR ALEXANDRIA AND
MORRIS...SOUTHWARD TO LITCHFIELD AND WILLMAR...TO MANKATO...ALBERT
LEA AND FAIRMONT. THE WEST SIDE OF THE TWIN CITIES METRO WILL ALSO
BE IN THE PATH OF SOME OF THE HIGHER SNOW TOTALS. THE REMAINDER OF
THE AREA...INCLUDING PARTS OF SOUTHWEST AND EAST CENTRAL
MINNESOTA...AND WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN...WILL SEE 4 TO 7 INCHES OF
SNOW.

EXPECT ACCUMULATING SNOW TO SPREAD FROM WESTERN MINNESOTA INTO
CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA TONIGHT...AND PICK UP IN INTENSITY
ON MONDAY AND MONDAY EVENING. SIGNIFICANT SNOW MAY NOT DEVELOP
OVER PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN UNTIL LATE TONIGHT OR MONDAY
MORNING. A STRONG UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL MOVE SOUTH INTO THE
DAKOTAS BY EARLY MONDAY...BEFORE SWINGING SLOWLY SOUTHEAST ACROSS
IOWA AND INTO ILLINOIS ON TUESDAY. THIS SLOW MOVEMENT IS THE PRIME
REASON OF THE LONG DURATION SNOWFALL AND THE HEAVIER TOTAL
AMOUNTS.

NORTH WINDS OF 15 TO 25 MPH WILL DEVELOP ACROSS PARTS OF FAR WEST
CENTRAL MINNESOTA TONIGHT AND MONDAY...AND THEN SPREAD SOUTHEAST
ACROSS THE MINNESOTA RIVER VALLEY ON TUESDAY. THE WINDS WILL
LIKELY LEAD TO AREAS OF BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW...WHICH WOULD
CAUSE TRAVEL CONDITIONS TO FURTHER DETERIORATE.

A WINTER STORM WARNING IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR A LARGE PORTION OF
CENTRAL AND SOUTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA FOR TONIGHT INTO TUESDAY.
THIS INCLUDES ALEXANDRIA...LITCHFIELD...LITTLE FALLS...WILLMAR...
MORRIS...THE WESTERN TWIN CITIES...AND SOUTHWARD TO
MANKATO...ALBERT LEA AND FAIRMONT. THIS INCLUDES THE INTERSTATE 94
CORRIDOR AND PARTS OF THE INTERSTATE 90 CORRIDOR.

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FOR PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL AND
EAST CENTRAL MINNESOTA...INTO PARTS OF WEST CENTRAL WISCONSIN.
THIS INCLUDES CANBY...MADISON...ONAMIA...CAMBRIDGE...FOREST
LAKE...BALSAM LAKE...NEW RICHMOND...AND DURAND.

STAY TUNED FOR LATER FORECASTS AND LIKELY EXPANSION OF WARNINGS
ON THIS POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANT WINTER STORM.

Updated Winter Weather Advisory Map


The latest computer runs put the heaviest of the slowly accumulating snow just southwest of the greater St. Cloud area. Total accumulations from Sunday through late Tuesday will likely be around the 4" to 6" mark in the St. Cloud area. A bulls eye of 6" or slightly more than that will be found along and just south of the I-94 corridor from Alexandria to Rochester.


To reiterate, this snow will not be a quick hitting event like the one that crippled the Mid-Atlantic states over the weekend. Rather, this will be a slow and steady event, which you will likely be able to stay on top of shoveling-wise. The commutes both today and tomorrow will not be great, but plan accordingly and drive slowly and all should be good.


Todd's Outlook for St. Cloud

Monday: Cloudy with light snow showers likely, an additional 1" to 3" or so possible. High: 21

Monday Night: Light snow continues, an additional 1" or 2". Low: 15

Tuesday: Scattered light snow showers gradually ending, light coating possible. High: 18

Wednesday: Becoming partly cloudy. Chilly. High: 16

Thursday: Partly cloudy, slightly warmer. High: 18

Friday: Partly sunny, slight chance of light snow. High 22

Saturday: Partly cloudy, minor set back in the temperature department. High 18

Sunday: Partly cloudy and warmer. High 22