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Outdoor Football Forecast Is Snowy

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The Minnesota Vikings were preparing for a winter game, and now it looks like they're going to get a winter game.

After all that work that went into clearing the TCF Bank Stadium for Monday night's Vikings game against the Bears, more snow is expected to move into the Twin Cities.

It's round number seven for snow in the metro area, and once again, evening commuters can expect a slower drive home.

WCCO-TV Meteorologist Mike Fairbourne is tracking a storm that caused flooding and snow to our west, and expects it to drop anywhere from 5 to 9 inches to fall in the Twin Cities.

The heaviest snow is expected to fall within a fairly narrow band through the mid-section of the state, extending from the Fargo-Moorhead area east about halfway between the Twin Cities and Duluth.

A winter storm warning was issued for northwestern, west central, central, east central and southeastern Minnesota, including the Twin Cities, and will remain in effect until 6 a.m. Tuesday.

In northwestern and southeastern parts of the state, as well as the west central counties of Big Stone and Traverse, a winter storm watch is scheduled to expire at 6 a.m. Tuesday. A winter storm watch for Aitkin, Cass, Crow Wing and Pine counties in east central Minnesota will last 12 hours longer, remaining in effect until 6 p.m.

Only northeastern parts of the state are excluded from the watches, warnings and advisories, though those areas should still see some snow.

The snow is expected to begin falling on southwestern Minnesota by about 7 a.m. Monday. By 1 p.m., some of the heavier snow will make its way into the Twin Cities. The snow should continue as the Vikings game against the Bears at starts at 7:30 p.m., and won't weaken until the second half.

Following the game, periods of snow should continue through the night and taper off into light snow by Tuesday morning.

There are even more snowflakes decorating the extended forecast, with more expected on Thursday. As of yet, it doesn't appear that there will be a major snow event over the holiday weekend.

Meteorologist Ron Trenda crunched the numbers and said the snowiest Twin Cities December on record is from 1969, with 33.2 inches. The year 2000 was the runner-up with 30.2.

Now, with nearly two weeks of December to go, 24.2 inches of snow have already fallen. If 4 or 5 more come Monday, it will edge out 1968's totals and bring 2010 into third place.

WCCO-TV's Mike Fairbourne Reports

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