Minnesota Weather: Pre-Thanksgiving Storm May Bring A Foot Of Heavy, Wet Snow To Twin Cities
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The pre-Thanksgiving snowstorm has arrived, and it's expected to dump upwards of 10 inches of snow across much of the state, including the Twin Cities metro, on one of the busiest travel days of the year.
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The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for a large swath of the state, encompassing nearly all of southern Minnesota, much of central Minnesota, and the North Shore. Forecasters say this could be the biggest November snowstorm Minnesota has seen in nearly a decade. Already, some schools have cancelled classes for Wednesday.
This is heavy, wet snow, that will fall most intensely between 9 p.m. Tuesday and 2 a.m. Wednesday. Six to 10 inches of snow is possible in the Twin Cities, although models from late Tuesday night are putting accumulation totals on the lower end. The same system dumped huge amounts of snow across states like Utah and Colorado. Some cities in northern Colorado got more than a foot of snow. Nearly 500 flights at Denver International Airport were canceled because of the storm. That left more than a thousand passengers stranded overnight.
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Those traveling late Tuesday and Wednesday morning are advised to reconsider their plans, as road conditions are expected to be hazardous. The Minnesota State Patrol reports Tuesday night that 81 crashes and 46 spinouts have occurred between 4 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. Seven of those crashes involved injuries. Three semi trucks also jackknifed during those five-plus hours.
Additionally, several airlines have issued travel advisories for Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Fliers are encouraged to check their flights often or take advantage of waivers to re-book.
Snow first started falling in southern Minnesota around 4 p.m. and hit the Twin Cities metro at about 9 p.m. The system is expected to move out of the state by Wednesday at 10 a.m.
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Most of the snow will fall ahead of the Wednesday morning commute. Drivers should expect slick, snow-caked roads and reduced visibility due to blowing snow, as gusts will be as strong as 35 mph. The Minnesota Department of Transportation is urging motorists to expect hazardous conditions, drive with caution and allow plenty of time for delays.
After the Wednesday morning commute, the snow will taper off and skies look to clear in the afternoon. Lows will be in the 30s, so the snow won't have much time to linger before the melting begins. A chilly Thanksgiving Day is expected, with morning temperatures in the teens. More snow looks to be in store for Thanksgiving night. Additionally, a rain/snow mix is expected in the weekend forecast.
