WEATHER 12/08/09

Get Ready, Because Snow's On The Way

Reporting
Mike Augustyniak

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) ―

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Heavy snow is expected Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning. Snow could fall at a rate of an inch to 1.5 inches per hour, WCCO-TV meteorologist Mike Augustyniak said.

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The much-talked about snowstorm is making its arrival in southwestern Minnesota and could bring more than a foot of snow to parts of southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin today and Wednesday.

WCCO-TV meteorologist Mike Augustyniak said the steady snow is already falling in southwestern Minnesota and said the steady snow should develop in the Twin Cities metro just after noon. The Twin Cities will see flurries this morning, but those won't accumulate.

The snow will continue throughout the afternoon, and an inch of snow is expected to be on the ground for the afternoon rush hour, Augustyniak said. There will be more on the ground in areas south of the Twin Cities.

Heavy snow is expected Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning. Snow could fall at a rate of an inch to 1.5 inches per hour, Augustyniak said.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for the Twin Cities metro area, and most of southeastern Minnesota. A blizzard warning has been issued for extreme south and southeastern Minnesota, including the Rochester and Albert Lea areas.

A winter storm warning has also been issued for much of western Wisconsin and a winter weather advisory has been issued for much of southwestern Minnesota.

The big story Wednesday will be the wind. Winds are expected to pick up Tuesday night and gusts of up to 40 mph will blow and drift the snow that does fall, creating whiteout or near-whiteout conditions across southern Minnesota.

Wind chills will also be a big story once it's done snowing, Augustyniak said. In the Twin Cities Wednesday morning, wind chills will be around minus 10 and will be even colder Thursday morning, when wind chills are expected to be around minus 20. In northern Minnesota, wind chills could reach minus 40 by Thursday morning.

When all is said and done, Augustyniak thinks the Twin Cities will see between 7 and 10 inches of snow. Southeastern Minnesota and southern western Wisconsin could see 10 to 15 inches of snow with lesser amounts to the north and west. The snow should taper off throughout the day on Wednesday.