WCT Weather Live: Blizzard warning extended from west central Minnesota eastward through the Twin Cities area

Kelly Boldan, West Central Tribune, Willmar, Minn.
·2 min read

Mar. 31—Update 2 p.m.

CHANHASSEN — The blizzard warning has been expanded eastward to include the Twin Cities metro and western Wisconsin, according to the National Weather Service.

The widespread precipitation will develop late this afternoon and then transition to heavy snow from northwest to southeast this evening. The snow could be very heavy at times from hourly rates of 1 to 2.5 inches per hour.

Strong north winds up to 50 mph will develop with heavy snow to produce whiteout conditions over a wide swath from west central and southwest Minnesota to west central Wisconsin.

The worst conditions are expected between 9 p.m. Friday and 4 a.m. Saturday, with snow and strong winds tapering off toward early Saturday morning.

Total snowfall will range from 5 to 10 inches from west central and southwest Minnesota to west central Wisconsin, with 2 to 5 inches north of Glenwood and St. Cloud, and along Interstate 90 in South Dakota. Locally higher amounts are possible if the snowfall rates exceed 2 inches per hour.

A winter storm warning remains in effect north and south of the blizzard warning area.

Original 7 a.m. post: A blizzard warning is in place for west central and southwestern Minnesota through Saturday

CHANHASSEN — The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for portions of west central and southwestern Minnesota for Friday afternoon through 7 a.m. Saturday.

A complex winter storm system developing over the Rockies will shift west into the Central Plains on Friday and gradually move into the Great Lakes area Friday night.

Precipitation will continue Friday morning as rain or freezing rain depending on surface temperatures. A light icing to a tenth of an inch of ice accretion is likely primarily north of a line from Redwood Falls to Buffalo in Minnesota to Rice Lake, Wisconsin.

The precipitation will then gradually change over to snow Friday afternoon through Friday night, which could be heavy at times. Snowfall amounts should range from 5 to 8 inches in a swath from the Madison and Canby areas eastward through the Twin Cities metro and into Wisconsin.

Snowfall of 2 to 4 inches is expected from the St. Cloud area northward and from the Mankato area southward.

In addition, strong winds will develop late Friday morning which will persist through Friday night. Blizzard conditions are likely west of a line from Benson to Hector to New Ulm to Madelia. Near blizzard conditions are possible eastward to the Interstate 35 corridor.