Winter storm warning for Twin Cities, blizzard warning for western MN

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A winter storm warning has been issued for the Twin Cities metro as the first snowstorm of the cold season approaches. The storm will bring rain and snow to the state and parts of the region Tuesday into early Wednesday. 

This story is no longer being updated. To find the latest on the Minnesota snowstorm click here. 

10:30 p.m. - Snow starts in Twin Cities

The rain that turned into a wintry mix is now snow in the Twin Cities. The snow is expected to last overnight with strong winds. 

8:45 p.m. - Wintry mix starts 

The temperature has started to drop in the Twin Cities, which has the rain switching to a wintry mix of rain and snow. Over the next half an hour, temperatures will continue to drop and that wintry mix will turn to snow. 

Overnight wind will be at 20 to 40 mph. 

There is expected to be a big burst of snow around 1 to 2 a.m. and the snow will clear around 6:30 a.m. Wednesday. 

5:40 p.m. - No travel advisory across west central MN

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has issued a no travel advisory on all state and federal highways in the west central part of the state. The no travel advisory includes Interstate 94 from Moorhead to Osakis, and Highway 10 from Moorhead to Wadena. 

Travelers are advises to stay off the roads until conditions improve. For updates, click here. 

5:30 p.m. - Windy as rain turns to snow 

Around 6 p.m. rain is expected to turn into snow in the Twin Cities metro, and is expected to last through Wednesday morning. The central Twin Cities could see 2 to 4 inches of snow. While the northern metro could see 5 inches or more, and the southern metro could see 1 to 3 inches. 

3:45 p.m. - Cities begin to declare snow emergencies 

Cities are starting to declare snow emergencies ahead of the expected snow. 

Northfield has declared a snow emergency from Nov. 25 at 10 p.m. to Nov. 27 at 10 p.m. During the snow emergency there is no parking on any city street until the streets are plowed curb-to-curb. Vehicles parked on the street will be ticketed and possibly towed. 

Elk River declared a snow event from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m. on Wednesday. Overnight parking restrictions will be in place then. For more information, click here. 

1 p.m. - Blizzard warning

The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for Big Stone and Traverse counties, located in far west central Minnesota, in addition to Grant County in eastern South Dakota. 

The blizzard warning is set to expire at midnight on Tuesday.  

Road conditions and crashes

Road conditions:

As of 10 a.m. light snow and slush are starting to accumulate on roads in northern and west central Minnesota, according to MnDOT’s traffic website. 

The State Patrol is reminding drivers to slow down, buckle up and turn off cruise control. Troopers say they responded to a crash Monday morning involving a driver that was going too fast on unsafe tires, though fortunately, no injuries were reported. 

Additionally, authorities are asking drivers to make sure they have a full tank of gas, a fully charged phone and a winter survival kit if planning to be on the road. 

"Please plan ahead. If it looks like your travel commute is going to be impacted significantly or the conditions are going to be dangerous, please delay your travel plans or cancel them. We want people to make sure you get home safely," said State Patrol Lt. Mike Lee.

The latest road conditions can be found on 511mn.org. 

Winter storm closing schools early

What we know:

As of 11 a.m. Tuesday, two districts are closing early due to the winter storm.

• Minnewaska District – Closing at 1 p.m., no evening activities
• Wadena-Deer Creek District – Closing at 1 p.m., after-school activities canceled

The list will probably grow throughout the day, so be sure to check out the FOX 9 School Closings page for updates.

Twin Cities metro storm timeline

Timeline:

The day will start gray and damp with morning fog and light mist slowly turning to steady rain, including for the evening commute in the Twin Cities metro.  

By the evening, temperatures tumble as rain switches to snow. Things turn windy as heavy snow rates could create low visibility. 

Overnight, expect gusty winds and blowing snow as snowflakes taper from west to east. The system will clear out by Wednesday morning, leaving behind a blustery day. 

Winter storm warning 

Local perspective:

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for much of the state, including the Twin Cities metro area. The warning is in effect from 6 p.m. Tuesday to 9 a.m. on Wednesday. 

The warning is due to the combination of falling and blowing snow leading to some dangerous travel conditions, especially overnight. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph with this storm. 

Potential snow totals in Minnesota

By the numbers:

The heaviest snowfall will likely stay in central and northern Minnesota. Areas from Alexandria, the Brainerd Lakes Area, St. Cloud, through Pine City into northwestern Wisconsin could see 5 to 8 plus inches of accumulation. 

The Twin Cities metro will likely see 3 to 5 inches of snowfall, while the northern metro could squeeze out a bit more. Parts of southern Minnesota might get 1–2 inches of snow. 

Extended Minnesota weather forecast 

The system will calm by Wednesday morning, though the winds will stick around for a blustery and cold afternoon with highs in the 20s. 

The 20s stick around for Thanksgiving and into early next week. 

Here's a look at the seven-day forecast: