MINNEAPOLIS — A dusting of snow Monday morning was just a preview of the main event expected to hit later this week as the Twin Cities metro area and southern Minnesota brace for the biggest snowstorm in 30 years.
Winter storm watches were posted across the southern half of the state, which could see up to 20 inches of snow from Tuesday night to Friday morning, the National Weather Service said.
"The worst conditions will be Wednesday evening through Thursday, as heavy snow combines with northeast wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph," the National Weather Service said. "Travel could be very difficult to impossible, and the gusty winds could bring down tree branches and cause power outages."
In a winter that has already served up more than 55 inches of snow — the annual average for an entire snow season — the midweek dumping is poised to land on the list of the largest snowstorms ever.
The Twin Cities picked up 20 inches Jan. 22-23, 1982, the third-largest total on record since 1884. The metro area's largest snowstorm was the infamous Halloween blizzard from Oct. 31 to Nov. 3, 1991, when 28.4 inches of snow fell, according to the Minnesota Climatology Office.
The only other time snowfall topped 20 inches was in 1985, when 21.1 inches fell over Thanksgiving weekend Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, the climatology office said.
In the metro area, snow is expected to start off slowly with an inch Tuesday afternoon, followed by 3 to 7 inches overnight. After a brief break Wednesday morning, a second round is expected to arrive in the afternoon and drop 7 to 13 inches before wrapping up Thursday afternoon.
"Locally, total accumulations could exceed 20 inches in some locations by Thursday night," the National Weather Service said.
The watch in place covers an area south of Morris to Brainerd to Hinckley and extending to Rice Lake, Wisconsin, and is effective from Tuesday afternoon through Thursday evening, the National Weather Service said.
Peak winds are expected Wednesday afternoon into Thursday morning with blizzard conditions developing in open areas, the National Weather Service said.
Northern Minnesota got a taste of the wild weather Monday. A winter storm warning was in place along the shore of Lake Superior, where 5 to 9 inches of snow was forecast to fall. Inland, a weather advisory for 2 to 5 inches of snow was in place for places such as International Falls, Ely, Bigfork, Hibbing, Walker and Grand Rapids.
Behind the storms, temperatures will drop to 7 below zero by Thursday night in the Twin Cities and highs will be in the teens Friday, rising to near 30 degrees by Sunday.
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