Weâll have a white Christmas after all.
A winter storm blasted through Minnesota Wednesday with winds as high as 70 mph and blowing snow that closed freeways, stranded motorists and grounded flights on one of the most anticipated air travel days since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Late Wednesday, the snowfall began easing, but not the high winds. That means blowing snow will continue to re-cover roadways that may have been cleared by plows. Travel conditions will remain dangerous across Minnesota into early Thursday.
âCrews are making progress,â said Minnesota Department of Transportation spokesperson Anne Meyer. âIn terms of road conditions, some lanes are looking better than others, but this is the challenge when temperatures are as cold as it is today, our materials like salt and brine just don t work as well, it takes a little longer for them to active, so we ll be applying that and really be dealing with the slow process today as we try to get our
Updated 9:30 p.m.
Snowfall is beginning to ease in the greater Twin Cities area. But high winds will continue overnight. That means blowing snow will continue to re-cover roadways that may have been cleared by plows. Travel conditions will remain extremely dangerous across Minnesota into early Thursday morning.
Radar update: Still light snow and airborne blowing snow across Twin Cities. Back edge of snow moves east through Twin Cities by midnight. Winds continue overnight. #mnwxpic.twitter.com/njQLv8XLYT MPR Weather (@MPRweather) December 24, 2020
In the past two hours, wind gusts to 65 mph have been recorded in Grand Marais, and 68 mph in Redwood Falls.
We’ll have a white Christmas after all.
A winter storm blasted through Minnesota Wednesday with winds as high as 70 mph and blowing snow that closed freeways, stranded motorists and grounded flights on one of the most anticipated air travel days since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
Late Wednesday, the snowfall began easing, but not the high winds. That means blowing snow will continue to re-cover roadways that may have been cleared by plows. Travel conditions will remain dangerous across Minnesota into early Thursday.
“Crews are making progress,” said Minnesota Department of Transportation spokesperson Anne Meyer. “In terms of road conditions, some lanes are looking better than others, but this is the challenge when temperatures are as cold as it is today, our materials like salt and brine just don t work as well, it takes a little longer for them to active, so we ll be applying that and really be dealing with the slow process today as we try to get our highways
Update 2:10 pm
Blizzard warnings have now been expanded to include the greater Twin Cities area until 6 a.m. Thursday. Here’s the warning language from the Twin Cities National Weather Service office:
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 154 PM CST Wed Dec 23 2020
.BLIZZARD WARNING EXPANDED TO INCLUDE THE TWIN CITIES METRO AREA.
.Travel becoming difficult to impossible this afternoon across much of Minnesota.
Including the cities of Mora, Cambridge, Center City, Minneapolis, Blaine, St Paul, Stillwater, Shakopee, Hastings, Faribault, and Red Wing
154 PM CST Wed Dec 23 2020 .BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM CST THURSDAY. WHAT.Blizzard conditions. Additional snow accumulations of 7 to 11 inches. Winds gusting as high as 50 mph.
Quiet Weather Weekend - Getting Cold In Time For Christmas While quiet weather is expected this weekend, we do watch the chance for some snow and much colder weather next week. Click for more details. - D.J. Kayser
By D.J. Kayser Text size Copy shortlink:
Statewide Snow Depth
It s still hard to find snow on the ground across most of the state as we head into the weekend before Christmas, though odds are a bit higher as you head into northern Minnesota. Some areas along portions of the C.J. Ramstad/North Shore State Trail are reporting a snow depth up to 5 , but there isn t enough yet to pack. Across some of the state parks in northern Minnesota: