NWS: Accumulating snow likely this weekend in Minnesota
Snow remains on track to impact parts of Minnesota on Saturday as a storm system quickly advances through the region.
According to the National Weather Service, most locations in the southern half of Minnesota should pick up 3-6 inches of snow, though there remains a chance that isolated areas could get more than 6 inches.
Most computer models are forecasting between 0.2 to 0.4 inches of liquid precipitation. That's important because the NWS is projecting a snow:liquid ratio of anywhere from 15 inches of snow for every 1 inch of liquid all the way to 20 inches of snow for every 1 inch of liquid.
So, if the Twin Cities, for example, gets 0.2 inches of liquid at a 15:1 ratio, that equates to 3 inches of snow. At a 20:1 ratio, 0.2 inches of liquid results in 4 inches. Do the same math for 0.4 inches and the amounts double at both ratios – 6 inches at a 15:1 ratio, or 8 inches at a 20:1 ratio.
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"Totals are still somewhat uncertain but most locations will likely see 3 to 6 inches of snow," the forecast discussion from the NWS Twin Cities says.
"If there is a narrow band of stronger forcing, then these higher precipitation amounts and higher ratios would produce a band of 6-8" of snow. As of now, the best chance for this is somewhere between the Twin Cities and I-90," the NWS Twin Cities explains.
It'll be light, fluffy snow that accumulates, so shoveling won't be a backbreaking task.
Here's the radar simulation for Saturday from the NAM computer model guidance.
Check back with Bring Me The News later Thursday for an updated forecast from Novak Weather.