Twin Cities set for record snow with 7 inches possible Tuesday
Chris Schad / Bring Me The News
The Twin Cities could be in line for a record amount of snow for this time of year as a winter system makes its way across the state of Minnesota Tuesday.
Flakes that began flying in western Minnesota early Tuesday morning will arrive in the metro area around 9 a.m., according to the National Weather Service.
There remain uncertainties over the total snowfall, but the current projections from the National Weather Service are for between 2-7 inches, depending on where you live. The official estimate for the Twin Cities is 5-7 inches.
Bring Me The News meteorologist Sven Sundgaard says that if the snow ends up being towards the upper end of that range, it could be a record for the Twin Cities.
"If we get 4” or more of snow tomorrow (which is looking likely) it will be the earliest 4” snowfall on record for the Twin Cities," he said Monday. "The earliest 3” snowfall on record is tomorrow back in 1916, we look to beat that."
Computer models are showcasing more impressive amounts than the weather service is forecasting, but that's due to the models pushing out a slightly higher snow ratio along with failing to account for melting and compaction. It'll be a wet, slushy snow, so the snow won't be as deep as it would be in a customary winter event.
Credit: College of DuPage
The storm has prompted the customary warning from the Minnesota Department of Transportation as the metro prepares for its first significant snow of the season, with drivers told to expect "snow-covered road conditions."
A winter weather advisory was issued by the NWS on Monday afternoon, and MnDOT is asking drivers to check 511mn.org before leaving to check current road conditions, with MnDOT's fleet of snowplows expected to be out on the roads.
"Motorists need to be prepared for changing road conditions to be sure their drive is safe and uneventful,” said Steve Lund, MnDOT maintenance engineer.
"When driving near snowplows, remember to be patient and give our operators plenty of room to work so that they can improve road conditions and help you get where you need to be."
Unlike in the depths of winter, there's a chance that at least some of the snow will melt over the coming days, with daytime temperatures expected to be above freezing, though there is the potential for more snow this weekend.
