I know, it feels like deja vu, all over again. Talk about a snowy rut - even some snow lovers I know are throwing up their hands and muttering "enough already". But Old Man Winter is showing no immediate signs of mercy, as another major snow event is brewing for the weekend, with the Main Event coming during the PM hours on Saturday.
I'm going with 6-10" for the Twin Cities with a 1 in 3 chance of a cool foot. That's up a notch since yesterday at this time. The best chance of a foot or more of heavy, cement-like snow will probably come south/west of the Twin Cities, from Hutchinson and Willmar to Olivia. But it may be a very close call.
Never tell a Minnesotan not to drive (ever) but I would strongly recommend finding a creative excuse NOT to be on the highways from about 1 pm Saturday through Sunday morning. Although the snow will be heavier and wetter, not as prone to blowing and drifting, the rate of snowfall may be excessive by Saturday evening, making it hard to see. Roads will be treacherous during the PM hours on Saturday, there's little doubt of that.
Snow quickly tapers on Sunday, giving us a chance to dig out before the next snow-ice-rain event next Tuesday and Wednesday. The longer we get snow, the longer we have to wait for a real thaw, the more concerned I get about spring river flooding. My sense is that within about 2-3 weeks the conversation will shift from tracking heavy snow to updating river flooding potential, which is now high to very high in the Upper Mississippi River Valley, according to NOAA.
Whatever Mother Nature hurls at us we'll keep you posted on News-Talk 830, WCCO.
- Paul Douglas
