Sunday storm in Minnesota could drop 6-10 inches of snow in metro, more in the west

MINNEAPOLIS — Saturday will be the calmer of the weekend days as Minnesotans brace for a major winter storm to arrive on Sunday.

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High temperatures on Saturday will reach the mid-30 and a high pressure system will exit to the east. A few light snow showers arrive after 7 p.m., mainly south of Interstate 94, and there will be a light coating by Sunday morning. 

Winter weather alerts kick in Sunday morning; much of the state will be under a winter storm watch, with areas in central and northeast Minnesota under a winter storm warning. A strip of Minnesota along the north shore will be under a blizzard warning into Tuesday morning. Sunday through Tuesday will be NEXT Weather Alert days.

Greatest snowstorm impacts

The snow picks up in intensity through Sunday morning, though the heaviest rounds will fall through the afternoon and evening. There will be widespread travel issues during this time, NEXT Weather Meteorologists say.

At times, the snowfall rates could reach 1-to-2 inches per hour, with gusts up to 40 mph. The snow will be heavy and wet, making it difficult to shovel.

MORE: Minnesotans are preparing physically and financially for the big weekend snowfall

By midnight Sunday, NEXT Weather Meteorologists say that the metro area could see between 6 and 10 inches of snow. Areas to the north and west, like St. Cloud and Rice Lake, could see around a foot.

Some warm air will move in along Interstate 90 by 9 p.m. Sunday, and will reach the metro by Monday morning, which will turn the snow into rain. That rain, however, could cut back on some of the snow totals in the southeast. The warm nose of air isn’t expected to hit the northern and western parts of the state however, meaning that snow totals could continue to climb into Monday evening.

The timing and movement of the warm air is still uncertain, so it’s difficult to determine where, precisely, the snow will turn into rain.

A high pressure system returns Wednesday, making for much calmer weather on Wednesday through Friday.