Community Corner

SLP is in a Winter Storm Warning Starting at Midnight Sunday

The National Weather Service in Chanhassen has upgraded the winter storm watch to a warning. The amount of expected snow has increased.

Updated 12:30 p.m. Sunday: St. Louis Park now is in a winter storm warning instead of a watch.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Chanhassen issued the warning at about 11 a.m. Sunday. 

"A winter storm warning for heavy snow means severe winter weather conditions are expected or occurring," according to the warning. "Significant amounts of snow are forecast that will make travel dangerous. Only travel in an emergency. If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency."

Find out what's happening in St. Louis Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Now 6 to 12 inches of snow are forecast from midnight Sunday to 6 p.m. Tuesday.

If we receive more than 3 inches of snow, a winter parking ban automatically goes into effect in St. Louis Park.

Find out what's happening in St. Louis Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Here is the full weather statement:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN

1109 AM CST SUN MAR 3 2013

SNOW SPREADING IN TONIGHT AND LASTING THROUGH TUESDAY,

A WINTER STORM WILL IMPACT THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND UPPER MIDWEST BEGINNING TONIGHT AND LASTING THROUGH TUESDAY. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 6-10 INCHES TO MUCH OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA AND FAR WESTERN WISCONSIN. SOME STORM TOTALS COULD APPROACH 12 INCHES DEPENDING ON WHERE PRIMARY SNOW BANDS SET UP.

THIS SNOWFALL LOOKS TO BE SPLIT UP INTO TWO WAVES OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW. THE FIRST WILL COME TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY MORNING, WITH A SECOND ROUND EXPECTED MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING. SNOWFALL RATES ARE EXPECTED TO DECREASE FOR A PERIOD MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING BETWEEN THESE TWO WAVES.

MNZ043-050-051-059>063-068>070-076>078-084-085-093-040115-/O.UPG.KMPX.WS.A.0005.130304T0000Z-130306T0000Z/
/O.NEW.KMPX.WS.W.0003.130304T0600Z-130306T0000Z/

MORRISON-BENTON-SHERBURNE-WRIGHT-HENNEPIN-ANOKA-RAMSEY-WASHINGTON-CARVER-SCOTT-DAKOTA-LE SUEUR-RICE-GOODHUE-WASECA-STEELE-FREEBORN-INCLUDING THE CITIES OF LITTLE FALLS, FOLEY, ELK RIVER, MONTICELLO, MINNEAPOLIS, BLAINE, ST. PAUL, STILLWATER, CHASKA, SHAKOPEE, BURNSVILLE, LE SUEUR, FARIBAULT, RED WING, WASECA, OWATONNA, ALBERT LEA

1109 AM CST SUN MAR 3 2013

WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM CST TUESDAY

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW, WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM CST TUESDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* TIMING: TWO PERIODS OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW EXPECTED TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY MORNING AND AGAIN MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING. SNOW WILL SLOWLY DIMINISH TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

* MAIN IMPACTS: SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 6 TO 10 INCHES, WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS NEAR 12 INCHES POSSIBLE BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

* OTHER IMPACTS: SOUTHEAST WINDS GUSTING TO AROUND 25 MPH MONDAY WILL RESULT IN SOME BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW IN OPEN AREAS. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS:

A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING.  SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL, KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT, FOOD, AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.

Keep checking St. Louis Park Patch for updates.

***

Original post, 6 a.m. Sunday: Yet another winter storm, the third in four weeks, is set to make its arrival in the Twin Cities area Sunday night, dropping heavy snow through Monday and bringing some windy conditions to make the morning commute difficult. 

The National Weather Service (NWS) in Chanhassen has issued a winter storm watch for this yet-to-be-named system, which is coming across the Rockies Sunday and should drop its heaviest snow overnight Sunday into Monday. 

If we receive more than 3 inches of snow, a winter parking ban automatically goes into effect in St. Louis Park.

The track of the storm is still in doubt, the weather service said, but the metro should, after more than four days of above-average temps and some actual snow melt, see a good dose of new precipitation. 

"A winter storm watch means there is a potential for significant snow, sleet or ice accumulations that may impact travel," according to the NWS.

A complete rundown of the system, and the NWS forecast, can be seen in the YouTube video. 

Here's the weather statement issued by the NWS Saturday night:

WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY EVENING THROUGH LATE MONDAY NIGHT...

A WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY EVENING THROUGH LATE MONDAY NIGHT.

* TIMING: ACCUMULATING SNOW DEVELOPING SUNDAY NIGHT IN WEST CENTRAL MINNESOTA AND THEN SPREADING EAST AND SOUTH ON MONDAY. THE SNOWFALL WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT... BEFORE DIMINISHING ON TUESDAY.

* MAIN IMPACTS: SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 6 INCHES OR MORE POSSIBLE ALONG WITH DIFFICULT TRAVEL CONDITIONS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW... SLEET... OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.

More Information

... SNOWFALL EXPECTED FROM SUNDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY...

.A WINTER STORM IS EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND UPPER MIDWEST FROM SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THIS SYSTEM MAY BRING SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 6 INCHES OR MORE TO MUCH OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA. AT THIS TIME... THE GREATEST THREAT FOR HEAVY SNOW IS ALONG AND WEST OF A LINE FROM LITTLE FALLS TO ALBERT LEA. CONFIDENCE HAS INCREASED ENOUGH THAT WINTER STORM WARNINGS MAY BE ISSUED LATER TONIGHT FOR PORTIONS OF THE REGION. PLEASE CHECK LATER WINTER WEATHER MESSAGES FOR MORE DETAILS AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here