Updraft: January 31, 2011 Archive

Snow Continues: Messy Midday & PM commute ahead

Posted at 9:10 AM on January 31, 2011 by Paul Huttner
Filed under: Snow, Winter, Winter storms

Our Monday snow mess continues right on schedule.

Bottom Line: (what you need to know right now) Expect snow to continue through today and tonight, a messy PM rush, and another 2" to 4" in most areas, with as much as 3" to 6" additional in southern Minnesota along the I-90 corridor.

Updated snow totals as of 9am:

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
900 AM CST MON JAN 31 2011

...PRELIMINARY SNOWFALL TOTALS FROM SUNDAY INTO MONDAY...

THE TOTALS BELOW ARE SEPARATED INTO SNOW...AND ICE AND SLEET
CATEGORIES...THEN BY AMOUNT...AND ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE
FINAL AMOUNT FOR EACH LOCATION.

SNOW REPORTS LISTED BY AMOUNT

INCHES LOCATION ST COUNTY TIME
------ ----------------------- -- -------------- -------
6.20 SSW MONTEVIDEO MN CHIPPEWA 0700 AM
5.00 MORGAN MN REDWOOD 0745 AM
4.20 WILLMAR MN KANDIYOHI 0600 AM
3.90 MADELIA MN WATONWAN 0551 AM
3.50 1 NNW SPRINGFIELD MN BROWN 0700 AM
3.20 HUTCHINSON MN MCLEOD 0642 AM
3.10 1 SW EDINA MN HENNEPIN 0800 AM
3.10 BIRD ISLAND MN RENVILLE 0630 AM
3.00 MANKATO MN BLUE EARTH 0813 AM
3.00 LITCHFIELD MN MEEKER 0700 AM
3.00 WINTHROP MN SIBLEY 0526 AM
3.00 REDWOOD FALLS MN REDWOOD 0500 AM
2.80 KIMBALL MN STEARNS 0616 AM
2.70 CHASKA MN CARVER 0600 AM
2.50 INVER GROVE HEIGHTS MN DAKOTA 0804 AM
2.50 3 SSW MINNEAPOLIS MN HENNEPIN 0700 AM
2.40 CHAMPLIN MN HENNEPIN 0855 AM
2.40 5 SW ST PAUL MN RAMSEY 0853 AM
2.30 CHANHASSEN MN CARVER 0616 AM
2.20 LAKEVILLE MN DAKOTA 0742 AM
2.20 2 W PRIOR LAKE MN SCOTT 0700 AM
2.20 LONG LAKE MN HENNEPIN 0700 AM
2.20 ST CLOUD MN STEARNS 0600 AM
MEASURED AT ST CLOUD STATE UNIVERSITY.
2.20 WACONIA MN CARVER 0600 AM
2.10 MINNEAPOLIS MN HENNEPIN 0600 AM
STORM TOTAL SO FAR MEASURED AT THE
MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
2.00 3 NE BURNSVILLE MN DAKOTA 0800 AM
2.00 WSW LITTLE CANADA MN RAMSEY 0800 AM
2.00 RUSH CITY MN CHISAGO 0759 AM
2.00 CREDIT RIVER MN SCOTT 0737 AM
2.00 HASTINGS MN DAKOTA 0724 AM
2.00 ELLENDALE MN STEELE 0714 AM
2.00 BALDWIN WI ST. CROIX 0700 AM
2.00 FARIBAULT MN RICE 0700 AM
2.00 FAIRMONT MN MARTIN 0700 AM
2.00 FARMINGTON MN DAKOTA 0700 AM
2.00 1 NNW COLD SPRING MN STEARNS 0600 AM
2.00 1 SW ROSEVILLE MN RAMSEY 0600 AM
2.00 WSW ST JAMES MN WATONWAN 0230 AM
1.90 COON RAPIDS MN ANOKA 0602 AM
1.80 RICE MN BENTON 0700 AM
1.80 FOREST LAKE MN WASHINGTON 0700 AM
1.70 3 N ALEXANDRIA MN DOUGLAS 0700 AM
1.60 MENOMONIE WI DUNN 0753 AM
1.60 3 WSW PRINCETON MN SHERBURNE 0700 AM
1.60 ST CLOUD MN STEARNS 0600 AM
1.60 JORDAN MN SCOTT 0505 AM
1.50 STILLWATER MN WASHINGTON 0800 AM
1.50 LITTLE FALLS MN MORRISON 0700 AM
1.30 SPRING VALLEY WI PIERCE 0800 AM
1.30 4 W OWATONNA MN STEELE 0700 AM
1.30 LONG PRAIRIE MN TODD 0600 AM
1.20 7 S HILLMAN MN MORRISON 0730 AM
1.00 BLOOMER WI CHIPPEWA 0800 AM
1.00 2 SE CHETEK WI BARRON 0700 AM
1.00 RED WING MN GOODHUE 0600 AM
1.00 1 SSW LONSDALE MN RICE 0600 AM
1.00 BLUE EARTH MN FARIBAULT 0600 AM
1.00 MONTGOMERY MN LE SUEUR 0500 AM
0.90 ROBERTS WI ST. CROIX 0700 AM
0.80 CANNON FALLS MN GOODHUE 0600 AM
0.70 EAU CLAIRE WI EAU CLAIRE 0435 AM

Heaviest snow totals should fall in southern Minnesota.

Snow so far: Here are some snow totals as of early Monday morning.

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN MN
744 AM CST MON JAN 31 2011

...PRELIMINARY SNOWFALL TOTALS FROM SUNDAY INTO MONDAY...

THE TOTALS BELOW ARE SEPARATED INTO SNOW...AND ICE AND SLEET
CATEGORIES...THEN BY AMOUNT...AND ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE
FINAL AMOUNT FOR EACH LOCATION.

SNOW REPORTS LISTED BY AMOUNT

INCHES LOCATION ST COUNTY TIME
------ ----------------------- -- -------------- -------
5.00 MORGAN MN REDWOOD 0745 AM
3.90 MADELIA MN WATONWAN 0551 AM
STILL SNOWING
3.20 HUTCHINSON MN MCLEOD 0642 AM
3.00 LITCHFIELD MN MEEKER 0700 AM
3.00 WINTHROP MN SIBLEY 0526 AM
3.00 REDWOOD FALLS MN REDWOOD 0500 AM
2.80 KIMBALL MN STEARNS 0616 AM
2.70 CHASKA MN CARVER 0600 AM
2.30 CHANHASSEN MN CARVER 0616 AM
STORM TOTAL.
2.20 LAKEVILLE MN DAKOTA 0742 AM
2.20 ST CLOUD MN STEARNS 0600 AM
MEASURED AT ST CLOUD STATE UNIVERSITY.
2.20 WACONIA MN CARVER 0600 AM
2.10 MINNEAPOLIS MN HENNEPIN 0600 AM
STORM TOTAL SO FAR MEASURED AT THE
MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.
2.00 CREDIT RIVER MN SCOTT 0737 AM
2.00 HASTINGS MN DAKOTA 0724 AM
2.00 ELLENDALE MN STEELE 0714 AM
2.00 FAIRMONT MN MARTIN 0700 AM
2.00 FARMINGTON MN DAKOTA 0700 AM
2.00 1 NNW COLD SPRING MN STEARNS 0600 AM
2.00 WSW ST JAMES MN WATONWAN 0230 AM
1.90 COON RAPIDS MN ANOKA 0602 AM
1.80 FOREST LAKE MN WASHINGTON 0700 AM
1.60 ST CLOUD MN STEARNS 0600 AM
STORM TOTAL SO FAR.
1.60 JORDAN MN SCOTT 0505 AM
1.50 LITTLE FALLS MN MORRISON 0700 AM
1.30 4 W OWATONNA MN STEELE 0700 AM
1.30 LONG PRAIRIE MN TODD 0600 AM
1.20 7 S HILLMAN MN MORRISON 0730 AM
1.00 RED WING MN GOODHUE 0600 AM
1.00 1 SSW LONSDALE MN RICE 0600 AM
1.00 BLUE EARTH MN FARIBAULT 0600 AM
0.80 CANNON FALLS MN GOODHUE 0600 AM
0.70 EAU CLAIRE WI EAU CLAIRE 0435 AM

Latest radar trends:

Radar and surface reports showing moderate snow from the Twin Cities south to the Iowa border. Visibilities under 1 mile in many locations...corresponding to snowfall rates around 1/2" per hour. There may be a reduction in snowfall intensity at times today.

Long duration: It looks like snowfall will continue through tonight and taper early Tuesday. The long duration is due to what we call "overrunning" in meteorology. That is to say a broad area of lift generated when warmer air "overruns" colder air near the surface. This "semi-stable" situation can produce large areas of general snowfall.

"Big Foot" storm:

This storm has a huge geographical footprint covering thousands of square miles. The storm will produce hefty snowfall totals from the Dakotas through Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois straight east into Michigan and through New York into New England.

Massive snow totals?

It appears Minnesota will get off lucky with this system. As much as 10" to 20" could fall in Chicago, Madison, Milwaukee, and Detroit all the way east into New York.

Another messy PM rush:

It could look a lot like this again this afternoon on metro freeways.

Stay safe on the roads today!

PH

Midday Update: Messy PM commute ahead

Posted at 11:00 AM on January 31, 2011 by Paul Huttner
Filed under: Storms, Winter, Winter storms

Our active Monday snowmaker continues. Winter storm warnings and advisories contuine in effect through tonight.

Bottom Line: Looking ahead to the PM rush hour, it still appears it will be a messy and potentially slow commute. Plan accordingly for extra travel time through this evening.

There are a few breaks in the snow showing up on radar, while snow continues over much of southern Minnesota today. Here are some tools to track the storm through Midday, with an eye toward the PM commute.

-Latest snow totals
-Latest Twin Cities radar loop
-MNDOT live traffic cams and road info

It still looks like snowfall totals will end up somewhere in the 3" to 6" range for the metro by Tuesday morning. Higher totals between 6" and 12" could pile up in southern Minnesota along the Minnesota River and I-90 corridor.

Storm aims east:

Minnesota is just the appetizer for this massive storm. It looks like this massive system will make national headlines for the next two days. Snowfall totals could reach 1 to 2 FEET from near Chicago through Detroit to Upstate New York and Boston.

Stay safe and weather another "snow bomb" in the extreme winter of 2011.

PH