Snowy weekend ahead in MN: What to expect

MN weather: Bracing for weekend snow

Ian Leonard is tracking a weekend winter storm that could bring several inches of snow to the Twin Cities metro.

(FOX 9) - Winter weather watches have been issued across Minnesota as the state braces for some weekend snow.

For the latest forecast, click here.

Snow in the forecast

What's next:

A winter storm will hit Minnesota over the weekend that's expected to bring several inches of snow across the state.

Winter storm warnings, watches, and advisories have been issued across the Rocky Mountain region through Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

In Minnesota, winter storm watches have been issued across the central and southern parts of the state. But, it's possible some spots could get upgraded to winter storm warnings moving into the weekend.

Keep an eye on the fluff factor

Timeline:

The snow is setting up to start moving into the state during the overnight hours on Friday into Saturday evening.

In terms of snowfall, we'll hone down on the forecast over the next 24 hours. The early estimate is the range of three to six inches of snow.

Now, if there is a factor that could change everything here, it's the fluff factor. Generally speaking, the rule of thumb is that we look for an inch of moisture to become 10 to 11 inches of snow. At this point, though, our QPF – the amount of moisture available here – is going to drop. It's about three quarters of an inch. But our fluff factor goes to about 18-to-1. So less moisture, but we can create more snow because the flakes are so much bigger. So you get that light, airy snow, not good for snowballs, not good for making snowmen.