Shovel quickly because bitter cold is moving into Minnesota

(FOX 9) - The snow is winding down in the Twin Cities by the noon hour after a few hours of light to moderate snow and some overnight freezing rain.

Snow totals in the Twin Cities metro as of 11 a.m. (FOX 9)

Overall snow totals widely varied from neighborhood to neighborhood thanks to local pockets of heavy snow and temperatures starting the day near the freeze mark.

Snow totals in Greater Minnesota as of 11 a.m. (FOX 9)

Most metro locations are coming in anywhere from 2-3.5 inches, but there were some heavier pockets of snow. One of those pockets was on the southeast side of the metro from the Afton and Ellsworth, Wisconsin area down to Faribault. But, there was an even more intense band of snow real early Thursday morning from Redwood Falls through Hutchinson, Litchfield and into Wright County, with many spots picking up 4 or 5 inches. 

A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for much of Minnesota Thursday through early Friday. (FOX 9)

Winter weather advisories continue through Thursday night for much of southern and eastern Minnesota as well as western Wisconsin for slippery roads and blowing snow as winds will be gusting up to 45 miles per hour. 

Day planner for Thursday, February 4, 2021. (FOX 9)

Now we have to deal with the bitter cold as temperatures gradually fall throughout Friday and the weekend. But it’s not the cold temperatures alone that will be the issue, it’s that the frigid temperatures are coming with gusty breezes that will drop wind chills to the -20-degree to -45-degree range over the weekend. Stay warm!

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