Winter Storm Watch Minnesota | Effective 03/13/2026 00:27

...DANGEROUS WINTER STORM LIKELY TO BRING EXTREME SNOW ACCUMULATIONS AND GUSTY WINDS... ...TRAVEL MAY BECOME IMPOSSIBLE LATE SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY... .A major winter storm will move across the Upper Midwest late Saturday into Sunday. Model guidance continues to illustrate a remarkable precipitation footprint across the region which will yield heavy snow accumulations on the order of 1 to 2 feet. Totals across portions of western and central Wisconsin could exceed 2 feet. The combination of heavy snow and gusty winds will reduce visibility and create periods of blizzard conditions on Sunday across western and southern Minnesota. Travel is expected to become very difficult or impossible late Saturday night and Sunday. In addition, the amount of water in the snowpack will make it wet and very heavy, leading to the potential for infrastructure damage and a health hazard for those shoveling. * WHAT...Blizzard conditions possible. Total snow accumulations of 1 to 2 feet, sleet accumulations up to one tenth of an inch, and ice accumulations around a light glaze possible. Winds could gust as high as 50 mph. * WHERE...Sibley, Blue Earth, Brown, Faribault, Freeborn, Le Sueur, Martin, Nicollet, Steele, Waseca, Watonwan, Redwood, Lac Qui Parle, and Yellow Medicine Counties. * WHEN...From Saturday evening through Monday morning. * IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult to impossible. Widespread blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility. The hazardous conditions could impact the Monday morning commute. Gusty winds could bring down tree branches.