Largest dumping of the season coming Thursday, Weather Service says

While not much snow fell in the metro area Tuesday, a larger dumping is still on track to come Thursday.

Of course, large is relative and this year the bar is low.

A paltry 0.8 inches of snow that fell on Nov. 20 stands as the Twin Cities metro area’s biggest single snowfall of the season, but not for long. A system moving into the state Thursday will bring light to moderate snow north of Interstate 94 with 3 to 6 inches of snow expected across central Minnesota and western Wisconsin on Thursday, the National Weather Service said.

“Best accumulating snow chance of the season so far,” the Weather Service said earlier, noting the metro is in line to get 2 to 5 inches, with higher amounts on the north side.

Portions of west-central Minnesota and extending into the Fargo-Moorhead area have a 50% chance of picking up 4 inches or more, the Weather Service in Grand Forks, N.D., said.

In the Twin Cities and southern Minnesota, Thursday’s snow is expected to affect both the morning and evening commutes, with snow falling up to 1 inch per hour Thursday morning into the afternoon, the Weather Service said.

“Prepare for snow-covered roads Thursday,” the Weather Service said. “Allow extra time and space on the road.”

A winter weather advisory was in effect until 9 p.m. Tuesday for far southwestern Minnesota, including Marshall and Worthington.

Not much piled up in the metro area on Tuesday.

Thursday’s snowfall could increase the odds of a White Christmas, which is defined as having 1 inch of snow or more covering the ground on the morning of Dec. 25, the Minnesota Climatology Office said. That is not a guarantee.

After a cool weekend with high temperatures in the metro in the teens Friday and Saturday and in the mid-20s Sunday, “a big warm up is in store for the last week of December,” the Weather Service said.

Average temperatures for Christmas week in the Twin Cities bring highs in the mid-20s and lows in low teens. The Climate Prediction Center predicts a 50% to 70% chance of above normal temperatures across Minnesota from Sunday through Dec. 26.