Two storms — one Thursday and another Saturday — will bring several inches of snow to the Twin Cities and much of Minnesota, and by the time it stops the winter of 2022-23 will likely be one of the 10 snowiest of all time.
Snow Thursday and Saturday could make this winter among top 10 snowiest
As of Wednesday, the Twin Cities had picked up 75.3 inches of snow for the season, and another 3 to 5 inches is expected Thursday through Friday. Saturday could deliver another 3 to 6 inches across the southern two-thirds of Minnesota.
March 9, 2023 at 11:23PM
And March, which is usually good for a few snowstorms, is just getting started.
As of Wednesday, the Twin Cities had picked up 75.3 inches of snow for the season, and another 3 to 5 inches was expected Thursday through Friday morning. The metro area along with portions of western, central and southern Minnesota were under a winter weather advisory, the National Weather Service said.
A winter storm warning stretching from Albert Lea to Rochester to Winona in southeastern Minnesota was in effect through 6 a.m. Friday. Between 4 and 7 inches of snow is forecast in the warning area, the Weather Service said.
The second round of snow is forecast to arrive Saturday and deliver another 3 to 6 inches across the southern two-thirds of Minnesota. Chances are "high" that places such as St. Cloud, Fergus Falls and Brainerd will see 4 or more inches of snow Saturday. Cities such as Morris, Hutchinson, Mankato and the Twin Cities have a "medium" chance of getting that much, the Weather Service said.
Just how snowy has it been?
Anything that falls is likely to catapult this season onto the Top 10 list of snowiest winters.
The winter of 2017-18 is holding onto 10th place. The metro saw 78.3 inches that year. Just ahead of that in ninth place was the season of 1966-67 when 78.4 inches fell and the winter of 1951-52 is sitting in eighth place at 79 inches, according to the Minnesota Climatology Office. A hefty dumping could make this year the seventh snowiest. That mark of 81.3 inches was set in 1961-62.
The record for seasonal snowfall at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is 98.6 inches in 1983-84, according to the Climatology Office.
Snow chances will linger into Sunday, but the sun will make an appearance on Monday and Tuesday, the Weather Service said. Highs will remain in the 30s Thursday through Tuesday, warming to 40 degrees by Wednesday.
Think that's a lot, try Duluth
Duluth is headed for a record-breaking snowfall year with 103 inches already this season, putting it at No. 5 for total snow to date. Records go back to 1885.
The season record, dating back to the winter of 1995-96, is 135.4 inches, and Duluth National Weather Service meteorologist Joe Moore said cracking that will be an easy feat.
"March and April can have a lot of snow," he said, recalling an April in 2013 where 50 inches fell. "We all just want to hit it for the bragging rights."
Residents have battled towering snowbanks, boulders of ice and impassable sidewalks this winter. And guess what? Another 6 inches is expected over the weekend.
Watch where you park
The unrelenting winter means that St. Paul will restrict parking to one side of most residential streets beginning 8 a.m. Friday.
Parking will be allowed only on the north and west sides of residential streets and banned on the south and east sides.
Minneapolis enacted similar restrictions in late January, limiting parking to the odd-numbered side of most non-snow emergency routes to ensure emergency vehicles and school buses could navigate narrow streets. The ban is in place until April 1.
Staff writer Jana Hollingsworth contributed to this report.
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