Blizzard Warning Issued for Southern and Western Minnesota Through Monday Morning
This alert is no longer in effect.
NOAA issued it on April 1, 2026, 4 months ago. Warnings of this kind stay in effect for hours to a few days, so this page is a historical record of what was issued, not a current warning. For conditions where you are right now, check weather.gov (US), weather.gc.ca (Canada), the Met Office (UK), or the Bureau of Meteorology (Australia).
Areazine synthesizes this NWS weather alert directly from NOAA's official public data feed. See our methodology for full source attribution and refresh cadence.
A Blizzard Warning is in effect for several Minnesota counties as heavy snow and 60 mph wind gusts create life-threatening whiteout conditions through Monday morning.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Blizzard Warning
- Affected area
- Southern and Western Minnesota
- Issued
- April 1, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Twin Cities
Winter notices differ by expected impact and timing. The original notice carries the forecast window and any travel guidance for the named area.
Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Southern and Western Minnesota.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN has issued a Blizzard Warning for southern and western Minnesota. The alert is in response to very heavy snow and significantly increasing winds that are expected to create widespread blowing snow and blizzard conditions.
Affected Areas
The warning covers the following Minnesota counties:
- Lac Qui Parle
- Chippewa
- Kandiyohi
- Meeker
- Yellow Medicine
- Renville
- McLeod
- Sibley
- Redwood
- Brown
- Nicollet
- Watonwan
- Blue Earth
- Waseca
What You Should Do
Travel should be restricted to emergencies only. If you must travel, ensure you have a winter survival kit with you. If you become stranded, stay with your vehicle. Residents are advised to prepare for potential road closures and shelter in place as conditions worsen. For the latest road conditions, call 5 1 1 or visit 511mn.org. Remember that if interstate highways are closed, state and county roads are also likely impassable.
Expected Conditions
- Snow Accumulation: Additional snow accumulations between 5 and 10 inches are expected. Snowfall rates of 2 to 3 inches per hour are possible through mid-morning.
- Wind: Northwest winds will increase to 30 to 40 mph, with gusts reaching as high as 60 mph, particularly across the Minnesota River Valley.
- Visibility: The combination of falling and blowing snow will create whiteout conditions, making travel treacherous and potentially life-threatening.
- Impacts: Widespread blowing snow will significantly reduce visibility. Strong winds may cause extensive damage to trees and power lines. The hazardous conditions are expected to impact the Monday morning commute.
Timeline
The Blizzard Warning is effective immediately and remains in effect until 7:00 AM CDT Monday, March 16. While snow may taper off from northwest to southeast this afternoon and evening, blizzard conditions are expected to persist into tonight.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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