Winter Storm and Blizzard Warnings Issued for Southern Minnesota Through Monday Morning
This alert is no longer in effect.
NOAA issued it on April 6, 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).
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A powerful winter storm is set to bring heavy mixed precipitation and blizzard conditions to southern Minnesota, with travel expected to become impossible.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Winter Storm Warning
- Affected area
- Southern Minnesota
- Issued
- April 6, 2026
- Issuing authority
- NWS Twin Cities
Storm notices can cover different combinations of wind, hail, lightning, and rainfall. Use the original notice for the hazards and boundaries attached to this specific record.
Record status: historical. It was issued 4 months ago; use the issuing agency's live warning service for current conditions in Southern Minnesota.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN has issued a dual-phase weather alert for southern Minnesota. A Winter Storm Warning is in effect from 7:00 PM Saturday evening until 10:00 AM Sunday. This will be immediately followed by a Blizzard Warning effective from 10:00 AM Sunday through 4:00 AM Monday.
Affected Areas
The warnings cover the following counties in southern Minnesota:
- Sibley
- Blue Earth
- Brown
- Le Sueur
- Nicollet
- Rice
- Steele
- Waseca
- Watonwan
Expected Conditions
Residents should prepare for two distinct phases of hazardous weather:
- Phase 1 (Winter Storm Warning): Heavy mixed precipitation is expected. Total snow accumulations of 2 to 6 inches are forecast, alongside sleet accumulations of approximately one-half inch and ice accumulations of one-tenth of an inch. Winds may gust as high as 40 mph.
- Phase 2 (Blizzard Warning): Conditions will transition to a blizzard on Sunday morning. Additional snow accumulations of 3 to 5 inches are expected, with northwest winds increasing to 50 mph.
The combination of falling and blowing snow will create whiteout conditions, significantly reducing visibility. Additionally, the high water content will make the snow very heavy, posing a risk for infrastructure damage and health hazards for those shoveling.
Timeline
- Winter Storm Warning: Saturday, March 14 at 7:00 PM CDT to Sunday, March 15 at 10:00 AM CDT.
- Blizzard Warning: Sunday, March 15 at 10:00 AM CDT to Monday, March 16 at 4:00 AM CDT.
What You Should Do
Travel is expected to be treacherous and potentially life-threatening. The NWS advises the following actions:
- Restrict travel to emergencies only. If you must travel, keep a winter survival kit in your vehicle.
- Stay with your vehicle if you become stranded.
- Prepare for road closures. If interstate highways are closed, secondary state and county roads will also be impassable.
- Shelter in place once conditions worsen and monitor road conditions via 511mn.org or by calling 5 1 1.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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