Winter Storm Warning for Western and Central Minnesota: Heavy Snow and High Winds Expected
This alert is no longer in effect.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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The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for several Minnesota counties, forecasting 10 to 16 inches of snow and wind gusts up to 45 mph starting Saturday afternoon.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Winter Storm Warning
- Affected area
- Western and Central 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 Western and Central Minnesota.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN has issued a Winter Storm Warning for portions of western and central Minnesota. The alert is in response to a powerful winter storm system expected to bring extreme snow accumulations and hazardous travel conditions.
Affected Areas
The warning covers the following counties in Minnesota:
- Stevens
- Pope
- Lac Qui Parle
- Swift
- Chippewa
- Kandiyohi
- Yellow Medicine
- Renville
- Redwood
What You Should Do
Residents are advised that travel could become very difficult to impossible. If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. For the latest road conditions, call 5 1 1 or visit 511mn.org. Additionally, be aware that the snow will be wet and heavy, posing a health hazard for those shoveling and potential for infrastructure damage.
Expected Conditions
- Snow Accumulation: Total snow accumulations between 10 and 16 inches are expected. Snowfall rates may reach 2 inches per hour on Saturday night.
- Wind: Northwest winds will increase to 35 to 45 mph on Sunday.
- Visibility: Widespread blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility, creating periods of blizzard conditions.
- Impacts: Gusty winds could bring down tree branches. The hazardous conditions are expected to impact the Monday morning commute.
Timeline
The Winter Storm Warning is effective from 4:00 PM CDT Saturday, March 14, through 7:00 AM CDT Monday, March 16.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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