Winter Storm Warning Issued for Benton, Isanti, and Chisago Counties 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This alert is no longer in effect.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).
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 powerful winter storm is forecast to bring 10 to 16 inches of heavy snow and 40 mph wind gusts to central Minnesota, making travel potentially impossible.
Read this weather record in 30 seconds
- Record type
- Winter Storm Warning
- Affected area
- 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 Central Minnesota.
Alert Details
The National Weather Service in Twin Cities/Chanhassen has issued a Winter Storm Warning for central Minnesota. The alert is in response to a major winter storm system moving across the Upper Midwest that is expected to bring extreme snow accumulations and strong winds.
Affected Areas
The warning specifically impacts the following counties in Minnesota:
- Benton
- Isanti
- Chisago
What You Should Do
Travel is expected to be very difficult to impossible. If you must travel, the National Weather Service recommends keeping an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. Residents should also be aware that the high water content of the snow will make it very heavy, posing a health hazard for those shoveling and a risk for infrastructure damage. For current road conditions, call 5 1 1 or visit 511mn.org.
Expected Conditions
- Snowfall: Total snow accumulations between 10 and 16 inches are expected. Snowfall rates of 2 to 2.5 inches per hour are likely during the peak of the storm.
- Wind: Northwest winds will increase with gusts reaching as high as 40 mph.
- Visibility: Widespread blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility. The combination of falling and blowing snow may create blizzard conditions.
- Additional Hazards: Gusty winds could bring down tree branches.
Timeline
The Winter Storm Warning is in effect from 4:00 PM CDT Saturday, March 14, until 4:00 AM CDT Monday, March 16.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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