Winter Storm Warning Issued for Central Minnesota: Heavy Snow and Strong Winds Expected Through Sunday
This alert is no longer in effect.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 major winter storm is forecast to bring 8 to 12 inches of snow and 40 mph wind gusts to central Minnesota, creating potentially impossible travel conditions.
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 MN has issued a Winter Storm Warning for central Minnesota. This alert is in response to a powerful winter storm on track to bring extreme snow accumulations and strong winds to the region. The warning is effective from 4:00 PM CDT Saturday afternoon through 10:00 PM CDT Sunday.
Affected Areas
The warning specifically covers the following counties in central Minnesota:
- Douglas
- Todd
- Morrison
- Mille Lacs
- Kanabec
Expected Conditions
Residents in the warned area should prepare for the following conditions:
- Snow Accumulations: Total snow accumulations between 8 and 12 inches are expected.
- Wind Speeds: Northwest winds will increase, with gusts reaching as high as 40 mph.
- Visibility: Widespread blowing snow is expected to significantly reduce visibility, potentially creating blizzard conditions late Sunday morning through the evening.
- Impacts: Travel could become very difficult to impossible. The heavy, wet nature of the snow may lead to infrastructure damage and poses a health hazard for those shoveling. Gusty winds may also bring down tree branches.
Timeline
- Onset: The storm is expected to begin impacting the area at 4:00 PM CDT Saturday, March 14.
- Peak Intensity: Heavy snow rates and increasing winds are expected late Saturday night through Sunday.
- Expiration: The Winter Storm Warning is currently scheduled to expire at 10:00 PM CDT Sunday, March 15.
What You Should Do
The National Weather Service advises against travel. If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. For the latest road conditions in Minnesota, call 5 1 1 or visit 511mn.org.
Original source: NOAA Official Notice ↗
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