The weekend looks to be sunny and springlike, but first, a big blast of winter.
A storm bringing a little bit of everything — rain, gusty winds, snow, and blizzard and whiteout conditions — will strike the state from Tuesday night through Wednesday afternoon, the National Weather Service said.
In the metro, between 4 and 7 inches of snow is expected to fall between 7 p.m. Tuesday and 3 p.m. Wednesday when a winter storm warning covering an area just southwest of the Twin Cities through the metro and into western Wisconsin will be in effect.
To the south, a blizzard warning covering south-central and southeastern Minnesota will go into effect at 9 p.m. Tuesday and last until 3 p.m. Wednesday, the Weather Service said.
“Travel could be very difficult,” the Weather Service said.
Between 6 and 10 inches of snow could fall in Mankato, Albert Lea, Faribault, Northfield, Rochester and Red Wing, and winds could gust as high as 55 mph, the Weather Service said.
“The combination of these winds with falling snow will cause significant visibility reductions with a period of blizzard conditions expected,” the Weather Service said. “Travel could be treacherous and potentially life-threatening.”
The storm could inflict damage to trees and power lines, the Weather Service added.
Slippery conditions could develop north and west of the metro where a winter weather advisory will be in effect. One to 4 inches of snow is expected in Worthington, Marshall, St. Cloud and Hinckley.
A wintry mix of snow, rain and freezing rain is likely in a swath of Minnesota from Morris to Fergus Falls to Detroit Lakes to Bemidji, the Weather Service said.
Precipitation started off as rain Tuesday and expected to transition to snow by late afternoon or early evening and wrap up by midafternoon Wednesday.
By Thursday, anything that falls is likely to begin melting away. A string of sunny days is on tap Thursday through Tuesday with temperatures moderating from the low 40s Thursday through the weekend and into the 50s Monday and Tuesday, according to the Weather Channel.