Weather Obs

...POWERFUL WINTER STORM ON TRACK TO BRING EXTREME SNOW ACCUMULATIONS AND GUSTY WINDS... ...TRAVEL MAY BECOME IMPOSSIBLE LATE SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY... .A major winter storm will move across the Upper Midwest starting late Saturday and lasting through Sunday. The first concern is heavy snow, with a broad area of 10 to 16 inches likely, and a narrow swath of 15 to 20 inches Totals across portions of western and central Wisconsin could approach 2 feet. The heaviest snow will fall Saturday evening and overnight, with rates of 2 inches per hour possible. Winds will start out of the northeast at 20 to 30 mph. The second concern is increasing winds on Sunday. Even though the snow will be diminishing on Sunday, northwest winds will increase to 35 to 45 mph. The combination of heavy snow and gusty winds will reduce visibility and create periods of blizzard conditions on Sunday across western and southern Minnesota. Travel is expected to become very difficult or impossible late Saturday night and Sunday. In addition, the amount of water in the snowpack will make it wet and very heavy, leading to the potential for infrastructure damage and a health hazard for those shoveling. * WHAT...Heavy snow expected. Total snow accumulations between 10 and 16 inches. Winds gusting as high as 40 mph. * WHERE...Sherburne, Stearns, Wright, Anoka, Carver, Hennepin, Ramsey, and Washington Counties. * WHEN...From 7 PM Saturday to 7 AM CDT Monday. * IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult to impossible. Widespread blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility. The hazardous conditions will impact the Monday morning commute.