Winter Storm Warning Issued For Duluth Area: Significant Snowfall + Ice Glaze Expected
It appears Mother Nature isn't waiting very long to give us our first winter storm of 2023 and this one will certainly make travel difficult across the Northland.
The National Weather Service in Duluth had been tracking this winter storm throughout the weekend, which they expected to impact southern Minnesota before heading toward the Duluth area.
That is exactly what happened as they reported a band of heavy snow had begun early Tuesday afternoon, with snow expected to continue to fall with rates up to 1 inch per hour. Now, it's headed our way.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the Duluth area, that will be in effect until noon on Wednesday:
- WHAT: Heavy mixed precipitation. Additional snow accumulations of 3 to 7 inches and ice accumulations of a light glaze.
- WHERE: Crow Wing, South Aitkin and Carlton, and South St. Louis Counties. This includes the Tribal Lands of the Mille Lacs Band, East Lake area, and the Fond du Lac Band.
- IMPACTS: Travel could be very difficult. The hazardous conditions are likely to impact the commute this evening and again Wednesday morning.
- PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS: If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency.
They also shared a video showing exactly how quickly road conditions can deteriorate with this storm.
This loop from Askov along I-35 shows how we expect conditions to continue to deteriorate rapidly as snow pushes north. Visibility will drop and roads will quickly become snow covered with difficult driving conditions.
- Expect this band of snow in areas like Aitkin, Moose Lake, Solon Springs in the next hour or two.
- Should be pushing into Cloquet, Twin Ports, Bayfield/Ashland in the next 2-4 hours.
The video was shared on Facebook at around 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, which would mean these conditions will arrive in the Duluth area Wednesday evening.
Remember, you can always get the latest Minnesota road conditions by calling 5 1 1. You can also get road conditions at 511mn.org for Minnesota or 511wi.gov for Wisconsin.