Parts of the Red River Valley could end up with a foot or more of snow by the time a powerful storm system passes through Wednesday, and another storm could bring more snow to the region later this week.
But the National Weather Service expects conditions to improve by the weekend, and next week could mark a return to the above normal temperatures that have caused much of this winter to be warmer and milder than normal.
Meteorologist Vince Godon said a winter storm was expected to make its way from Colorado to the southern Red River Valley by Tuesday evening, and its mix of heavy snowfall and wind gusts was on track to reach Grand Forks and northern communities after midnight.
Grand Forks and areas along the U.S. Highway 2 corridor were expected to end up with 4 to 6 inches of snow, while the Devils Lake area could get 2 to 4 inches by the time the storm tapers off Wednesday afternoon or evening.
But the worst of the storm appeared to be headed toward Fargo and the southern Valley into west central Minnesota, where freezing rain was possible before the storm brought a foot or more of new snow to southern communities.
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Godon said the storm likely would not pack the sustained or frequent wind gusts over 35 mph that are required to be considered a blizzard. But "sporadic" winds and heavy snowfall could reduce visibility in open areas and make travel hazardous, he said.
More snow?
Godon said the storm expected to move in Tuesday evening is a Colorado low system, which is able to draw moisture to the north. These systems become more common in the Northern Plains in late winter.
"These aren't very unusual, and we might have more of them," he said.
And the weather service forecast shows there might not be much of a break from the snowy conditions after this storm diminishes Wednesday.
Another wave of snow could come to the Red River Valley on Thursday and Friday, bringing 1 to 2 inches of new snow mostly along and north of the Highway 2 corridor.
But the forecast calls for conditions to improve by the weekend, with just a slight chance of snow for the Grand Forks area on Saturday night.
Godon said the Red River Valley likely will see temperatures move back above normal next week, with high temperatures in the mid to upper 30s that could be warm enough to melt some of the new snowfall.
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Forecast
Here is the weather service's forecast for Grand Forks.
• Wednesday: Snow and widespread blowing snow. The snow could be heavy at times. High near 29. Blustery, with a north northeast wind between 14 and 23 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible.
• Wednesday night: A 40 percent chance of snow before midnight. Cloudy, with a low around 16. North wind between 10 and 13 mph becoming calm. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
• Thursday: A 50 percent chance of snow, mainly after noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 30. Calm wind becoming southeast between 4 and 7 mph.
n Thursday night: Snow likely. Cloudy, with a low around 17. Calm wind becoming west northwest between 6 and 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.
• Friday: A 30 percent chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 27.
• Friday night: A 20 percent chance of snow. Cloudy, with a low around 12.
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• Saturday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 23.
• Saturday night: A slight chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 9.
• Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 23.
Reach Johnson at (701) 780-1105; (800) 477-6572, ext. 105; or send email to rjohnson@gfherald.com .<?i>
