UPDATED AT 3:45 P.M.
A winter storm that is expected to arrive at about midnight could drop 4 to 7 inches of snow across most of the Red River Valley Wednesday, according to meteorologists.
A winter storm warning is in effect until midnight Thursday for eastern North Dakota and most of northwestern Minnesota. The snow likely will accompany blustery conditions with northwest winds of 16 to 23 mph and gusts as high as 30 mph. That is expected to reduce visibility and potentially limit driving conditions during Wednesday’s morning commute, the National Weather Service said in its forecast.
Today’s high should be near 27 degrees with a low of 15, according to NWS.
Meteorologists expected the heaviest snow to fall before 6 a.m. Wednesday, according to the NWS forecast. The snow is expected to taper off by the end of Wednesday.
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Thursday’s high should be near 18 degrees with west-northwest winds of 16 to 22 mph and gusts as high as 29 mph.
Temperatures likely will drop into the near-zero or below-zero range Thursday night into Friday morning with Friday high temperatures remaining in the single digits and low teens, according to NWS.
The weather should begin to moderate over the weekend with highs reaching into the high teens and low 20s, according to NWS.
Saturday’s high should be about 17 in Grand Forks with a low of about 7 degrees. Sunday’s high should be near 24 with a low of 15. Monday should bring partly sunny skies with a high near 27 degrees, according to the report.
Update: A winter storm watch is in effect for the Red River Valley today through Wednesday.
Areas of freezing drizzle have developed this morning, especially south of U.S. Highway 2, and will continue throughout the day. Roads may become slippery, especially if left untreated, according to the latest forecast from the National Weather Service in Grand Forks.
Some 4 to 7 inches of snow are possible, with snow beginning around midnight in the Devils Lake, Grand Forks, Fosston, Minn. The snow will continue through late Wednesday afternoon, the Weather Service said.
Northerly winds of 10 to 20 mph, with gusts up to 25 mph could significantly reduce visibility, potentially creating difficult driving conditions during the Wednesday morning commute, the Weather Service said.
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The storm will approach from the southwest, crossing the North Dakota-South Dakota border by about 6 p.m., advancing to Fargo by about 9 p.m. the U.S. Highway 2 corridor at about midnight, and the Roseau-Lake of the Woods, Minn., area by about 3 a.m. Thursday, according to the latest weather service map, released at about 4:45 a.m. today.
3:42 p.m. Tuesday
The commute to work and school could take longer Wednesday morning.
The National Weather Service in Grand Forks has issued a winter storm watch from 6 p.m. Tuesday until 6 p.m. Wednesday in southern and eastern North Dakota.
The Grand Forks area can expect 2 to 4 inches overnight, starting after midnight and another 1 to 3 inches during the day Wednesday. The weather service predicts the heaviest snowfall to come between 4 a.m. and noon, with a total accumulation of 5 to 7 inches.
"We haven't had a whole lot of snow this winter, so getting a storm like this so late in the season with the warm weather, people should take precautions for what we would normally expect," Hopkins said.
This means drivers should "take their time" to get places, "match speed for conditions" and have a winter kit in the car, he said.
In North Dakota, the watch includes Grafton, Devils Lake, Jamestown, Fargo, Grand Forks and Lisbon. The watch extends into northwestern Minnesota, including East Grand Forks, Fergus Falls, Bemidji, and Thief River Falls.
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According to the weather service, a winter storm watch means "there is a potential for significant snow, sleet or ice accumulations that may impact travel."
