Yet another anticipated early spring storm has turned out to be less severe than expected.
The winter weather advisory that included Grand Forks and East Grand Forks has been dropped, and the winter storm warning for most of the counties closer to the U.S.-Canada border and the Devils Lake area was reduced early this morning to a winter weather advisory.
Grand Forks and East Grand Forks can expect occasional light rain, mixed at times with light snow. An inch or two of new snow is possible tonight as colder air moves in.
In the southern Red River Valley, light rain is expected rather than more heavy precipitation, and that rain will be scattered, too, the weather service said.
River flood warnings remain for the Red River and many of its tributaries, thanks to warmer temperatures that have led to runoff.
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North of Grand Forks and East Grand Forks, near the Canada border and north, the heaviest snow is expected. As much as four inches could fall along the Canadian border, with the highest totals in the Langdon, N.D., area and west of that Cavalier County community.
"Warmer temperatures at the surface and lighter precipitation than originally anticpated means that snowfall with this current system will be much less than anticipated over far northern North Dakota into far northwest Minnesota," the National Weather Service said in a statement posted on its website.
"Rain and snow will change over to all snow today along the Canadian border where several inches of new snow is still expected.
"Areas farther south from near Devils Lake to Grand Forks to Bemidji will see a mixture of light rain and light snow...with light rain predominate in the Red River Valley.
"Farther south toward Fargo and into lakes country of west central Minnesota, spotty rain showers will occur today.
"Colder air will move tonight changing any precipitation to light snow before ending. Rivers are rising so those with river interests should monitor the web and river statements."
Today will still be breezy, the weather service says, with east winds of 15 to 30 mph turning north later this afternoon.
The weather service forecast for Grand Forks:
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Today: Rain and snow likely. Cloudy, with a high near 37. East wind 13 to 15 mph becoming north. Winds could gust as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. Total daytime snow accumulation of 1 to 2 inches possible.
Tonight: Snow likely, mainly before 1am. Cloudy, with a low around 26. Blustery, with a north northwest wind between 20 and 24 mph, with gusts as high as 33 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 39. Northwest wind between 15 and 18 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 28. West northwest wind at 10 mph becoming south southwest.
Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 46. South wind at 6 mph becoming west northwest.
Tuesday Night: A chance of rain before 8 p.m, then a chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 33. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Wednesday: A slight chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 47. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.
Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28.
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Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 50.
Thursday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35.
Friday: A chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 46.
Friday Night: A chance of rain and snow. Cloudy, with a low around 33.
Saturday: A slight chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48.
