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People, start your snow shovels
Senior Reporter The first significant snow storm arrived Saturday just in time to ring in December.
Much of the state, including central Minnesota, was in a winter storm warning Saturday and the National Weather Service said the Brainerd lakes area was the first to see the snowfall.
Just how much snow people will be shoveling on Sunday was a moving figure. But the National Weather Service had no doubt snow was coming as it listed the chance for snow at 100 percent with accumulation of 6 to 10 inches possible. Relatively snowless winters and changing storm fronts may have made people skeptical about the forecast, but snow was already falling in the lakes area just after 8 a.m. Saturday.
"This one advertised itself," said Ed Flenz, National Weather Service forecaster in Duluth. "It may be one of the stronger early season storms that we've had. I don't remember a recent winter that we've had that we've had significant snow this early."
Adding wind to the wintry mix was expected to make traveling a little tricky as gusts of 25 mph were possible.
Shovelers may have the deepest snow to deal with in the Little Falls area as the NWS predicted up to a foot of snow.
As the Brainerd area was on the leading edge for the start, Flenz said the snowfall should also end here first by 6 a.m. Sunday.
The first weather-related postponement was announced shortly after 9 a.m. The Northern Lakes-Bagley boys' hockey game scheduled for Saturday night was postponed. For people out there driving, this will be the first test to see how well they remember their winter skills. Flenz said it was a reminder to adjust to winter conditions by going slow.
The winter storm warning stretched across much of the state with the heaviest snowfall anticipated from midday to early evening. Visibility into the day for travelers was expected to drop to a half mile or less as the wind continued to be brisk.
On the brighter side, the arrival of cloudy skies and predictions of heavy snow came with a high of 20. That temps in the 20s seem warm is testament to the teens and single digits of recent days that were accompanied by a downright bone chilling breeze.
In addition to the snowfall expected during the day Saturday more snow was expected to fall Saturday night. The NWS predicted an additional 3 to 5 inches. And don't put that shovel away too soon. The chance for more snow on Sunday was listed at 40 percent.
For west central and southwest and southern Minnesota, the storm predictions included the chance for sleet and freezing drizzle and even thunder as the low pressure system bringing the snow moved away from the region Saturday night, the NWS reported. No sleet was expected in the lakes area.
As for the snowfall, if it is substantial, it should be welcomed by snowmobilers and winter weather enthusiasts who have had to wait recent years until spring was on the horizon before the area received a heavy snowfall. And with Christmas just weeks away, the area now looks like winter has arrived in earnest - and it will be a white Christmas. We'll see.
RENEE RICHARDSON may be reached at renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5852.
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