A spring storm system is expected to move in Tuesday, March 29, across much of northeast Minnesota, including the Brainerd lakes area.
The National Weather Service in Duluth reported the storm is expected to be a long lasting system that has the potential to bring with it a variety of precipitation — rain, sleet and snow Tuesday night through Thursday.
“I would say you’ll probably see more of a mix than most,” said Jonathan Wolfe, lead forecaster with the National Weather Service in Duluth. “And really, at this point it’s kind of a toss up of snow and ice, but we’re leaning toward more snow and a wintry mix. Just ugly.”
The weather service’s forecast for Brainerd has a slight chance of rain, snow and sleet after 1 p.m. Tuesday with high temperatures of 40 degrees and wind gusts as high as 25 mph. Snow possibly mixed with rain Tuesday night is expected to turn to just snow Wednesday morning through Thursday morning, with temperatures in the mid 30s and wind gusts up to 25 mph expected for both days.
The potential for heavy accumulations of snow increases to the east toward the Arrowhead. Wolfe said while ice accumulation will be a concern, the snow that does fall is expected to be heavy with moisture.
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“Like wet concrete. It’ll be hard to shovel,” he said. “It’ll just make a headache for most.”
Wolfe said that it’s too early to tell how much snow the Brainerd lakes area could see. If the system drifts further to the east, there’ll be more snow in central Minnesota. If it drifts more west there will be more of a wintry mix of snow, rain and sleet.
While the storm is expected to start Tuesday night, the most intense precipitation is expected to be Wednesday morning, Wolfe said. He added that it could be Thursday night into Friday morning before the storm is done.
“It’s going to be around for a while because it’s a slow moving storm,” he said.
Crow Wing County on Friday reported county snowplows are prepared and ready if snow or ice conditions become present. County officials anticipate the plows to be out Tuesday through Thursday.
More seasonable weather is expected to return Friday and into the weekend, with sunny skies and high temperatures 40-45 degrees expected.
