After a smattering of flakes throughout Monday afternoon, the snow began to pick up pace shortly after 5 p.m. in the Brainerd lakes area with expectations it would continue through the night.
If forecasts remain accurate, the National Weather Service predicts as much as 6 inches of snow on the ground in the northland by midnight tonight before the flakes begin to taper off.
Steve Gohde, observing program leader at the NWS in Duluth, said the snowfall is expected to bring limited visibility and slick road conditions to much of northern Minnesota. Winds are not expected to reach speeds leading to blizzard conditions, however, instead remaining at about 12 mph.
"The beginning of the season is always the toughest," Gohde said. "With cold overnight temperatures, those surfaces are definitely going to be able to freeze."
Three inches of accumulation is expected by 6 a.m. today with the potential to snarl the morning commute. Drivers are reminded to proceed with caution and add extra time into their typical travel times.
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"If you think you're going slow enough, go slower," Gohde said.
The storm model has the snowfall shifted a little farther west and north in comparison to Sunday's predictions, although Gohde said this mainly impacted the Iron Range down into the Grand Rapids area.
Temperatures are expected to remain mild the rest of the week and even through much of December, Gohde said.
"Our Climate Prediction Center gives us a strong probability of above-normal temperatures," Gohde said, validating the impacts of an El Nino-pattern on this year's winter.
Temperatures in the mid-30s are expected today and Wednesday and in the upper-30s by Friday. Temps in the 40s might make an appearance in the metro area and parts of western Wisconsin.
Last year, the first days of December were significantly colder than temperatures expected this week. On Dec. 1, 2014, temperatures recorded at the Brainerd Airport ranged from -9 to 2 degrees, a range well below normal. There was about 3 inches of snow on the ground at the beginning of last December, although that melted to nothing by mid-month when temperatures peaked at 45 degrees.
With warm temperatures ahead, it's unlikely all of the snow produced by this storm will stick around, Gohde said.
"It looks dry after (this) for at least the next seven days," Gohde said.
