Blizzard Headed for Northland: Heavy Snow and Fierce Winds Forecast

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A major winter storm is set to impact the Northland region of Minnesota, bringing blizzard conditions, heavy snowfall of up to a foot, and powerful winds reaching 40-65 mph along the North Shore from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday. The combination of heavy snow and strong gusts is expected to create whiteout conditions, reduce visibility, and potentially cause power outages due to downed lines.

Why it matters

This blizzard poses a significant threat to public safety and travel in the affected areas, with hazardous driving conditions and the potential for power disruptions. The heavy, wet snow and high winds could also lead to tree damage and other property damage across the region.

The details

The storm will begin as rain on Tuesday before transitioning to heavy, wet snow by Tuesday evening and overnight. The peak snowfall is expected late Tuesday night through Wednesday morning, with snow lingering through Friday. Blizzard conditions are forecast for portions of the North Shore, where over a foot of snow and wind gusts up to 65 mph are predicted, leading to whiteout conditions and visibility under a half-mile. Elsewhere in the Northland, gusty winds could reduce visibility to less than a quarter-mile at times.

• Rain will begin before slowly transitioning to snow by Tuesday evening and Tuesday night.
• The heaviest snowfall is expected late Tuesday night through Wednesday morning, with snow lingering through Friday.
• Peak wind gusts of 40 to 65 mph along the North Shore are forecast from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday.

What’s next

Chief Meteorologist Justin Liles will provide additional updates at 5 p.m., 6 p.m., and 10 p.m. on WDIO News.