Warning Issued as Third Winter Storm in Four Weeks Could Mean a Foot of Snow

Spring may be on its way, but Winter is going to remind everyone who is still the boss of March. And by Tuesday evening, as much as 12 inches of fresh snow could be on the ground in Mendota Heights and Inver Grove Heights.

The National Weather Service in Chanhassen has issued a winter storm warning for much of central and southern Minnesota, and western Wisconsin. Six to 10 inches is expected in most areas, with some storm totals reaching 12 inches. The warning is in effect from midnight Sunday through 6 p.m. Tuesday.

According to the weather service, the storm will come through in two waves of moderate to heavy snow. The first will come Sunday night through Monday morning. The second round is expected to begin Monday night and last through Tuesday morning.

A winter storm warning means severe winter weather conditions are expected. Travel is only advised during an emergency, and travels should go with extra water, food and a flashlight.

Patch will update readers if conditions change.

The following is the full advisory from the weather service, issued at 11:09 a.m. Sunday:

...SNOW SPREADING IN TONIGHT AND LASTING THROUGH TUESDAY...

.A WINTER STORM WILL IMPACT THE NORTHERN PLAINS AND UPPER MIDWEST BEGINNING TONIGHT AND LASTING THROUGH TUESDAY. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 6-10 INCHES TO MUCH OF CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA AND FAR WESTERN WISCONSIN. SOME STORM TOTALS COULD APPROACH 12 INCHES DEPENDING ON WHERE PRIMARY SNOW BANDS SET UP.

THIS SNOWFALL LOOKS TO BE SPLIT UP INTO TWO WAVES OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW. THE FIRST WILL COME TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY MORNING...WITH A SECOND ROUND EXPECTED MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING. SNOWFALL RATES ARE EXPECTED TO DECREASE FOR A PERIOD MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING BETWEEN THESE TWO WAVES.

MNZ043-050-051-059>063-068>070-076>078-084-085-093-040115- /O.UPG.KMPX.WS.A.0005.130304T0000Z-130306T0000Z/ /O.NEW.KMPX.WS.W.0003.130304T0600Z-130306T0000Z/ MORRISON-BENTON-SHERBURNE-WRIGHT-HENNEPIN-ANOKA-RAMSEY-WASHINGTON- CARVER-SCOTT-DAKOTA-LE SUEUR-RICE-GOODHUE-WASECA-STEELE-FREEBORN- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...LITTLE FALLS...FOLEY...ELK RIVER... MONTICELLO...MINNEAPOLIS...BLAINE...ST. PAUL...STILLWATER... CHASKA...SHAKOPEE...BURNSVILLE...LE SUEUR...FARIBAULT... RED WING...WASECA...OWATONNA...ALBERT LEA 1109 AM CST SUN MAR 3 2013

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM CST TUESDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TWIN CITIES/CHANHASSEN HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 6 PM CST TUESDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* TIMING: TWO PERIODS OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW EXPECTED TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY MORNING AND AGAIN MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING. SNOW WILL SLOWLY DIMINISH TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

* MAIN IMPACTS: SNOW ACCUMULATION OF 6 TO 10 INCHES...WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS NEAR 12 INCHES POSSIBLE BY TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

* OTHER IMPACTS: SOUTHEAST WINDS GUSTING TO AROUND 25 MPH MONDAY WILL RESULT IN SOME BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW IN OPEN AREAS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT...FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.