Minneapolis, MN – Roads across the Twin Cities and southern Minnesota will turn slick and potentially impassable overnight as a dangerous mix of freezing rain and sleet moves in before the Thursday morning commute.
According to the National Weather Service in the Twin Cities, a Winter Storm Warning is in effect from midnight through noon Thursday, with ice accumulations around a quarter inch and sleet totals nearing three-quarters of an inch. Wind gusts up to 30 mph could worsen conditions by adding stress to ice-coated power lines.
The heaviest impacts are expected across Hennepin, Ramsey, Dakota, and surrounding counties, including Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Bloomington. Bridges and overpasses will ice first, while untreated roads may quickly become hazardous as temperatures hover near freezing.
In western Wisconsin, including Hudson, River Falls, and Menomonie, similar icing could lead to nearly impossible travel at times, with power outages likely as ice builds on trees and lines.
Western and central Minnesota will see more slushy snow, but areas caught between rain and snow will experience the most dangerous icing conditions.
Officials urge residents to delay travel and prepare for outages by charging devices and keeping emergency supplies ready. Hazardous conditions will persist through the midday hours Thursday, with additional updates possible as temperatures fluctuate.
