Mankato, Minnesota – A fast-moving band of heavy snow will sweep across southern Minnesota by 6 a.m. Saturday, creating sudden whiteout conditions and slick highways through the afternoon.
According to the National Weather Service in Chanhassen, a Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday for Blue Earth, Brown, Freeborn, Le Sueur, Nicollet, Steele and Waseca counties. Snowfall rates could reach 1 inch per hour at times, with total accumulations between 1 and 4 inches.
The primary threat is not just totals, but intensity. Drivers along Highways 14, 169 and Interstate 90 could encounter rapid drops in visibility as they move into heavier snow bands. Mankato, New Ulm, St. Peter, Owatonna and Albert Lea sit directly in the corridor most likely to see bursts of steady snow during the late morning and midday hours.
MnDOT urges motorists to slow down and check 511mn.org before traveling. Even brief heavy bursts can coat roads quickly and create spinouts, especially on untreated bridges and overpasses.
Snow should taper toward early Saturday evening, but slick conditions may linger after 6 p.m. Additional advisories could be issued if snowfall rates intensify beyond current expectations.
