Duluth, Minnesota – Travel across the Twin Ports could deteriorate rapidly after 6 p.m. Tuesday as heavy snow, light ice and 55 mph wind gusts sweep in off Lake Superior, raising the threat of near-whiteout conditions and scattered power outages through Thursday midday.
According to the National Weather Service in Duluth, a Winter Storm Warning is in effect from 6 p.m. Tuesday until noon Thursday for Carlton County and central and southern St. Louis County, including Duluth, Hibbing and the Fond du Lac Band and Bois Forte Band lands. Snow totals of 5 to 8 inches are expected in most areas, with 8 to 11 inches possible in the higher terrain northeast of Duluth. Ice accumulations around one tenth of an inch could add weight to tree limbs and power lines.
The strongest east winds are forecast Tuesday evening into Wednesday morning, potentially gusting to 55 mph and reducing visibility to one-quarter mile for a few hours late Tuesday night. I-35 near Duluth, Highway 53 near Hibbing and roads along the Lake Vermilion area may become snow-covered quickly.
Residents should delay non-essential travel, monitor 511mn.org for road conditions and prepare for possible outages by charging devices. Additional updates are likely as the storm intensifies into Wednesday.
