Grand Forks, North Dakota – Visibility could drop to near zero within minutes during the Tuesday morning commute as 50 mph wind gusts whip light snow and a glaze of ice across the northern Red River Valley.
According to the National Weather Service in Grand Forks, a Winter Weather Advisory runs from 3 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday for portions of northwest Minnesota and northeast and southeast North Dakota. Snow accumulations will stay under 1 inch, but a light glaze of ice combined with wind gusts up to 50 mph will create a 1 to 2 hour window of blizzard-like conditions around daybreak.
Cities including Grand Forks, Devils Lake, Grafton, Crookston, Thief River Falls and Roseau could see rapid visibility drops along Interstate 29, U.S. Highway 2 and open rural roads. Crosswinds may push vehicles off slick lanes, especially on east-west highways. The strongest impacts are expected between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m., with patchy blowing snow lingering into the evening commute.
Drivers should delay non-essential travel during peak wind periods, reduce speed and check 511 in Minnesota and North Dakota for real-time road conditions. Additional advisories remain possible if ice accumulation becomes more widespread Tuesday.
