Rochester, Minnesota – Roads across southeast Minnesota could glaze with ice by 10 p.m. Saturday before a powerful blizzard takes over Sunday morning, threatening to shut down travel through early Monday.
According to the National Weather Service in La Crosse, a Winter Storm Warning begins at 10 p.m. Saturday for counties including Olmsted, Winona, Fillmore, Houston, and Mower. Freezing rain overnight could produce up to 0.20 inches of ice before conditions transition to heavy snow and a Blizzard Warning starting at 10 a.m. Sunday.
Snow totals between 6 and 13 inches are expected across the region. Wind gusts reaching 50 mph Sunday afternoon and evening will create widespread blowing snow, dropping visibility below a quarter mile at times.
Cities including Rochester, Austin, Winona, Preston, and Caledonia could see rapidly deteriorating road conditions. Major corridors such as Interstate 90 and U.S. 52 may become snow-covered and dangerous as drifting snow piles across lanes.
Officials warn the storm could severely impact the Monday morning commute while strong winds snap tree limbs and bring scattered power outages. Travel is strongly discouraged once conditions worsen.
Residents are urged to complete errands before the storm intensifies Saturday night and prepare emergency kits for vehicles. Blizzard conditions may persist through early Monday morning as strong winds continue to blow snow across southeastern Minnesota.
