Brandon Weatherz: Winter storm arrives tonight

A winter storm will arrive this evening and take its time leaving the Northland over the next several days. Before precipitation begins, our Tuesday is cloudy and breezy with steady temperatures in low to mid-30s.

Winter weather headlines are in effect across northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin generally from 6 pm Tuesday until 6 pm Thursday. The Winter Weather Advisory for North Itasca, North St. Louis, and Koochiching Counties expires a day earlier, at 6 pm on Wednesday. The Winter Storm Warning begins earlier today at noon for Pine, Aitkin, Crow Wing, Cass, and South Itasca Counties, and also at 6 pm on Wednesday.

Mixed precipitation arrives from the southwest through the afternoon and evening with travel becoming slick. A light glaze of ice is possible across the Northland, but the greatest chance for light ice accumulation is across northwest Wisconsin. Expect travel to rapidly deteriorate overnight into Wednesday morning as heavy snow takes over and winds ramp up.

Snow will be wet and heavy. East winds gusting near 40 mph overnight into Wednesday will bring near whiteout conditions, especially along the North Shore. Power outages are possible. The period of heaviest snow will be tonight through Wednesday. A brief break caused by a dry pocket of air moves in from the southwest Wednesday afternoon and evening, then widespread accumulation returns Wednesday night and into Thursday.

The slow moving system will keep snow chances with us through Friday and even into Saturday, but accumulation through that period will be lighter. Temperatures remain mild through Friday, then cooler air arrives Sunday and lasts into the start of next week.

Today: Cloudy and breezy. Chance for wintry mix after 4 pm. High 32. E wind 15-20 mph G 30. Chance of snow: 30%

Tonight: Heavy snow and blowing snow. Low 30. E wind 20-25 mph G 40. Chance of snow: 100%. 5 to 8 inches of snow expected.

Tomorrow: Heavy snow and blowing snow. High 32. E wind 15-25 mph. Chance of snow: 100%. 5 to 8 inches of snow expected.

Tomorrow night: Periods of snow and breezy. Low 29. E wind 10-20 mph. Chance of snow: 90%. 3 to 5 inches of snow expected.

Thursday: Snow showers and breezy. High 32. E 10-15 mph. Chance of snow: 80%. 1-3 inches of snow expected.

Thursday night: Snow showers. Low 25. NW wind 2-8 mph. Chance of snow: 60%. Around one inch of snow expected.

Friday: Snow showers. High 30. W wind 5-10 mph. Chance of snow: 50%. Around one inch of snow expected.

Saturday: Cloudy with a chance for snow in the morning. High 26. NW wind 5-15 mph. Chance of snow: 30%

Sunday: Partly sunny. High 19. W wind 5-15 mph.

Monday: Mostly cloudy with a slight chance for showers. High 10. W wind 5-10 mph.