The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch in effect from Thursday morning through Friday morning for a portion of southern Minnesota.

Included in the Winter Storm Watch are Dakota, Le Sueur, Rice, and Scott Counties (+more), as well as the entire Twin Cities metro area.

Snowfall rates up to 1” per hour will be possible Thursday afternoon.

National Weather Service
National Weather Service
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A period of rain or wintry mix will turn to heavy snow by Thursday afternoon with several inches possible. Increasing northwest winds gusting 40-50 mph will lead to blowing snow.

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Falling temperatures will lead to icy and snow covered roads across much of the region. Blizzard conditions are possible Thursday afternoon across southwest and portions of south central Minnesota where the strongest winds will reside.

Total snow accumulations of 4 to 7 inches and ice accumulations of a light glaze possible. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph.

National Weather Service
National Weather Service
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Plan on slippery road conditions. Widespread blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility. The hazardous conditions could impact the Thursday evening and Friday morning commutes.

It's worth mentioning that the average high for the month of March in Owatonna is 40, so after tomorrow's high of 42, we'll be well below average for the next week or so. The good news; we should be back to normal or above normal high temperatures by the middle of next week.

GALLERY: Remembering Past Minnesota Winters

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