Winter storm expected today in the Northland

A late-winter storm is forecast to bring a mix of freezing rain and snow to the Northland today.

For the Twin Ports, light freezing rain and snow was expected this morning, transitioning over to all snow by afternoon. By the time the snow ends late tonight, accumulations may reach 4 to 6 inches in Duluth and Superior.

To the north, across the Iron Range, snowfall may reach 6 to 7 inches. To the south, where the transition from freezing rain to snow may happen later, the forecast snowfall was just 2 to 4 inches.

As of Friday night, winter weather advisories were in effect for the entire Northland for today.

Kevin Kraujalis, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said Friday night that any snow that falls will be heavy and wet, as temperatures will be in the 30s.

Any freezing rain is expected to be light, Kraujalis said, though even a light glaze of ice can cause treacherous travel on roads and sidewalks. The best chance for ice accumulation — perhaps up to a tenth of an inch — will be south of the Twin Ports.

The storm system is forecast to exit the region by Sunday, when the John Beargrease Sled Dog Marathon will begin near Duluth. Sunday’s forecast for the Twin Ports calls for partly sunny skies and highs near 30.

As of Friday night Duluth had seen 8.7 inches of snow so far in March, about twice as much as normal. The seasonal snowfall stood at 61.5 inches, which was 8.5 inches below normal for this point in the season.

Check back for forecast updates later today.

Tags: news, weather, snow