Ken Barlow says today’s snow is just an opening act for the big Sunday storm

Minnesota’s Weather Authority has issued a Forecast First Alert for Friday, Sunday and Monday as snow is expected to start lightly falling Thursday evening.

Two separate systems are expected to bring a fresh batch of snowfall this week, despite spring having officially started at 10:06 p.m. Tuesday.

According to meteorologist Jonathan Yuhas, accumulating snow will likely start falling around 7 p.m. Thursday before tapering to flurries by 9 a.m. Friday. Roughly 2-4″ of snow are expected, however some spots could see as much as 5 inches. Low temperatures during the overnight hours Thursday into Friday will be in the mid-20s, with northeast winds at 5 mph.

Yuhas adds those winds will pick up Friday afternoon, with speeds expected to be 10-15 mph. While the evening drive should be OK, there may still be slippery spots on bridges and overpasses.

That system will be moving through as peak travel begins at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport for spring break season.

As reported Monday, passenger activity is expected to peak during the weeks of March 24 and 31 and remain high into the first half of April. However, the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC) says that some of the busiest travel days will be this Thursday and Friday, when nearly 48,000 passengers are expected to pass through checkpoints each day. 

Meanwhile, a second system is expected to move in late Saturday night and linger through Monday. Snow and rain will mix on Sunday, with some thundersnow possible.

Some areas could see anywhere from 6-12″ of snow with the second system. Higher totals are currently forecasted for the northwest metro – mainly Maple Grove and Rogers. Areas in the southeast metro such as Lakeville, Rosemount, Hastings and Prescott will see lower amounts.

Due to temperatures on Sunday being in the low 30s and then moving into the low 40s by Monday, slushy conditions and some minor street flooding will be expected.

CLICK HERE for the latest forecast and HERE for the seven-day.