Sunday evening forecast

Here’s your Sunday evening forecast for February 26, 2023 from KSTP Meteorologist Matt Serwe.

A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the north and east metro through central Minnesota Sunday night and Monday morning.

A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for parts of northeast Minnesota and most of northwest Wisconsin Sunday night through midday Monday.

I know when some see the winter weather headlines issued tonight into Monday, you are likely dreading taking out the shovels again. This round of winter weather will have very little snow, but it will bring ice to parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin. In the Twin Cities, the window for freezing rain is very small. Temperatures are falling below freezing this evening, and then they will rise slowly overnight. For an hour or two after midnight, light freezing rain or freezing drizzle is possible. After that, temperatures get above freezing, and most of the metro will see cold rain through the morning drive. It is possible that a quarter to half inch of rain falls from the Twin Cities to the south on Monday.

Farther northeast, in the Winter Storm Warning, temperatures stay in the upper 20s into Monday morning. Freezing rain is likely for several hours in northwest Wisconsin. This is where over a quarter inch of ice is possible. Winds will also be gusting up to 35 mph through Monday morning, and that could snap tree limbs and power lines that are heavier with ice. Travel will also be difficult with that much ice. As colder air wraps in around noon Monday, this will change the rain and freezing rain to snow. 1 to 3 inches of snow is possible on top of the ice in northwest Wisconsin, keeping roads very slippery through Monday afternoon.

The Monday morning drive in the Twin Cities will mostly be wet. The north and east metro have the best chances of seeing a light glaze of ice. However, only a degree or two will make the difference between icy roads and wet roads. The best advice would be to get up a little earlier than usual on Monday and check the forecast with Chief Meteorologist Ken Barlow on 5 Eyewitness News Mornings. That is the best way to get information on where there was any ice overnight.

Light snow returns Tuesday night through most of Wednesday. An inch or two of snow is likely in the Twin Cities. Temperatures will stay in the seasonable low and mid 30s through most of the week.