A quick, overnight blizzard will impact the southern Red River Valley tonight into tomorrow.
Jacob Spender is a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Grand Forks. He says a blizzard warning will be in effect in the southern Red River Valley into west central Minnesota from 6pm this evening til noon tomorrow. The northern valley will be in a winter weather advisory, and the Devils Lake Basin will be in a wind advisory during the same time frame.
Spender says gusty winds of up to 50 to 60 miles per hour will be possible with this system, and some snow accumulation should also occur.
"Basically, we're looking at one to five inches in a short little band stretching from southeastern North Dakota all the way up into the Baudette area. Now, lower amounts as you head up into the northwest up into Devils Lake - which they could see almost nothing, up to an inch potentially. And then you also get those higher totals, getting down into Wadena, Elbow Lake and the Park Rapids area."
Spender says a wintry mix of freezing rain turning to snow will also dictate where the higher snow totals will end up. He says the strongest winds will begin later this evening around 8 or 9pm, and may impact Wednesday morning’s commute.