More snow expected in central, west central Minnesota

ST. PAUL — Snow continued to fall over central Minnesota on Thursday, Oct. 22, in what was the third day of winter weather in autumn.

It piled 10 inches high in parts of Traverse County on the Dakotas border by noon Thursday, according to National Weather Service figures. Parts of Minnesota north of Interstate Highway 94 and south of U.S. Route 10 also saw snow.

Accumulations totaled 5 inches in Alexandria and 7 inches in Garfield on Thursday morning. And by 1 p.m., 6 inches fell over Ashby.

Smaller accumulations were reported in communities near West Battle Lake, Clitherall being the hardest hit with 6 inches of snow by 11 a.m. Later in the afternoon, 4 inches were reported to have fallen over parts of Brainerd

Also swept up were parts of southern Wadena County, where accumulations of 7 inches were reported in Verndale. Less than an inch of snow was reported in parts of northeastern Minnesota by late Thursday, though, while slushy conditions persisted in the Twin Cities metro area earlier in the day.

The weather service's Twin Cities office issued a winter weather warning for the evening in Douglas, Todd, Morrison and Stevens counties. Snow may continue to fall over central and west central Minnesota through the evening, according to a Twin Cities office forecast, dumping 4 to 8 inches in areas affected by the warning.

Travel may be impacted as a result, though the snow was forecast to taper off later Thursday evening.

A winter weather advisory, meanwhile, was issued for the evening from for other parts of central Minnesota as well as the southwest part of the state. Cities impacted by the advisory include: Alexandria, Long Prairie, Little Falls, Morris, Madison, Benson, Montevideo, Willmar, Litchfield, Granite Falls, Olivia, and Redwood Falls.

The cities of Princeton, Mora, Glenwood, St Cloud, and Sauk Rapids were also affected by the advisory.

A wintry mix is forecast for areas affected by the advisory, the weather service said, which could turn to freezing rain before tapering off later in the evening.