Weather Alert in Minnesota
Winter Storm Warning issued April 1 at 1:08PM CDT until April 2 at 12:00PM CDT by NWS Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
AREAS AFFECTED: Hennepin; Ramsey; Renville; McLeod; Sibley; Carver; Redwood; Brown; Nicollet
DESCRIPTION: ...MESSY SPRING SYSTEM BRINGS FREEZING RAIN, SLEET, AND SNOWTO PORTIONS OF MINNESOTA AND WISCONSIN TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY... .A powerful spring weather system will bring widespread precipitation to the region beginning tonight and lingering through Thursday, with areas of wet snow, freezing rain, sleet, and rain all expected depending on timing and location. Western and central Minnesota will experience mainly slushy wet snow with accumulations of 2 to 4 inches, meanwhile rain is favored in southern and southeastern Minnesota. In between the snow and rain, a messy wintry mix of sleet and freezing rain will result in ice accumulations and slippery travel. There is still a moderate degree of uncertainty regarding ice accumulation amounts, due to temperatures being very close to freezing and a fluctuation of only a degree or two likely having a large impact on final amounts. The greatest impacts from icing and freezing rain will occur over western Wisconsin and portions of east-central to southwestern Minnesota, with accumulations up to a quarter inch in Minnesota and a few tenths of an inch in Wisconsin. Power outages are possible due to icing of power lines in addition to gusty winds, and slippery to impossible travel will occur where ice accumulates. Slow travel from wet slushy snow is expected in western and central Minnesota. * WHAT...Heavy mixed precipitation expected. Total snow accumulations up to one inch, sleet accumulations around one half of an inch, and ice accumulations up to two tenths of an inch. * WHERE...McLeod, Renville, Sibley, Carver, Hennepin, Ramsey, Brown, Nicollet, and Redwood Counties. * WHEN...From midnight tonight to noon CDT Thursday. * IMPACTS...Roads, and especially bridges and overpasses, will likely become slick and hazardous. Significant ice accumulation on power lines and tree limbs may cause widespread and long-lasting power outages. Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions will impact the Thursday morning commute.
INSTRUCTION: If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. Call 5 1 1 or visit 511mn.org for road conditions. Persons should consider delaying all travel. If travel is absolutely necessary, drive with extreme caution. Consider taking a winter storm kit along with you, including such items as tire chains, booster cables, flashlight, shovel, blankets and extra clothing. Also take water, a first aid kit, and anything else that would help you survive in case you become stranded.
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Weather Topic: What are Contrails?
Home - Education - Cloud Types - Contrails
Next Topic: Cumulonimbus Clouds
A contrail is an artificial cloud, created by the passing of an
aircraft.
Contrails form because water vapor in the exhaust of aircraft engines is suspended
in the air under certain temperatures and humidity conditions. These contrails
are called exhaust contrails.
Another type of contrail can form due to a temporary reduction in air pressure
moving over the plane's surface, causing condensation.
These are called aerodynamic contrails.
When you can see your breath on a cold day, it is also because of condensation.
The reason contrails last longer than the condensation from your breath is
because the water in contrails freezes into ice particles.
Next Topic: Cumulonimbus Clouds
Weather Topic: What are Cumulus Clouds?
Home - Education - Cloud Types - Cumulus Clouds
Next Topic: Drizzle
Cumulus clouds are fluffy and textured with rounded tops, and
may have flat bottoms. The border of a cumulus cloud
is clearly defined, and can have the appearance of cotton or cauliflower.
Cumulus clouds form at low altitudes (rarely above 2 km) but can grow very tall,
becoming cumulus congestus and possibly the even taller cumulonimbus clouds.
When cumulus clouds become taller, they have a greater chance of producing precipitation.
Next Topic: Drizzle
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