Bracing for a Chilly Thursday: Wind, Snow, and Ice Take Over

The Twin Cities are in for a rough day on Thursday. A weather alert is out, warning of strong winds, a bit of snow, and roads that could turn icy in a flash. The advisory starts at 9 a. m. and lasts until 9 p. m. , so plan ahead. Wind is the big story here. Gusts between 45 and 60 mph are expected from noon to 9 p. m. That's enough to make walking outside a challenge. Up north, a blizzard warning is still in effect, making travel tricky through the evening. Schools in western Minnesota are already calling it a day, canceling classes for Thursday. Most areas won't see much snow—just about 1. 5 inches. But don't let that fool you. Snow squalls can hit hard, dropping visibility to almost zero for a few minutes. That's a recipe for crashes.Thursday night will be brutal. Temperatures near zero in the metro and even colder up north. Wind chills could drop into the minus teens or minus 20s by Friday morning. Highs will eventually rise into the 10s on Friday, but it won't feel warm anytime soon. The weekend looks a bit better. Partly cloudy skies and highs in the mid-to-upper 20s on Saturday. Sunday morning will be chilly again, with temps near zero. But don't worry, it will warm up into the 10s by afternoon. The good news? The weather pattern is turning dry. The only exception is a possible light snow overnight Friday into Saturday. After that, milder temps in the 30s are expected through Christmas and likely through New Year's. That's about average for this time of year. So, bundle up, stay alert, and be careful out there. Winter is showing its teeth, and it's not letting go anytime soon.