Messy mix of rain, snow and wind heads toward Cass and Crow Wing counties

A messy storm system is expected to enter northern Minnesota on Tuesday, Feb. 14, and then exit later Wednesday, Feb. 15.

A wet and heavy wintry mix is expected to include rain turning to snow, followed by hefty wind gusts, including in Cass and Crow Wing counties, the National Weather Service in Duluth said.

Contributed / National Weather Service, Duluth

Rain is expected to develop Tuesday, then mix with and change to snow Tuesday afternoon into the overnight hours across most of northern Minnesota.

In Cass and Crow Wing counties, a half inch of freezing rain is possible as precipitation arrives Tuesday morning. A 1-3 inch snowfall is forecast for those counties, with 3-4 inches predicted in far northwest Cass County.

Generally 2 to 5 inches of snow are expected across northern Minnesota. Most of the precipitation is expected to fall Tuesday afternoon and early Wednesday morning.

There may be a few hours of freezing rain Tuesday morning as precipitation begins, the weather service said.

Due to expected temperatures, the snow will be heavy and wet. The rain and recent snow melt may lead to ponding on roads, which may then create icy surfaces as temperatures fall below freezing Tuesday night and early Wednesday morning.

Contributed / National Weather Service, Duluth

Gusty winds Wednesday of around 40 mph in Cass and Crow Wing counties may break snow laden trees and branches, which could cause isolated power outages.

Strong northwest winds are expected Wednesday morning, with the strongest winds expected in central Minnesota, near the Brainerd lakes area and along the North Shore.

Temperatures are forecast to drop below zero overnight Wednesday and Thursday. Saturday's forecast for the Nisswa Winter Jubilee is sunny with a high in the mid-30s.

• Tuesday, Feb. 14: A chance of rain or freezing rain before 9 a.m., then rain. High near 37. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Little or no ice accumulation expected.
• Tuesday night: Rain and snow, becoming all snow after 3 a.m. Low around 18. Windy, with an east wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northwest 15 to 25 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
• Wednesday, Feb. 15: A 50% chance of snow, mainly before noon. Patchy blowing snow between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 26. Windy, with a northwest wind 15 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. New snow accumulation of less than one inch possible.
• Wednesday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 3 below zero. Blustery, with a northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
• Thursday, Feb. 16: Mostly sunny, with a high near 13. North wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
• Thursday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 8 below. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming west after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 15 mph.
• Friday, Feb. 17: Mostly sunny, with a high near 22. Breezy, with a south wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
• Friday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 14. Breezy, with a southwest wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
• Saturday, Feb. 18: Mostly sunny, with a high near 34. West wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
• Saturday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 17. Southwest wind around 5 mph.
• Sunday, Feb. 19: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 33. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Source: National Weather Service in Duluth.