Your Storm Logistics Guide
Mother Nature just played the ultimate "April Fools" in March. After those beautiful 50-degree days, we are staring down a few days of major Colorado Low.
The Timeline: Wind vs. Snow
- Now – Friday 10:00 AM: High Wind Warning. Expect 60 mph gusts across Hennepin County. This is the "patio furniture and power outage" phase.
- Friday Afternoon – Saturday Morning: A brief "eye of the storm" calm. Good for final grocery runs.
- Saturday 6:00 PM – Sunday Noon: The main snow event. 6–12+ inches of heavy, wet snow. Visibility will be near zero Saturday night.
❄️
[UPDATE] Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
A historic March winter storm will move across the Upper Midwest
starting this evening and lasting into Sunday night.
Heavy snow with a broad area of 12 to 18 inches expected across central Minnesota and western Wisconsin. A narrow swath within the broader area may approach 2 feet in parts of far east central Minnesota and west central Wisconsin. Rates of 2 to 2.5 inches per hour are likely late tonight into Sunday morning. A wintry mix of
rain, freezing rain, and sleet is expected to work north into I-90 corridor of southern Minnesota tonight. A half inch of sleet and a tenth of an inch of ice are expected along the I-90 corridor. The wintry mix will turn to all snow Sunday morning.
Winds will increase on Sunday. Even though the snow will be tapering off gradually throughout Sunday, northwest winds will increase to 35 to 45 mph. Some gusts of 50 to 55 mph are possible across the Minnesota River Valley. The combination of falling snow, blowing snow, and gusty winds will reduce visibility and create blizzard conditions late tonight through Sunday evening across central and southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin.
Travel is expected to become very difficult or impossible late tonight through Sunday evening. In addition, the amount of water in the snowpack will make it very heavy, leading to the potential for infrastructure damage and a health hazard for those shoveling.
Source: National Weather Service (353 PM CDT Sat Mar 14 2026)
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
A historic March winter storm will move across the Upper Midwest
starting this evening and lasting into Sunday night.
Heavy snow with a broad area of 12 to 18 inches expected across central Minnesota and western Wisconsin. A narrow swath within the broader area may approach 2 feet in parts of far east central Minnesota and west central Wisconsin. Rates of 2 to 2.5 inches per hour are likely late tonight into Sunday morning. A wintry mix of
rain, freezing rain, and sleet is expected to work north into I-90 corridor of southern Minnesota tonight. A half inch of sleet and a tenth of an inch of ice are expected along the I-90 corridor. The wintry mix will turn to all snow Sunday morning.
Winds will increase on Sunday. Even though the snow will be tapering off gradually throughout Sunday, northwest winds will increase to 35 to 45 mph. Some gusts of 50 to 55 mph are possible across the Minnesota River Valley. The combination of falling snow, blowing snow, and gusty winds will reduce visibility and create blizzard conditions late tonight through Sunday evening across central and southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin.
Travel is expected to become very difficult or impossible late tonight through Sunday evening. In addition, the amount of water in the snowpack will make it very heavy, leading to the potential for infrastructure damage and a health hazard for those shoveling.
Source: National Weather Service (353 PM CDT Sat Mar 14 2026)
Snow Plowing & Emergency Rules
To avoid a ticket or a tow, keep these city-specific rules in mind:
- Plymouth Snow Emergency:
Triggered by 2 inches of snow. Once declared, parking is prohibited on all city streets until they are plowed curb-to-curb.- Live Tracker: Use the Live Plymouth Plow Map to see when your street is next.
- Wayzata Snow Emergency:
Also triggered by 2 inches. If the snow hits 2" before 8 PM, the ban starts at 2 AM that night. If it hits after 8 PM, the ban starts 24 hours later (the following 2 AM).
Power & Safety Resources
If the winds or heavy snow cause flickers, use these local maps to track restoration:
- Xcel Energy:
Check the Xcel Outage Map for real-time status. - Wright-Hennepin:
Members can view the WHE Outage Map or call (763) 477-3100.
Minnesota 511 Travel Information | MnDOT Map
Real-time statewide map of crashes, closures, construction, winter road conditions, traffic cameras, plow locations, weather alerts, trucker restrictions, and more. Sign up to schedule SMS/email alerts for your frequent routes and areas.
Weather Alerts for Plymouth, Minnesota 55446 - The Weather Channel | Weather.com
Quick access to active weather alerts throughout Plymouth, Minnesota 55446 from The Weather Channel and Weather.com
The Weather Channel
The "Plow Pocket" Tip:
This tip may help minimizes the amount of snow the plow pushes back into your cleared path.
Image credit: iuliu illes / Unsplash
