Winter Weather Advisory Issued: 3-5 Inches of Snow Hitting Twin Cities

So much for the luck of the Irish.

Another helping of snow is on its way to Hopkins and the Twin Cities, according to forecasters with the National Weather Service. The NWS has issued a winter weather advisory for much of the state, with estimates of 3-5 inches of snow set to fall over the metro area before 1 a.m. Tuesday, Mar. 19.

Meteorologists expect the late season winter storm to "bring a quick burst of 2 to 5 inches of snow" through early Monday, with the weather system lingering over the metro through much of the day. Blizzard conditions are likely across western, southerns and portions of central Minnesota into late Monday night, with powerful northwest winds gusting around 50 mph.

Here's the full weather advisory, from the NWS:

A LATE SEASON WINTER STORM WILL BRING A QUICK BURST OF 2 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOW FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH EARLY MONDAY ACROSS THE REGION. THIS STORM WILL DRIVE A POWERFUL COLD FRONT THROUGH MINNESOTA AND WESTERN WISCONSIN BY MIDDAY MONDAY.

WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS OF 30 TO 40 MPH...WITH GUSTS OF AROUND 50 MPH WILL FOLLOW BEHIND THE FRONT OVER WESTERN AND SOUTHERN MINNESOTA...PERSISTING INTO EARLY MONDAY EVENING. THESE STRONG WINDS WILL INTERACT WITH THE NEW SNOW AND CAUSE WHITE OUT CONDITIONS SOUTH OF INTERSTATE 94 AND WEST OF INTERSTATE 35... INCLUDING CARVER AND SCOTT COUNTIES IN MINNESOTA. SLIGHTLY LIGHTER WINDS AND MORE TREES SHOULD PRECLUDE BLIZZARD CONDITIONS OVER FAR EASTERN MINNESOTA AND WESTERN WISCONSIN...INCLUDING HENNEPIN AND RAMSEY COUNTIES AND THE REMAINDER OF THE TWIN CITIES METRO.

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM MONDAY TO 1 AM CDT TUESDAY.

• TIMING: SNOW WILL BEGIN AROUND MIDNIGHT TONIGHT AND TAPER OFF MONDAY MORNING. GUSTY WINDS WILL THEN DEVELOP MONDAY MORNING BEHIND A COLD FRONT BEFORE SUBSIDING MONDAY EVENING.
• SNOW ACCUMULATIONS: 3 TO 5 INCHES. 
• WINDS/VISIBILITY: SUSTAINED WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH...WITH GUSTS NEAR 40 MPH WILL CAUSE BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW. VISIBILITIES MAY BE REDUCED TO LESS THAN A MILE AT TIMES IN OPEN AREAS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW MEANS THAT VISIBILITIES WILL BE LIMITED DUE TO A COMBINATION OF FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW. USE CAUTION WHEN TRAVELING...ESPECIALLY IN OPEN AREAS.

You can also get full details on the storm by watching the above video, courtesy of our local NWS meteorologists.