Snow tapers; Twin Cities face cloudy, seasonable Thursday after 5–7" storm
Snow tapers off Thursday morning after a storm that dropped about 5–7 inches in the Twin Cities (with 5–10 inches across northern Minnesota and 1–3 feet along the North Shore); a winter weather advisory remains in the metro until 8 a.m. and until noon for the Arrowhead. The morning commute saw widespread slowdowns as crews plowed Minneapolis and St. Paul, and the rest of Thursday will be mostly cloudy and seasonable with highs near 32°F in the metro (teens–20s elsewhere), then upper‑20s Friday, mid‑20s Saturday, low‑20s Sunday and a rebound to upper‑30s early next week.
📌 Key Facts
- Snow is tapering and should wrap up Thursday morning; a winter weather advisory is in effect for the Twin Cities metro until 8 a.m. and for the Arrowhead until noon.
- Metro storm totals were around 5–7 inches, with additional specific amounts confirmed in east‑metro locations and St. Paul neighborhoods; northern Minnesota saw 5–10 inches and the North Shore received 1–3 feet.
- The Thursday morning commute experienced widespread slowdowns across the metro rather than isolated trouble spots.
- Photographs and graphics document the depth of snow and plow progress in both Minneapolis and St. Paul.
- Updated short‑term forecast: mostly cloudy and quiet Thursday afternoon with highs near 32°F in the metro (teens–20s elsewhere); temperatures expected to be upper‑20s Friday, mid‑20s Saturday, low‑20s Sunday, then warming to the upper‑30s early next week.
📊 Relevant Data
Specific snowfall totals from the February 2026 winter storm include 7.6 inches at MSP Airport, 7.0 inches in Savage, 6.5 inches in Chanhassen, 6.0 inches in Shakopee, 5.0 inches in Hopkins, and 34 inches in Hovland.
On average, snowstorms that dump over 5 inches of snow in a day occur a couple of times annually in Minneapolis, while major blizzards with 10 inches or more do not happen every year.
Minneapolis MN Snowfall Totals & Snow Accumulation Averages — Current Results
The February 2026 winter storm in Minnesota was caused by a deep and potent low-pressure system tracking slowly from north of Omaha, Nebraska, to around Duluth by Thursday.
Winter storm, blizzard warnings up in northern Minnesota — MPR News
Heavy snowfall along Minnesota's North Shore during the February 2026 storm was enhanced by lake-effect snowfall from Lake Superior, combined with upslope winds and the potent winter storm system.
2 to 3 feet of snow on North Shore; significant accumulations in the Twin Cities — MPR News
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Confirms that lingering snow in the Twin Cities wraps up Thursday morning, with a winter weather advisory in effect for the metro until 8 a.m. and until noon for the Arrowhead.
- Quantifies broader storm totals: 5–10 inches across northern Minnesota and 1–3 feet along the North Shore, beyond the 5–7" metro figures.
- Provides updated short-term forecast: mostly cloudy, quiet afternoon with highs around 32°F in the metro, teens–20s elsewhere, and an outlook of upper‑20s Friday, mid‑20s Saturday, low‑20s Sunday, then upper‑30s early next week.
- Confirms specific snowfall amounts at additional east‑metro locations, including St. Paul neighborhoods, beyond the earlier generalized metro totals.
- Describes in more detail how the Thursday morning commute unfolded, emphasizing widespread slow‑downs rather than isolated trouble spots.
- Visually documents (through photos/graphics) the depth of snow and plow progress in both Minneapolis and St. Paul, complementing prior more general reports.