Weekend winter storm triggers flight cancellations; Walz activates Guard as metro braces
A strong weekend winter storm is expected to bring heavy, potentially double‑digit snow to parts of Minnesota and southwest Wisconsin, with NWS warnings in effect across the Twin Cities metro from Saturday evening into Monday morning and forecasters warning travel could become "very difficult or impossible" late Saturday night into Sunday; a narrow, high‑end band could produce 18"+ in southeast Minnesota/southwest Wisconsin while pockets of heavy snow are possible in the greater Twin Cities. Minneapolis‑St. Paul Airport reported dozens of cancellations (35 departures, 31 arrivals as of 5:40 a.m. Saturday) as carriers including Delta, Sun Country, American and United issued waivers, and Gov. Tim Walz authorized the Minnesota National Guard—after Steele County’s request—saying local resources are inadequate to meet expected public‑safety needs from the storm.
📌 Key Facts
- The National Weather Service upgraded to a winter storm warning for the Twin Cities and a broad swath of central and southern Minnesota, with the metro warning running roughly 4 p.m. Saturday through 4 a.m. Monday; blizzard warnings cover much of southwestern and south‑central Minnesota.
- Forecasters describe the system as a March "tournament snow": an upper‑level energy packet (originating over Russia) will spawn a low tracking from eastern Colorado into Iowa/Wisconsin and pull Gulf moisture north, creating a narrow, high‑end band that can produce double‑digit totals — current highest odds for 18"+ are in southeast Minnesota and southwest Wisconsin, but pockets of heavy snow are possible in the greater Twin Cities as the low intensifies early Sunday.
- Meteorologists stress high uncertainty in exact track and totals typical of March storms, saying county‑level amounts may not be knowable until just hours before onset and urging residents to focus on timing and travel risk rather than early snowfall maps.
- Timing: snow is expected to start Saturday evening, with the heaviest bands late Saturday night into Sunday; conditions may improve Sunday afternoon but difficult travel could linger into Monday morning.
- The NWS warns travel is expected to become "very difficult or impossible" late Saturday night and Sunday because of heavy snow, gusty winds and potential power outages.
- Air travel disruptions have already begun — MSP reported 35 departures and 31 arrivals canceled as of 5:40 a.m. Saturday — and the airport cautions that some airlines are proactively canceling flights.
- Major carriers (Delta, Sun Country, American and United) have issued weather waivers or one‑time rebooking options for customers affected by the storm; Sun Country’s waiver covers certain Minneapolis/Wisconsin routes for travel on Sunday, March 15 if tickets were purchased before March 12.
- Gov. Tim Walz issued an emergency executive order authorizing the Minnesota National Guard to assist local governments during the storm, noting local and county resources are "inadequate" for expected public‑safety demands; Steele County has already requested Guard assistance and more counties are expected to do so.
📊 Relevant Data
Climate change is contributing to more intense snowstorms in Minnesota by allowing warmer air to hold more moisture, leading to heavier snowfall in individual events.
How climate change supercharged a routine clipper into a Minnesota snowstorm — Bring Me The News
In a February 2026 winter storm, the Minnesota State Patrol reported 409 crashes, 25 injury crashes, and 316 vehicles off the road, highlighting travel risks from snowy conditions.
MN winter weather whiplash: 409 crashes in Minnesota storm — FOX 9
Climate projections indicate that by mid-century, the number of days per year with a snow cover depth greater than 1 inch is expected to decline by 12 days in Minnesota due to warming trends.
Climate Change in Minnesota — University of Minnesota Climate Adaptation Partnership
Of the 25 largest snowstorms on record in the Twin Cities from 1884-2025, seven occurred in March, which is more than any other month.
Top 25 Snowfalls in the Twin Cities: 1884-2025 — Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
📰 Source Timeline (7)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Gov. Tim Walz has issued an emergency executive order authorizing the Minnesota National Guard to support local governments during this weekend’s winter storm.
- The order explicitly states that local and county government resources are 'inadequate' to meet expected public-safety demands from heavy snow, gusty winds, dangerous travel and potential power outages.
- Steele County has already formally requested Guard assistance, and the order anticipates additional counties will likely seek help as the widespread storm unfolds.
- The National Weather Service has a winter storm warning in effect for the Twin Cities metro from 4 p.m. Saturday through 4 a.m. Monday, with a blizzard warning just outside the metro in much of southwestern and south‑central Minnesota.
- As of 5:40 a.m. Saturday, MSP reports 35 departures and 31 arrivals already canceled.
- MSP’s website is explicitly warning that some airlines are proactively canceling flights and offering waivers due to the storm.
- Delta, Sun Country, American Airlines, and United Airlines have all issued travel waivers for flights affected by the current winter storm.
- FOX 9 now characterizes this as likely the biggest snow of the season for Minnesota, including the Twin Cities.
- Confirms a winter storm watch and winter storm warning go into effect for the Twin Cities and much of Minnesota at 7 p.m. Saturday and run through Monday due to lingering travel impacts.
- Details the expected timing: snow starting Saturday evening, heaviest bands Saturday night into Sunday, with conditions improving Sunday afternoon but difficult travel potentially continuing into Monday morning.
- Notes that a classic narrow spring band could produce double‑digit totals, with current highest odds for 18"+ in southeast Minnesota and southwest Wisconsin, while 'pockets of heavy snow' are explicitly possible in the greater Twin Cities as the storm intensifies Sunday morning.
- Reiterates high forecast uncertainty typical of a March storm track and stresses that exact totals may not be knowable until just hours before onset.
- Delta Air Lines has issued weather waivers allowing customers affected by the Minnesota/Upper Midwest winter storm to reschedule flights without normal penalties.
- Sun Country Airlines is allowing one‑time free rebooking for tickets to or from Minneapolis and several Wisconsin cities (Milwaukee, Madison, Appleton) where the original trip was scheduled for Sunday, March 15 and tickets were bought before March 12.
- The article frames these airline actions as advance preparation for a winter storm expected to make travel 'very difficult or impossible' late Saturday night into Sunday under the existing NWS winter storm warning.
- The National Weather Service has upgraded from a winter storm watch to a winter storm warning for the Twin Cities and a broad swath of central and southern Minnesota.
- Warning is in effect from 7 p.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Monday, explicitly covering the bulk of the storm and Monday morning commute risk.
- NWS language now states travel is expected to become 'very difficult or impossible' late Saturday night and Sunday due to heavy snow.
- Storm setup is described in more detail: an upper‑level energy packet that originated over Russia, dropping into the Upper Midwest and spawning a low tracking from eastern Colorado into Iowa/Wisconsin, pulling Gulf moisture north.
- Forecasters reiterate that this is a March "tournament snow" system with a narrow, high‑end band that can produce double‑digit totals, with the most likely bullseye in southeast Minnesota and southwest Wisconsin but with potential heavy pockets in the greater Twin Cities as the low intensifies early Sunday.
- Meteorologists emphasize high uncertainty in exact track and totals until just hours before onset, warning residents to focus on timing and travel risk rather than fixating on early snow‑amount maps.
- Forecasters now say the storm setup is one that 'often brings double‑digit totals' in the heaviest snow band.
- Current highest likelihood for those double‑digit amounts is southeast Minnesota into southwest Wisconsin, but pockets of heavy snow are possible in the greater Twin Cities as the low intensifies early Sunday.
- FOX 9 stresses that the track and exact phasing remain highly uncertain for a March storm, meaning snow totals for any given county can’t be nailed down until just hours before onset.