Twin Cities blizzard shuts MSP flights, closes Minneapolis schools and grounds travel
An intense March winter storm bringing 2–3 inches of snow per hour and blizzard‑force winds prompted National Weather Service winter‑storm/blizzard warnings, widespread white‑out conditions and MnDOT no‑travel advisories across much of southern and central Minnesota. The storm grounded hundreds of flights at Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport (MSP reported about 333 canceled arrivals and 360 canceled departures as of ~8:10 a.m. Sunday), prompted waivers from Delta, Sun Country, American and United, led Gov. Tim Walz to authorize the Minnesota National Guard to assist, and forced Minneapolis Public Schools to declare a severe‑weather day Monday (elementary schools closed; middle and high schools on e‑learning).
📌 Key Facts
- Forecasters characterize the system as a potent March "tournament snow" — an upper‑level impulse tracking into the Upper Midwest that can produce a narrow, high‑end band with double‑digit totals (most likely bullseye in southeast Minnesota/southwest Wisconsin) but with pockets of heavy snow possible in the greater Twin Cities.
- The National Weather Service issued winter storm warnings for the Twin Cities metro (effective Saturday afternoon into early Monday) and blizzard warnings for much of southwestern and south‑central Minnesota; messaging emphasized high uncertainty in exact track/totals but warned travel could become 'very difficult or impossible.'
- Timing: flakes were expected Saturday evening, with the heaviest bands Saturday night into Sunday, snow tapering from northwest to southeast Sunday afternoon/evening, but increasing northwest winds could maintain blizzard/white‑out conditions into Sunday night and create lingering dangerous travel into Monday.
- Snowfall rates of 2–3 inches per hour were possible in the heaviest bands; early‑Sunday observations showed several inches at metro sites (examples: Elko New Market ~8", Apple Valley ~7.5", MSP and Chanhassen ~5", St. Paul ~3.4") as heavy bands expanded into western Wisconsin.
- Road and travel advisories: MnDOT and local authorities urged no travel in large swaths of southern and southeast Minnesota (including I‑90 areas and corridors near Marshall, Pipestone, Faribault, Owatonna, Rochester and Winona) because of blowing snow and white‑out conditions; some areas faced formal no‑travel advisories though many state highways remained open as of early Sunday.
- Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport experienced mass cancellations as airlines proactively adjusted schedules: MSP reported hundreds of canceled flights (MSP tracker showing roughly 333 canceled arrivals and 360 canceled departures as of about 8:10 a.m. Sunday) and warned travelers to check with carriers.
- Airlines including Delta, Sun Country, American and United issued weather waivers/one‑time rebooking options for customers affected by the storm, and Sun Country specifically offered free rebooking for qualifying Minneapolis/Wisconsin flights scheduled for Sunday.
- State response and local closures: Gov. Tim Walz authorized the Minnesota National Guard to assist local governments (Steele County had already requested help) citing inadequate local resources for expected public‑safety demands; numerous businesses, churches, clinics and attractions closed or shifted to virtual services Sunday, and Minneapolis Public Schools closed all elementary schools Monday while middle and high schools moved to e‑learning with staff required to be available online.
📊 Relevant Data
The threshold for a weather or climate disaster to be classified as a 'billion-dollar disaster' by NOAA is overall damages/costs reaching or exceeding $1 billion, including CPI adjustment to 2024.
From 1980 to 2024, Minnesota has experienced 62 confirmed billion-dollar weather and climate disasters, including 3 winter storm events.
Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters | Minnesota Summary — NOAA
In 2025, the United States experienced 23 billion-dollar weather and climate disasters, causing about $115 billion in direct losses and 276 direct and indirect deaths.
U.S. billion-dollar weather and climate disasters in 2025 — PreventionWeb
A February 2026 blizzard caused up to $38 billion in estimated damage and economic loss across affected regions.
AccuWeather Says Blizzard Caused Up to $38B in Estimated Damage, Economic Loss — Loss Executives
📰 Source Timeline (15)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
March 15, 2026
10:32 PM
Minneapolis closing elementary schools Monday due to winter storm
New information:
- Minneapolis Public Schools have declared a severe weather day for Monday following the weekend blizzard.
- All MPS elementary schools (Pre-K through 5th grade) will be closed Monday with no classes and all MPS-sponsored programs and after-school activities, including adult education, canceled.
- MPS middle and high school students will have an e-learning day Monday, with teachers required to be accessible online and by phone during normal school hours under Minnesota’s e-learning-day rules.
1:14 PM
Live updates: Hundreds of canceled flights at MSP Airport due to winter storm
New information:
- MSP’s own tracker shows 333 canceled arrival flights and 360 canceled departure flights as of about 8:10 a.m. Sunday, with under 130 arrivals and under 100 departures still on time.
- MSP Airport publicly stated around 6 a.m. that airlines had already canceled more than 450 flights to and from MSP for Sunday and warned travelers to check with their carriers.
- Delta, Sun Country, American and United have all issued weather waivers for flights impacted by this specific winter storm system.
11:41 AM
Winter storm: No travel advised in much of southern Minnesota
New information:
- MnDOT is advising no travel on highways and I‑90 in south‑central Minnesota starting at 7 a.m. Sunday due to blowing snow and blizzard conditions.
- A no‑travel advisory has been issued for a swath of southeast Minnesota from Faribault and Owatonna east to Rochester and Winona.
- Additional no‑travel advisories are in place in southwest Minnesota near Pipestone and Marshall, though as of 6:30 a.m. no state highways are formally closed.
- Snowfall rates of 2–3 inches per hour are possible through mid‑morning, with snow tapering northwest to southeast Sunday afternoon and evening, but increasing northwest winds are expected to maintain blizzard conditions into Sunday night and potentially dangerous travel into Monday.
10:46 AM
Minnesota snow totals so far for March 14-15 winter storm
New information:
- Updated, site‑specific early‑morning snow totals: Elko New Market 8", Apple Valley 7.5", MSP 5", Chanhassen 5", Prior Lake 5", St. Paul 3.4".
- Confirmation that heavy snow bands with 2–3" per hour rates are occurring and expanding into western Wisconsin Sunday morning.
- Clarification that snow is expected to taper from northwest to southeast Sunday afternoon and evening, giving a rough end‑window for the blizzard impacts.
10:16 AM
Live updates on Minnesota winter storm: White-out conditions in some areas
New information:
- National Weather Service early-Sunday observations show 5 inches of snow at Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport and 5 inches in Chanhassen.
- Heavy snow bands with 2–3 inches per hour have developed across southern Minnesota and are expanding into western Wisconsin Sunday morning.
- Authorities are explicitly urging no travel in parts of southwestern Minnesota (near Marshall) and southeastern Minnesota (near Owatonna, Faribault, Rochester) due to white-out conditions, with widespread snow-covered roads and reduced visibility expected through much of Sunday.
- Blizzard warning remains in effect Sunday, with northwest winds expected to increase and maintain blizzard conditions into Sunday night even as snow tapers from northwest to southeast.
1:45 AM
Live updates: Churches, businesses closing in Twin Cities due to winter storm
New information:
- Confirms numerous Sunday closures tied to the storm, including Midtown Global Market in Minneapolis and Como Zoo in St. Paul.
- Lists specific medical and childcare-related closures/delays, such as Wayzata Children's Clinic and Children's Minnesota's Partners in Pediatrics clinic in Maple Grove.
- Details multiple church closures and shifts to virtual services around the metro (e.g., Calvin Presbyterian, Messiah Lutheran Lakeville, Mount Olive Anoka, Farmington Lutheran, Christ Lutheran Lake Elmo).
March 14, 2026
12:34 PM
MN winter storm live updates: Heavy snow later Saturday, dangerous travel possible
New information:
- National Weather Service is now explicitly warning that snowfall rates of 2–3 inches per hour are possible in this storm.
- The heaviest snow band is expected to set up over southern Minnesota, near the Twin Cities, and into Wisconsin.
- A formal blizzard warning has been issued for portions of western and southern Minnesota, with the NWS saying travel could be difficult to nearly impossible by early Sunday morning.
12:33 PM
Minnesota weather: What to expect with this weekend's winter storm
New information:
- More concrete timeline for the Twin Cities: cloudy and seasonable Saturday with flakes arriving near sunset, heavy snow and gusty east winds Saturday night, blowing snow and heavy snow Sunday tapering by evening, and bitter cold with lingering difficult travel Monday.
- FOX 9 reiterates that the storm could be the biggest of the season, emphasizing the potential for 2–3 inches per hour and some locations over a foot of heavy wet snow, with the heaviest band focused on southern Minnesota, near the Twin Cities, and into Wisconsin.
- Specific NWS alert window for the metro: winter storm warning from 4 p.m. Saturday through 4 a.m. Monday, with an adjacent blizzard warning area in southwest and south‑central Minnesota expected to see white‑out conditions.
11:34 AM
Walz authorizes National Guard to help with snow storm
New information:
- 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.
10:51 AM
Live updates: Canceled flights at MSP Airport due to winter storm
New information:
- 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.
March 13, 2026
5:57 PM
MN weather: Biggest snow storm of season coming Saturday-Sunday
New information:
- 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.
5:06 PM
Live updates on MN winter storm: Airport conditions
New information:
- 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.
3:00 PM
MN weather: Winter storm warning issued; dangerous travel conditions possible this weekend
New information:
- 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.
1:15 PM
MN weather: Weekend will bring heavy snow to parts of Minnesota
New information:
- 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.
March 12, 2026