802 
FXUS63 KMPX 090038
AFDMPX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN
638 PM CST Sun Dec 8 2019

.Updated for 00Z Aviation Discussion... 
Issued at 615 PM CST Sun Dec 8 2019

&&

.SHORT TERM...(This evening through Monday night)
Issued at 231 PM CST Sun Dec 8 2019

Surface analysis this afternoon shows a draped cold front from the
Great Lakes through the Northern Plains to a conglomerate low
pressure area over southern Montana. Arctic high pressure sits
over southern Canada.

A primary center of low pressure will develop along the front over
eastern Wyoming/western Nebraska this evening then gradually
traverse through Nebraska and Iowa tonight and into southern
Wisconsin and Michigan during the day tomorrow. This low will be
aided by a potent longwave trough axis emanating from a deep H5
low over Hudson Bay. This system will already have a fair amount
of Pacific moisture with it but will also pick up some Gulf of
Mexico moisture as it crosses Iowa into Wisconsin. This additional
moisture plus a more southerly track, allowing more cold air into
the system, will allow it to produce a bit more snow than previous
forecasts. Collaborative forecasts plus model forecasts indicate a
swath of 6-8" of snow in central MN with a wider and further south
swath of 3-6" of snow into southern MN and western WI. While the
timing hasn't changed much it's the amount that has so have opted
to raise a Winter Storm Warning for Douglas thru Kanabec counties
and pushed the Winter Weather Advisory south to a Montevideo-Twin
Cities-Eau Claire line. South of the Advisory, snow amounts will 
be less than 3" and likely 1" or less from Mankato and points 
south. The main question still is how quickly the atmosphere 
saturates, translating to how much freezing drizzle will be 
realized before the snow begins. There is still some potential for
a slight duration of freezing drizzle at the onset of 
precipitation but this shouldn't last much at all, potentially an 
hour or two tops before mixing and changing to all snow begins. 
Unfortunately, greatest intensity of snowfall looks to occur 
straight through the Monday morning rush hour so precautions 
should be taken by motorists during what may be a hazardous 
commute Monday morning. The snow will diminish Monday morning over
western MN, Monday afternoon in eastern MN and western WI. No 
additional snowfall is expected from Monday evening onward.

There is still the strong likelihood of strong winds during the
daytime hours on Monday, NW 15-25mph with gusts to 40mph,
potentially creating blowing/drifting snow issues over much of the
WFO MPX coverage area. With this snowfall expected to be a more
dry/powdery type of snow, reduced visibility and slippery roads 
will be viable concerns.

Temperatures will likely fall during the early morning hours
through Monday and Monday evening, making temperatures at midnight
tonight the expected high temperatures for Monday. Temperatures
will run from the single digits in western MN to the 20s near the
Mississippi River to near 30 in interior WI. By early Tuesday
morning, temperatures will run in the single digits above and
below zero. Wind chill values will run in the negative single
digits to around -20 deg F from late tonight through early Tuesday
morning.

.LONG TERM...(Tuesday through Sunday)
Issued at 231 PM CST Sun Dec 8 2019

At the start of the extended period, a very amplified pattern with
a upper ridge centered over the Canadian Rockies, southward over
the western tier of the nation, will break down and become 
progressive/zonal by the end of the week. Thus, a cold period will
become modified quickly to more seasonable temperatures. However,
at the same time as the flow becomes more progressive and zonal, 
several weak short waves will move across the northern tier of the
nation. Usually, the onset of the more milder air mass returning 
to the region, light precipitation can't be ruled out. However, 
the location and strength of these short waves will be dependent 
on the mean upper level flow and energy associated with it. The 
GFS/EC are not in phase as the change over occurs by midweek, so 
the placement of the QPF, surface features are different. 
Currently, a blended approach of the models have 20-30% chances of
light precipitation starting Thursday, and continuing through the
extended period. But, based on the differences in the models, 
there doesn't seem to be any impactful events from Tuesday 
evening, through next Sunday. There is also no indications of 
another arctic outbreak based on the progressive/zonal type of 
flow developing after Monday's system.

&&

.AVIATION...(For the 00Z TAFS through 00Z Monday evening)
Issued at 615 PM CST Sun Dec 8 2019

IFR stratus and fog with northeast winds overnight. Snow will
spread from west to east. Could also see some freezing drizzle but
overall expect the window to be fairly small before transitioning
over to completely snow. Northwest winds will increase in the wake
of the snow, and should see gusts near 25kts on Monday which could
lead to some blowing snow. Clouds will gradually lift by Monday 
evening into Monday night.

KMSP...
IFR stratus and fog with northeast winds overnight. Snow should
arrive around 11Z, and it will be a quick-hitting band of 1 to 3 
inches. Could also see some freezing drizzle before the snow 
arrives, but confidence was too low to include mention in the 
Tafs. Northwest winds will increase in the wake of the snow, and 
should see gusts near 25kts by late morning which could lead to 
some blowing snow. Clouds will gradually lift by Monday 
evening into Monday night.

/OUTLOOK FOR KMSP/
Tue...VFR and cold. Wind NW 5-10 kts. 
Wed...VFR and cold. Wind NW 5 kts. 
Thu...VFR. Wind SSE 5 kts.

&&

.MPX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
WI...Winter Weather Advisory from midnight tonight to 6 PM CST Monday 
     for WIZ014>016-023-025-027-028.

MN...Winter Storm Warning until noon CST Monday for MNZ041>045.

     Winter Weather Advisory until noon CST Monday for MNZ047>057.

     Winter Weather Advisory from midnight tonight to noon CST Monday 
     for MNZ058>063.

     Dense Fog Advisory until 3 AM CST Monday for MNZ082-091-092.

&&

$$

SHORT TERM...JPC
LONG TERM...JLT
AVIATION...JRB