Thursday snow to linger through Saturday

Snowfall amounts will vary depending on the track of the storm, but early estimates call for 4 to 8 inches in the Twin Cities with up to a foot in places such as St. Cloud, Hinckley, Duluth and along the North Shore.

By TIM HARLOW, Star Tribune

Last update: April 9, 2008 - 8:16 AM

Spring will make a cameo appearance today, bringing sun and warm conditions to the region before winter returns with a vengeance Thursday and Friday with up to a foot of snow in some portions of south and central Minnesota.

A Winter Storm Watch is posted for eight counties in far southwestern Minnesota and for northeastern Minnesota, which was hit with as much as 2 feet of snow last weekend. A Blizzard Watch is posted for Thursday night into Friday for the Duluth area, where a foot of snow combined with winds blowing at 40 to 50 miles per hour are possible, the National Weather Service said.

No warnings or watches are in effect for the Twin Cities area yet, but a low pressure system moving out of the southern Rocky Mountains and across Missouri and Iowa will bring significant moisture to Minnesota, most likely in the form of heavy, wet snow as temperatures Thursday night drop to the freezing mark or just below, the National Weather Service said.

Snowfall amounts will vary depending on the exact track of the storm, but early estimates call for 4 to 8 inches in the Twin Cities with up to a foot in places such as St. Cloud, Hinckley, Duluth and along the North Shore of Lake Superior.

In southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin, rainfall amounts from 1 to 2 inches are likely from Thursday night through midday Saturday, the Weather Service said.

Remnants of the storm will linger through Saturday before the sun and more seasonable temperatures return Sunday through Tuesday. Highs Sunday will reach near 50 degrees with a balmy 60 degrees expected by Tuesday, the Weather Service said.

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