Never-say-die winter: 3-6 inches of snow expected in Twin Cities

Jeff Wheeler, Star Tribune

Kathleen Murschel of Brooklyn Center was bundled up to battle the driving rain as she crossed the street in downtown Minneapolis on Thursday afternoon.

By MARY LYNN SMITH and BILL McAULIFFE, Star Tribune

Last update: April 10, 2008 - 11:53 PM

Enough already.

The never-say-die winter has worn out its welcome. The heavy, wet, 3- to 6-inch snowfall expected to accumulate by tonight in the Twin Cities is pushing some people over the edge and even to Iowa.

Take golfers, for instance. "These people have been locked up and they can't wait to get out there," said Steve Dowling, marketing director for the Legends Club in Prior Lake. "Normally, we're open by April 1."

Dowling said a hoped-for opening this weekend is now a scratch. But temperatures in the 50s and 60s next week could open the course and spare antsy golfers the drive to Iowa and points south, he said.

In the meantime, metro area public works crews who would rather be mowing park grass or sweeping streets this time of year may be back behind their snowplows today. The good news is that the pavement is warm enough that any snow won't pile up or last long, said Mike Kennedy, winter operations manager for Minneapolis.

Today's snowfall will help bring the Twin Cities closer to its seasonal snowfall average of 55.9 inches. Before the flakes started falling Thursday, the metro area was down about a foot from normal, said Pete Boulay, assistant state climatologist. And whether we like it or not, "We expect storms like this to happen in the spring," he said.

And it could be worse.

In 1983, the Twin Cities racked up the snowiest April on record. It snowed seven days in a row to open the month, with 21.8 inches by the time the month ended.

And in Duluth, they'll be holding on to their winter hats today with wind gusts of up to 55 mph, creating whiteout conditions with a predicted 12 to 14 inches of new snow.

"The whole city is getting ready to be at home and just take the day off," said Karl Spring, chief meteorologist for KBJR-TV in Duluth.

A few hard-core skiers will enjoy the novelty of an April snowstorm, said Bruce Adelsman, publisher of the cross-country ski website skinnyski.com.

But for most, enough is enough already, he said. "They're ready to move on to their summer sports."

mlsmith@startribune.com • 612-673-4788 mcaul@startribune.com • 612-673-7646

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