This could be one of the snowiest Decembers of all time

Star Tribune

Last update: December 29, 2008 - 11:45 PM

Last weekend's warmup left a layer of ice coating the Twin Cities that could disappear today under a hefty new blanket of snow.

The city of St. Paul has actually been plowing more often on streets such as that pictured above, but using less salt, which doesn't work as well in deep cold, city engineer John Maczko said Monday.

"This is a goofy weather pattern," he added of the recent up-and-down temperatures.

As of Monday, the Twin Cities had picked up 16 inches of snow this month. The system moving into the Upper Midwest today could bring 3 to 5 inches to the metro area, making this December one of the snowiest in history, according to the National Weather Service. Even heavier snow is expected to fall north of the metro area.

CHRIS HAVENS

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