It arrived too late for a white Christmas, but the 3 to 6 inches of snow that blanketed the Twin Cities on Friday night and Saturday morning brought the metro area back to its usual wintertime look.

Snow totals Saturday morning included 4.2 inches at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport and 5.5 inches at the National Weather Service in Chanhassen. The highest reported totals were 6 inches in Circle Pines, Little Canada and Farmington.

The State Patrol reported 310 crashes statewide overnight Friday — 39 with injuries, one fatal in Blue Earth County. In that crash, one person died and two others were injured. The patrol said there were another 226 vehicles off the road or stalled.

By Saturday morning, Minneapolis and St. Paul had declared snow emergencies, with other metro areas, including Robbinsdale and Richfield, following suit. By late afternoon, the Minnesota Department of Transportation noted on Twitter that most roads were clear except for a few rough patches.

The band of snow moved into Wisconsin on Saturday morning. Lower temperatures are expected to follow for the next few days, including temperatures below zero overnight Monday and Tuesday.

Snowfall totals previously had been barely half of the 30-year average of 21.2 inches for November and December, with just 10.8 inches of snow recorded in Minneapolis since Nov. 1, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Rick Hiltbrand. November had 9.4 inches of snow; December saw 1.4 inches, he said.

Before Friday's snowfall, outdoor skating rinks, warming houses, cross-country ski trails and chalets had delayed opening because of unseasonably warm weather. Even with the latest snow, a few more weeks may be needed for safe ice conditions and ample snow depths.

Joe Yasis, general manager of Afton Alps ski area, said business was brisk Saturday following the snowfall. "It's going fantastic, it's the most snow we've had in a week or so, especially after it has been raining," he said. Conditions in recent days had been a bit warm for making snow, but that all changed Friday evening with the snowfall.

Staff writers Matt McKinney and Janet Moore contributed to this report.

Liz Sawyer • 952-746-3282