Deep freeze coming to the Twin Cities

Tuesday could bring a chance of freezing rain, more snow and then bone-chilling cold.

Snow is expected to begin falling this morning, with total accumulations of 1 to 3 inches, the National Weather Service (NWS) said. There's a slight chance of freezing drizzle until 7 p.m. before the nighttime temperature drops to 4 below.

Then the Twin Cities can expect bone-chilling cold for the rest of 2021. Daily highs will hover around 10 above, and nightly lows will fall below zero, according to the NWS.

After temperatures teetered around freezing early Monday, a light drizzle fell — putting a crusty glaze on top of a few inches of snow across the Twin Cities.

That made for slow going on roads throughout the metro area and beyond, and made footing on sidewalks precarious.

From noon Sunday through 8 a.m. Monday, the Minnesota State Patrol responded to 189 crashes across the state, with 21 injuries. Another 209 vehicles spun out, and eight semitrailer trucks jackknifed, the patrol said.

And from 8 to 10:30 a.m. Monday, the patrol added troopers responded to another 40 crashes, with four more people injured, 44 more vehicles going off the road and two semis jackknifed.

Dangerous driving conditions and poor visibility led the state Department of Transportation to advise no travel on state and federal highways in Moorhead and other Clay County towns. The advisory was lifted late afternoon Monday.

Snowfall varied greatly across the state overnight Sunday. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport reported just less than 3 inches, the NWS said.

A total of 20½ inches of snow has fallen at the airport this season, nearly 3 inches above normal, the weather service said.

With 4 inches, East Bethel reported the heaviest snowfall Monday in the Twin Cities area. Chanhassen received less than 2 inches, the NWS said.

In central Minnesota, the weather service reported 18 inches in St. Mathias, south of Brainerd, 10 inches southwest of Little Falls and 7.8 inches in Pierz.