A monster winter storm took aim at the Upper Midwest on Tuesday, threatening to bring blizzard conditions, bitterly cold temperatures and 2 feet of snow in a three-day onslaught that could affect more than 40 million Americans. The storm was to begin around midday and continue through Thursday morning, dumping heavy snow over parts of the Dakotas, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa and Wisconsin. The system was headed straight for the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, where 2 feet of snow or more was possible. More than a foot of snow was expected in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The National Weather Service said the blizzard will actually involve two rounds. For the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, the first blast that arrives Wednesday afternoon will bring up to 7 inches of snow. Round 2 starting later Wednesday and into Thursday is the real whopper, “with an additional 10 to 20 inches expected.” The weather service described the system as a “historic three-day winter storm” that would cause life-threatening travel disruptions. Weather service meteorologist Frank Pereira said it was expected to affect about 43 million Americans. Bitter cold and strong winds will only make matters worse. Temperatures could plunge to minus 15 to minus 20 degrees on Thursday (minus 26 to minus 29 Celsius) and minus 25 degrees (minus 32 Celsius) Friday in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Wind chills could fall to 50 degrees below zero (minus 46 Celsius), said Nathan Rick, a meteorologist in Grand Forks. In Pierre, South Dakota, the weather service expects up to 14 inches of snow, 40 mph winds and temperatures in the single digits by Wednesday night and early Thursday. The wind chill could dip to minus 25 degrees (minus 32 Celsius). Wind gusts of 35 mph will be common and could reach 50 mph in western and central Minnesota. That will result in “significant blowing and drifting snow with whiteout conditions in open areas,” the weather service said. Total snow accumulation could hit 25 inches, with the highest accumulations across east-central Minnesota and west-central Wisconsin, the weather service said. The snowfall could be historic, even in a region that gets a lot of snow. According to the weather service, the biggest snow event on record in the Twin Cities was 28.4 inches from Oct. 31 through Nov. 3, 1991 — known as the Halloween Blizzard. The second-largest was 21.1 inches of snow from Nov. 29 through Dec. 1, 1985. The Twin Cities got 20 inches of snow on Jan. 22 and Jan. 23, 1982. The weather service said east-central South Dakota and southwest Minnesota could get up to 22 inches and a light glaze of ice, with winds gusting to 50 mph. The storm was already having an impact. Minnesota state lawmakers canceled all committee hearings scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday as well as the Thursday floor sessions. Since they don’t normally meet on Friday, legislators won’t reconvene until Monday. Hardware store owners said residents were generally taking the forecast in stride. At C&S Supply, an employee-owned hardware store in Mankato, manager Corey Kapaun said demand was high for salt and grit, but not for shovels, snow blowers or other equipment. He attributed that to the fact that winter is two-thirds over. Kapaun said he’s sold 130 to 140 snow blowers and around 1,000 shovels this winter, when Mankato has […]

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