NOAA

It's already the 9th snowiest winter on record for the Twin Ports, and more snow is on the way for Thursday and Friday - probably plowable, not crippling, but the snow just keeps piling up in the Northland.

Some of us are cheering on a Top 10 or Top 5 Winter Snowfall Record for the Twin Ports and Northland, but every additional inch of snow increases the potential for serious spring flooding, and that threat continues to rise.

Predicting spring flooding is as much an art as it is a science. Snow cover is higher than average, with 5-8" of liquid water trapped in all that snow. If we see heavy rain and rapid warming in March and April we may see significant river and stream flooding later this spring. If you've had flooding issues in the past you should stay alert and up to date with the latest NWS flood outlook

On a scale of 1-5, the storm later this week will be a "Category 4", capable of near-blizzard conditions and even coastal flooding and beach erosion on Lake Superior, due to sustained winds of 30-50 mph for 1-2 days. The heaviest snows will stay south, but more plowable snow is on the way.

Balloons tend to signify a good time. But not always, as the recent Chinese spy balloon sighting and tracking proved. Chinese officials tried to make the case that it was a weather balloon, but that's simply not true. In this post we show the (massive) differences between a spy balloon and a weather balloon.

Here's what it means for Minnesota and Wisconsin.