Mother Nature is apparently planning to gift the Twin Cities snow for Valentine’s Day — just in time to impact those dinner reservations.

“The largest snowstorm of the season is on tap, but the bar has been set very low this year,” the Twin Cities office of the National Weather Service reported on X early Wednesday.

Predictions currently range from two to five inches for the metro, although some areas could see additional accumulation.

(Courtesy of the National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen)

Church services could also be affected by the incoming system, since many places of worship hold evening services for Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent on the Christian calendar.

The snow is forecast to move into western Minnesota first, with a winter weather advisory starting at noon on Wednesday for areas from Hutchinson to Mankato (with a winter storm warning in effect for Marshall, Minn.)

The snow is expected to arrive in the Twin Cities by late afternoon, the weather service reported.

A winter weather advisory goes into effect for the metro at 3 p.m. on Wednesday and is expected to end at 3 p.m. on Thursday.

In its early Wednesday report, the weather service predicts “an initial rain/snow mix before turning to all snow.”

The initial advisory for southern Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin has been expanded northward to include the Twin Cities metro, western Wisconsin and more of southern Minnesota, the weather service reported Wednesday.

As temperatures drop and the wet, slushy slow freezes, travel impacts are expected for both the evening commute on Wednesday and Thursday’s morning commute. Before heading out, check the roads at 511mn.org.

After the snow, it should be sunny but colder on Thursday, with highs in the 20s or low 30s and dipping to a low of 17 overnight into Friday.

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