By Jo McMullen / KVSC reporter

As the winter storm continues across Minnesota, here’s what we know related to traveling and this weekend’s forecast.

Retired St. Cloud State University meteorology professor Bob Weisman says that even though the predicted snowfall totals are off, travel conditions will be very difficult the rest of the day. In fact, he and the Minnesota Department of Transportation advise no travel in Central Minnesota, West Central and Southwest Minnesota.

Roads were closed in southwestern Minnesota, including Highway 23 and Interstate 90. Mn-DOT is beginning to slowly open some of the larger highways.

However, no travel is advised on the following roads in our area, the Paynesville-Kimball line and west of a Cokato-Norwood-Young America and further south and west.

Weisman adds the actual amount of new snow from Storm 3 has been rather modest so far, other than southeastern Minnesota.

The persistent band of snow has set up a bit further to the north than expected, covering most of central Minnesota, but the band’s development has been intermittent.

He predicts much of Central Minnesota will still end up with between 4 and 8 inches of new snow. If we didn’t get shut off yesterday afternoon, Weisman says might have seen potential records.

The storm is still on track to move into the Great Lakes by Thursday afternoon, so the heaviest of the snow will taper off by midday and the winds will also begin easing a bit this afternoon.

The good news, after a very cold overnight tonight, we’re in for a milder weekend. On Saturday and Sunday, highs will return to the middle to upper 20’s.