The first major snowstorm of the season was marching across central and southern Minnesota Thursday morning, creating difficult travel conditions, delaying or closing some schools, and turning the brown landscape into a winter wonderland.

How much snow is expected?

A Winter Storm Warning remains in effect from the Red River Valley in northwestern Minnesota east to Duluth and south through the Twin Cities into western Wisconsin. Between 4 and 7 inches could fall along and north of I-94, while 3 to 6 inches could accumulate in southern and southwestern Minnesota, where a Winter Weather Advisory is also in place, according to the National Weather Service.

‘Plan for a slick and hazardous Thursday morning commute,’ the National Weather Service warned. ‘Allow extra time to get to your destination and remember, take it slow.’

At 6 a.m., metro area roads were snow-covered despite the full complement of Minnesota Department of Transportation plows attempting to clear them. Snow was reported to be falling at about a half inch to an inch per hour, complicating the cleanup efforts.

‘Minimal delays’ on public transit

Metro Transit buses, light-rail trains, and the Northstar Commuter lines were operating with ‘minimal delays’ as reported by the agency at 5:30 a.m. However, commuters were still encouraged to exercise caution.

The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport reported eight delayed flights—four outbound and four inbound—as of 6 a.m., though there were no cancellations, according to Flightaware.com, a flight tracking website.

Some schools impacted

In outstate Minnesota, districts such as Brainerd, Fergus Falls, Little Falls, and Royalton canceled classes on Thursday, while others, including Stillwater in the metro area, started classes a couple of hours late.

As the day progresses, snow is expected to wind down by late afternoon in most areas, but gusty winds will cause drifting of snow, potentially impacting travel late into the night, the Weather Service stated.