Snow, rain mix in forecast Thursday morning for Willmar, Minn., area

WILLMAR -- There is a mix of rain and snow in the forecast for Willmar and the region Thursday. The National Weather Service office in the Twin Cities says rain may change over to snow early Thursday across parts of west central and central Minnesota. Accumulations to around one inch appear possible generally west of a line from Little Falls to Willmar to Granite Falls.

The Weather Service says there is the threat of severe weather developing this afternoon in parts of Minnesota and Wisconsin, though the Willmar area is not forecast to have severe weather.

Over the next 24 to 36 hours, numerous showers and thunderstorms will be developing and then transitioning to snow and rain, the Weather Service says in a statement.

First, morning fog will dissipate with showers developing across Nebraska, and the Dakotas, and moving northeast across the Upper Midwest. Later this afternoon, thunderstorms will begin to develop, some may become severe, especially across far eastern Minnesota and west central Wisconsin.

The greatest threat of severe weather will occur across west central Wisconsin, east of the stationary front. Later this evening, and into the overnight hours, the precipitation will switch over to snow across the far west, with some accumulations possible by Thursday morning.

The switch over to snow will occur across central and southern Minnesota during the morning hours, with mainly rain by noon Thursday. The precipitation should abruptly end after the noon hour, with cold north-northwest winds and temperatures holding or falling into the 30s.