Updated at: 02/08/2010 11:40 AM | KSAX.com

NWS: Winter Storm Warning for West Central Minnesota

ALEXANDRIA, Minn. - The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for most of west central Minnesota, Monday.

Snowfall was expected to increase in intensity and begin to accumulate into Tuesday. The NWS expected travel woes to increase on roads and highways as more snow accumulates throughout Monday and Tuesday.

By mid to late morning Monday, the snowfall will become moderate to heavy across much of west central Minnesota and last through Monday afternoon and into the evening.

The NWS expects a gradual lightening of snowfall overnight and into Tuesday.

As of early Monday morning, about two to five inches had accumulated across a large portion of west central Minnesota since Sunday.

The NWS was predicting three to five more inches more throughout Monday, and expected this to affect the evening rush hour commute.

Another one and a half to three inches was expected Tuesday morning. The NWS expected the grand total for this winter storm warning to total 8 to 13 inches in west central Minnesota by midday Tuesday.

Winter Storm Statewide

The winter storm was slowing the morning commute in the Twin Cities Monday.

Roughly 80 rural school districts are starting classes two hours late and roughly 50 rural districts are closed across southern and western Minnesota.

A wide swatch of Minnesota including Fergus Falls and Willmar in the west to Fairmont and Austin in the south is included in a winter storm warning. Forecasters say up to 8 inches to 13 inches are expected in some of those areas by Tuesday.

The Twin Cities are under the warning through noon Tuesday.

Northern Minnesota, stretching from the Moorhead area to Duluth, is also expected to see significant snowfall. Six to 10 inches are possible near Lake Superior.

The winter storm warning includes a large portion of the interstate 35, 90 and 94 corridors.

The winter storm warning will remain in effect until 6 a.m. Tuesday morning.

For a complete list of Minnesota counties affected by the storm, click here.

The number of schools closing throughout the state continues to climb Monday morning. For a complete list of school closures in the state, click here.

(KSAX Eyewitness News and The Associated Press)