The Twin Cities are under a winter storm warning starting at midnight Friday, and weather forecasters are predicting a foot or more of snow by Saturday night. High winds are expected to cause blizzard-like whiteout conditions, and 30-degree-below-zero wind chills are likely.

Students going on trips this weekend should be especially careful, because the National Weather Service warning said people should refrain from traveling Saturday. A Bulletin Today article said there has not been a decision yet about whether the shuttle service between St. Thomas’ Minneapolis and St. Paul campuses will be stopped, but it said that could happen if conditions get bad.

Star Tribune weather forecaster Paul Douglas wrote, “The storm arriving tonight has the potential to be the biggest winter storm for much of Minnesota since the 1991 Halloween blizzard.” That infamous storm, which dropped some 28 inches of snow on the Twin Cities, came when most of today’s St. Thomas students were just a year or two old.

The winter storm warning said nine to 13 inches of snow is predicted for the Twin Cities and central Minnesota. Wind speeds of 25 to 35 mph will be common, with gusts of 45 mph. The high wind speeds will make the snow drift and blow, reducing visibility, and the negative wind chills will make travel even more hazardous.

To check whether events at St. Thomas have been canceled or if the university is shut down, call 651-962-7669 or check the UST Cares website. Check back on TommieMedia later this weekend for photos of how the storm affects campus.

Katie Broadwell can be reached at klbroadwell@stthomas.edu.