MINNEAPOLIS — A potent winter storm is expected to bring several inches of snow to much of the state, along with blizzard conditions in central and southern Minnesota beginning Sunday into Monday.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for much of eastern Minnesota, while a blizzard warning is in effect for portions of central and southern Minnesota, stretching from north of St. Cloud south to Albert Lea.

The heaviest bands of snow are expected to first accumulate in the western part of Minnesota, before moving toward Wisconsin.

When will the snow start falling?

Originally, the weather service forecast a rain-freeze mix that was expected to begin around midnight Saturday in Madison and Alexandria, and later in Little Falls and St. Cloud.

By 3 p.m. Saturday, officials updated the forecast to a more “hazardous outlook.” The stricter warnings now note that dense fog, wind and snow alerts are expected for much of the western and southern part of the state. They are expected to head east into Wisconsin during much of Sunday and into Monday.

It is expected to rain all night in the Twin Cities before turning to snow about 8 a.m. Sunday.

How much snow will fall?

The heaviest snow accumulations are predicted to strike around 1 p.m. Sunday in the Minneapolis and St. Paul metro area.

Mankato and Red Wing in Minnesota and St. Croix Falls and Eau Claire in western Wisconsin are also expected to be hit with stronger snowfalls early Sunday afternoon.

These are the forecasted snow totals from the weather service, as of Saturday:

—Austin: 2-6 inches

—Grand Rapids: 2-6 inches

—Grand Marais: 3-7 inches

—Ely: 3-7 inches

—Brainerd: 3-7 inches

—Rochester: 3-7 inches

—Winona: 3-7 inches

—St. Cloud: 3-8 inches

—Faribault: 4-8 inches

—Duluth: 4-9 inches

—Twin Cities: 5-8 inches

Weather service meteorologist Ryan Dunleavy said the storm will be “pretty expansive” across much of the state before clearing out Monday morning.

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