First snow of the season falls today

Say it ain't snow.

​

The National Weather Service in Chanhassen is predicting the first snow of winter 2011-12.

There, there -- we all knew this day had to come.

The benefits of scary, scary climate change -- which may have been responsible for that gorgeous, balmy October -- are very much at their end. According to the Weather Service, low pressure moving up out of the Texas Panhandle is to blame, and should be arriving in town this morning to dust us with the first accumulating snowfall of the season.

National Weather Service

Blue means white.

​It shouldn't be too bad for city dwellers -- only about an inch is expected in the eastern metro area. Southeastern Minnesota could get a six-inch dump of heavy, wet snow by noon, however.

While that's not exactly a snowpocalypse, it does signal the end of all happiness and light. Some meteorologists are predicting the standard, horrible Minnesotan winter, with average temperatures a few degrees below the average in December and January, and a slightly above average snowfall of about 56 inches.

This is also not a bad time to remind everyone about those potential "lazy shoveler" fines Minneapolis has been batting around. This is no time to sit indoors weeping softly into our pillows. Grab a shovel. We were born to push powder.

Previous coverage:

• Minneapolis threatens lazy snow shovelers with $75 fine
• Minnesota's rare October warm spell delights residents, terrifies scientists
• This winter is going to be horrible