Monday commuters are being advised to use extra caution as a winter storms hits the area.

Freeborn County has been included in a winter storm warning issued by the National Weather Service, which is expected to bring 6 to 8 inches of new snowfall and high winds across the area.

The warning went into effect at 6 p.m. Sunday.

As of Monday morning Albert Lea had received 2 1/2 inches of snow. Another 2 to 4 inches of new snow is predicted to arrive today before it tapers off and the winds pick up.

Higher winds later today could cause reduced visibility due to blowing and drifting snow, with gusts of 30 mph expected tonight into Tuesday. The storm is expected to pass by early Tuesday morning.

The storm is hitting much of west central and south central Minnesota, spanning the areas from Willmar southeast to Mankato and Albert Lea, south to the Iowa border and east into Wisconsin.

Other counties included in the warning are Blue Earth, Waseca, Steele, Martin, Faribault, Kandiyohi, Yellow Medicine, Renville, Sibley, Redwood, Brown, Nicollet, Le Sueur and Watonwan. Mower County, along with Winnebago and Worth counties in Iowa, also remain under a winter weather advisory.

Up to 10 inches of snow is possible in some areas in the warning.

On Friday, snow accumulation on the ground measured 15 inches at the Albert Lea Wastewater Treatment Plant, which is an observation station for the National Weather Service.

According to Rick Ashling, who monitors snowfall and precipitation accumulations at the plant, about 43 1/2 inches of snow have been received at the plant since November. He said accumulation totals on the ground, across the southern part of the state, measure anywhere from 12 to 18 inches.