No snow had fallen in Albert Lea this morning as a result of a storm crossing Minnesota, but the National Weather Service says it is on the way.

Its latest maps say Freeborn and Faribault counties can expect 1 to 2 inches of snow today. Waseca and Steele counties are in the 2- to 3-inch range, while in Winnebago and Worth counties in Iowa could see less than an inch.

Up north, the storm is expected to be stronger.

“A powerful winter storm system will afflict the region through tonight,” the Chanhassen bureau of the weather services says, “and bring significant snowfall, strong winds, blowing snow and plummeting temperatures. The snow will taper off by Thursday, but dangerously cold wind chill values will persist through much of the weekend.”

It says northeast Minnesota and northwest Wisconsin are likely to see 12 to 15 inches. Places like Brainerd and St. Cloud could see 8 to 10 inches. The Twin Cities, Willmar and Detroit Lakes fall into a band expected to get 6 to 8 inches. Marshall and Fergus Falls can expect 4 to 6 inches. Mankato is forecast to get 3 to 4 inches. Rochester might see less than an inch.

The early December storm dumped more than 2 feet of snow in parts of northeastern Minnesota.

As much as 26 inches of snow had fallen just north of Two Harbors by 8 p.m. Tuesday.

The National Weather Service says another foot or more could fall Wednesday before the storm moves east and is replaced by arctic cold. The highest snowfall amounts are forecast along the higher terrain of the North Shore, between Proctor and Grand Marais.

Duluth police have handled 50 crashes since the snow began Monday.

The heavy snow has canceled or delayed school in some northeastern Minnesota communities.

A gale warning is posted for Lake Superior. The weather service has issued a winter storm warning for the region through late Wednesday.

As of 8 a.m. today, Freeborn and Faribault counties remains in a dense fog advisory, along with Winnebago and Worth counties. It was in place until noon. Steele and Waseca counties were in a winter weather advisory, in effect until 6 a.m. Thursday.

— The Associated Press contributed to this story.