Freeborn, Faribault, Steele and Waseca counties, along with much of Minnesota, will be in a winter weather advisory from 3 p.m. today to 3 a.m. Christmas morning.

Undeterred, Santa Claus expects to continue his journey delivering gifts to children of the world.

A wind chill advisory remained in effect until noon today.

The National Weather Service says snow is forecast to fall in Albert Lea beginning around 2 or 3 p.m. today, Christmas Eve. Accumulation of less than an inch is expected. Wind chill values could dip as low as 33 below today, with a forecast of 10 degrees. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.

The worst of the snowstorm is expected to cross through central Minnesota, where areas could see 2 to 4 inches, in addition to wind chill values at 25 below.

Albert Lea is forecast to have a high of 25 on Christmas Day, according to the weather service. Snow is likely — less than a half inch — between noon and 3 p.m. The high Thursday is expected to be 20 degrees.

Saturday could see a high temperature of about 31 degrees, but bitter cold Arctic air is expected to return that evening, making Sunday cold.