MINNEAPOLIS — Snowy roads in southern Minnesota and poor visibility could cause delays on one of the busiest travel days of the year.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for much of southern Minnesota including the Twin Cities. Two to five inches of snow are forecast in the area through this afternoon, with the heaviest accumulations expected in the southwest metro area to Mankato and along the Iowa border.

The Thanksgiving weekend is traditionally one of the most dangerous holiday weekends on Minnesota roads.

State records show distracted driving was the most common factor in 564 crashes involving 1,436 cars between Nov. 27 and Dec. 1 last year. That’s ahead of failure to yield to other motorists, speeding, and drunken or drugged driving.