An early taste of winter tomorrow.  The Twin Cities and central Minnesota are expected to get 3 to 5 inches of snow, with as much as 6 inches on the ground further north. Snow will gradually taper off from west to east Tuesday evening.

Minnesota reports a 12th straight day with new COVID-19 cases over 1,000. The 1,632 cases reported today is the fourth highest recorded so far during the pandemic, only behind the previous three days, including a record high on Friday.

The seven-day running average of cases continues to outpace testing growth, indicating there are more cases that aren’t being identified by tests. Hospital admissions have also doubled in the last month.

Deaths are less than half of the daily average over the last week, with five new deaths reported today.

State health officials warn Minnesotans: The holidays may be very different in the months to come. As Minnesota’s COVID-19 numbers continue to go the wrong way, state public health officials on Monday strongly suggested Minnesotans rethink their plans for traditional year-end holiday gatherings, saying those celebrations simply may be too risky in a pandemic.

A Wisconsin judge today reinstated the state’s restaurant and bar capacity restriction, after a legal challenge initially rolled back the order, dating to early October.

A federal lawsuit filed today alleges Minneapolis and Hennepin County officials violated the civil rights of people living in homeless encampments. 

Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid and the Minnesota chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union filed suit today against Minneapolis and Hennepin County to stop them from evicting people from homeless encampments in city parks. Officials estimate people are living in more than 200 tents on parkland around the city.