Another wintry storm Friday

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Wintry weather appears ready to arrive early this year.

Multiple forecast models now crank out accumulating snow across northern Minnesota Saturday. Most solutions favor a few inches of snow across northern and central Minnesota, but a few models bring flakes as far south as the Twin Cities area Saturday.

It’s still early in the forecast process for gauging precise snowfall accumulations Saturday. But several models including the European, Canadian, and American models drag an unseasonably cold low-pressure system across Minnesota Saturday. The system appears cold and wet enough to produce accumulating snow north of the low-pressure track.

Here’s the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration GFS model solution Saturday. Like most other models it suggests several hours of snow across northern Minnesota Saturday. It also cranks out a second area of snow in southern Minnesota and Iowa Saturday night into Sunday.

As usual forecast models differ on the precise location and magnitude of accumulating snow potential this weekend. But the general theme is for a band of a few inches of snow somewhere across northern and or central Minnesota. A few solutions suggest minor accumulations in the Twin Cities area. 

Here’s the (early) European model snowfall output through Sunday.

The Duluth NWS office weighs in on snow chances this weekend in Tuesday forecast discussion.

One trend that seems certain. The weather pattern across the Upper Midwest shifts to a cold bias for the next 1-2 weeks.

Winter appears ready to show up early this year. But then again, it is 2020.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

An inbound weather system looks likely to bring accumulating snow to northern Minnesota Saturday.

Edwards, Craig

NOAA via tropical tidbits

European model (ECMWF) snowfall output through Sunday

October surprise? Growing chance for accumulating snow up north Saturday

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