Blizzard warnings in Northwest Minnesota, winter weather advisories across the state

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We’re on the cusp of the latest 2020 event to be very different than usual.

The Thanksgiving weekend forecast is upon us. Though there may be less overall travel this year, many Minnesotans are still hitting the road, or taking to the skies. 

Travel weather looks good overall across the Upper Midwest this holiday weekend. And Thanksgiving Day will be close to 20 degrees warmer than it was last year across Minnesota. The high temperature struggled to reach 28 degrees in the Twin Cities on Thanksgiving Day 2019. The average high for Thursday is 35 degrees.

The weather maps for Turkey Day 2020 look benign across the Upper Midwest. A warm front blows through Minnesota Wednesday evening. Southerly flow brings mild air across Minnesota as Thanksgiving Day dawns. 

Highs Thursday reach the 40s across southern Minnesota with mostly 30s up north. 

It looks like we’ll see plenty of sun on Thanksgiving Day. If we do, my read is that the numbers above may be a few degrees too conservative since much of Minnesota lacks snow cover. 

Since Thanksgiving is a transitional season in Minnesota, our weather on Thanksgiving Day can vary dramatically. 

 from the Minnesota DNR Climate Working Group.

A cool front will push temperatures a few degrees cooler Friday.

But another, stronger warm front arrives again bt Saturday. Highs should be close to 50 degrees in southern Minnesota Saturday afternoon. Highs will approach 40 degrees in northern Minnesota Saturday. 

We know more snow is eventually coming. But I still don’t see any big storms on the maps just yet.  A sharp cold front blows south across Minnesota Sunday. Expect gusty northwest winds, and temperatures falling into the 20s and 30s from Sunday through next Tuesday.

The medium-range forecast maps still hint at milder than average air masses the first weekend in December. 

NOAA’s 8 to 14-day temperature outlook places yet another red blob across the Upper Midwest. 

NOAA’s GFS 16-day outlook suggests highs in the 40s again for southern Minnesota by the weekend of December 5-6.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

Mild Thanksgiving weekend ahead. Colder air in sight next week.

Courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society

NOAA

Upper air forecast map for 6 pm December 5

Mild Thanksgiving: About 20 degrees warmer than last year

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