Quiet weather for Christmas; snow chance returns on Sunday
Updated Minnesota snow depth map
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We had arctic chill and gusty winds on Thursday, as we shoveled and plowed our way out from Wednesday’s storm.
The official Thursday high temp at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport was 7 degrees. That’s well below our average Dec. 24 high temp of 24 degrees. After subzero overnight lows in Minnesota and western Wisconsin, afternoon temps will recover nicely on Christmas. Our Friday highs will range from the teens in northeastern Minnesota to the lower 30s in parts of the southwest:
Many spots in the Twin Cities metro area will touch 20.
Sustained winds will be in the 7 to 12 mph range on Christmas Day, with gusts in the teens by afternoon:
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Plotted values are in knots, with 14 knots equal to about 16 mph.
Most areas will have a bright Christmas Day. Far northern Minnesota could see a late-day flurry.
Snow depths
Here’s the latest Minnesota snow depth map, from the Minnesota State Climatology Office:
Our snow cover has expanded nicely since earlier in the week. Parts of southwestern Minnesota and far southeastern Minnesota have very little snow cover, but most areas have enough snow for kids who want to use their sleds or snowboards!
Weekend flake chances?
Saturday looks dry. Periods of snow are possible in northern and central Minnesota plus northwestern Wisconsin on Sunday. There could be some 1-2 inch snow totals. The Twin Cities metro area might see some light snow showers Sunday afternoon and evening.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North American Mesoscale (NAM) forecast model shows the potential precipitation pattern Sunday and Sunday evening:
You can hear updated weather information on the MPR network, and you’ll see updated weather info on the MPR News live weather blog.
Weekend temps
Saturday highs will be very typical for this time of year; mainly in the 20s, with a few teens in far northern Minnesota:
Sunday highs will be in the 20s south, with teens in the north:
It’ll be a bit breezy on Sunday.
Another snowstorm?
Some forecast models are showing a plowable snow, along with strong winds, next Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday. Pay attention to forecast updates if you have travel plans next week.
I hope that you have a safe and enjoyable Christmas!
Programming note
You can hear my live weather updates on MPR News at 7:35 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 4:39 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday.
