Cooler but still well above normal this week

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Southerly winds ahead of a potent storm make Wednesday the warmest day of the week, but that changes fast as a strong cold front moves through. Minnesota sees a messy mix of winter precipitation Thursday. Temperatures nosedive, bringing dangerous cold by the weekend.

The state started Wednesday with breezy winds from the south and southeast that continue through the day. This warm wind flow had most of the state seeing morning lows in the upper teens and low 20s, which is a very mild start for early February.  

That pattern also warms the state into the upper 20s north and 30s south for highs, and because the milder air keeps funneling in even during the evening hours, some of the highs for Wednesday could be set at the end of the day.

Central and southern Minnesota have areas of morning fog again, but because of the breezy conditions, visibilities are not as reduced as they were on Tuesday. Skies stay mostly cloudy, but predominantly dry until late Wednesday.

A strong storm brings a potent cold front across Minnesota overnight Wednesday.  

With temperatures so warm Wednesday and in the overnight until the front passes, it will be mild enough for a mix of rain, freezing rain, and snow when precipitation starts moving across Minnesota late Wednesday evening. 

As the front moves through overnight and temperatures dive, the wintry mix turns to entirely snow by Thursday morning. The snow then begins clearing west to east, ending in western Minnesota by late Thursday morning and completely moving out of the state by evening.

The heaviest precipitation stays east of Minnesota, so most of the state will see less than 2 inches of snow, with up to 3 to 5 inches on the eastern edges of the state.  

For the Twin Cities, 1 to 3 inches are likely, depending on how much of the initial precipitation is rain versus snow.

High winds gusting over 30 and possibly 40 mph will only add to the weather concerns.

Because an icy glaze form the initial rain and freezing rain may produce slick roads, plus high winds causing blowing snow could create whiteouts, most of southern Minnesota is under either a winter weather advisory or winter storm watch.

The high winds Thursday also funnel much colder air across the state. Temperatures drop all of Thursday into Friday morning.  

Highs Friday will be only in the single-digits north and teens south, but temperatures continue to get colder each day until at least Sunday. By Sunday, high across almost the entire state will be below zero, making it the coldest day of the winter so far for most of Minnesota.  

Lows will be even more frigid, especially Sunday and Monday morning, when temperatures for most of the state will be minus 15 to minus 30. That puts the state 25 to 35 degrees below average.  

Wind chills make the temperatures even more dangerous, feeling like 25 to 40 below during the coldest mornings.

 It currently looks like the cold will linger most of next week, so be prepared to bundle up!

You can hear my live weather updates on Minnesota Public Radio at 7:48 a.m. Monday through Friday morning.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Nicole Mitchell 

Author

Southerly winds ahead of a potent storm make Wednesday the warmest day of the week, but that changes fast as a strong cold front moves through. Minnesota sees a messy mix of winter precipitation Thursday. Temperatures nosedive, bringing dangerous cold by the weekend.


A messy weather system, then dangerously cold

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