Arctic cold lingers for several days; no big snowstorms in sight

Parts of far northern Minnesota are seeing temps near 20 below zero and wind chills in the 40s below zero this Saturday morning.

Highs today will only reach the single-digits below zero in most of Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Parts of the Twin Cities metro area could reach zero or a degree or two above zero. That’s way below our average Feb. 6 Twin Cities high of 26 degrees!

A wind chill advisory covers most of Minnesota and western Wisconsin this Saturday and into Sunday morning:

Here are details of the advisory that includes the Twin Cities today through noon on Sunday:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 312 AM CST Sat Feb 6 2021 ...VERY COLD AIR IN PLACE FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS... .Arctic high pressure will remain in place through next week. Highs in the single digits above or below zero are expected each day with lows in the teens or 20s below zero. Combined with the wind, wind chill values each night will drop to 25 below to 40 below zero. Some improvement is expected each afternoon, but that will last only briefly. A Wind Chill Advisory is in effect through Sunday morning for most of central and southern Minnesota into western Wisconsin, but through Tuesday morning north of a line from Benson to Little Falls. MNZ044-045-050>054-056>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ014>016- 023>028-062100- /O.CON.KMPX.WC.Y.0001.000000T0000Z-210207T1800Z/ Mille Lacs-Kanabec-Benton-Sherburne-Isanti-Chisago-Lac Qui Parle- Chippewa-Kandiyohi-Meeker-Wright-Hennepin-Anoka-Ramsey-Washington- Yellow Medicine-Renville-McLeod-Sibley-Carver-Scott-Dakota- Redwood-Brown-Nicollet-Le Sueur-Rice-Goodhue-Watonwan-Blue Earth- Waseca-Steele-Martin-Faribault-Freeborn-Polk-Barron-Rusk- St. Croix-Pierce-Dunn-Pepin-Eau Claire- Including the cities of Princeton, Mora, Sauk Rapids, Elk River, Cambridge, Center City, Madison, Montevideo, Willmar, Litchfield, Monticello, Minneapolis, Blaine, St Paul, Stillwater, Granite Falls, Olivia, Hutchinson, Gaylord, Chanhassen, Chaska, Victoria, Shakopee, Hastings, Redwood Falls, New Ulm, St Peter, Le Sueur, Faribault, Red Wing, St James, Mankato, Waseca, Owatonna, Fairmont, Blue Earth, Albert Lea, Osceola, Rice Lake, Ladysmith, Hudson, River Falls, Menomonie, Durand, Chippewa Falls, and Eau Claire 312 AM CST Sat Feb 6 2021 ...WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST SUNDAY... * WHAT...Very cold wind chills. Wind chills 20 to 35 below zero. * WHERE...Portions of northwest and west central Wisconsin and central, east central, south central, southeast, southwest and west central Minnesota. * WHEN...Until noon CST Sunday. * IMPACTS...The dangerously cold wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Use caution while traveling outside. Wear appropriate clothing, a hat, and gloves.

Northwestern Minnesota is in a wind chill warning this weekend, and that warning continues until noon on Tuesday:

Wind chill advisories in north-central and northeastern Minnesota run to 8 p.m. this Saturday, then those areas are in a wind chill warning from 8 p.m. tonight to noon on Tuesday.

Here are details of the wind chill warning in northwestern Minnesota:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Grand Forks ND 333 AM CST Sat Feb 6 2021 MNZ001-002-004>009-013>017-022-023-NDZ006>008-014>016-024-026>030- 054-090945- /O.CON.KFGF.WC.W.0001.000000T0000Z-210209T1800Z/ West Polk-Norman-Kittson-Roseau-Lake Of The Woods-West Marshall- East Marshall-North Beltrami-Pennington-Red Lake-East Polk- North Clearwater-South Beltrami-Mahnomen-South Clearwater-Towner- Cavalier-Pembina-Benson-Ramsey-Eastern Walsh-Eddy-Nelson- Grand Forks-Griggs-Steele-Traill-Western Walsh- Including the cities of Crookston, East Grand Forks, Ada, Twin Valley, Halstad, Hallock, Karlstad, Lancaster, Roseau, Warroad, Greenbush, Baudette, Warren, Stephen, Argyle, Newfolden, Middle River, Grygla, Red Lake, Redby, Ponemah, Thief River Falls, Red Lake Falls, Fosston, Fertile, McIntosh, Erskine, Bagley, Clearbrook, Bemidji, Mahnomen, Naytahwaush, Waubun, Alida, Ebro, Lake Itasca, Long Lost Lake, Lower Rice Lake, Roy Lake, Upper Rice Lake, Cando, Langdon, Cavalier, Walhalla, Drayton, Pembina, Neche, St. Thomas, Fort Totten, Maddock, Leeds, Minnewaukan, Devils Lake, Grafton, Park River, New Rockford, Lakota, Mcville, Aneta, Tolna, Grand Forks, Cooperstown, Finley, Hope, Mayville, Hillsboro, Hatton, Portland, Edinburg, Adams, and Lankin 333 AM CST Sat Feb 6 2021 ...WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST TUESDAY... * WHAT...Dangerously cold wind chills. Wind chills as low as 50 below zero. * WHERE...Portions of north central and northwest Minnesota and northeast and southeast North Dakota. * WHEN...Until noon CST Tuesday. * IMPACTS...The dangerously cold wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 5 minutes. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Avoid outside activities if possible. When outside, make sure you wear appropriate clothing, a hat, and gloves.

It’s a good idea to bring along warm clothes, a charged cell phone and some food and water if traveling in open areas this weekend. It’s also good to let someone know when you expect to arrive at your destination.

Wind chill trends

Here are forecast wind chill extremes for the next few days in parts of northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin:

Here are some forecast wind chills in central and southern Minnesota:

The dark-blue line shows forecast metro area wind chills in the 20s below zero today, but approaching 30 below zero overnight. Wind chills in the teens below zero are projected for the Twin Cities metro area Sunday afternoon.

You can hear updated weather information for Minnesota and western Wisconsin on the MPR network, and you’ll see updated weather info on the MPR News live weather blog.

Temperature trends

Low temps late Saturday night and early Sunday will be in the 20s below zero in much of northern and central Minnesota plus northwestern Wisconsin, with teens below zero elsewhere:

Sunday highs will be in the single-digits below zero in most spots:

Sunday afternoon wind chill temps will be in the 30s below zero in far northern Minnesota, with 20s below and teens below to the south:

Back to air temperatures, Twin Cities metro area highs are projected to be around 2 above zero on Monday, followed by 4 above Tuesday and 6 above zero Wednesday and Thursday. Highs retreat to about 2 above zero on Friday.

Snow chances?

Parts of far southern Minnesota could see a passing flurry today. It’s looking snow-free in most areas over the next few days. NOAA’s Global Forecast System (GFS) model shows some snow passing just south of Minnesota on Thursday, and spreading into parts of southern and eastern Wisconsin:

The European forecast model shows the snow pattern shifted northward, which includes the Twin Cities metro area in that Thursday snow. We’ll see how it pans out.

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.