Rain, snow, and areas of ice move across Minnesota Tuesday night

Another warm day Wednesday, then seasonably chilly by the the weekend

A warm front moving through the state overnight Tuesday brings a light wintry mix along with it, then sets the stage for possible record warmth on Wednesday.

Tuesday night and Wednesday

Although not as warm as Monday, Tuesday was another mild day for late November with highs mostly in the 30s north and 40s south.

Thanks to increasing clouds and southerly winds, overnight temperatures also stay above average, with Wednesday morning lows predominantly in the 20s north and 30s south, which is closer to average highs for this time of year.

weather graphic
Forecast storm position late Tuesday
National Weather Service

That southerly flow is courtesy of a warm front which will also move a mix of wintry precipitation into much of Minnesota by late Tuesday and through the overnight.

Because central and southern Minnesota will spend at least part of the night with temperatures above freezing, more of the precipitation south, including for the Twin Cities, comes as light rain or drizzle with just a little snow mixing in.

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Northern Minnesota is cool enough to see more snow, but in portions of northern and central Minnesota, there is also a chance for light freezing rain (shown above right, in orange). Although most of the precipitation ends by the morning commute, this could still lead to icy spots on some roads.

Snow totals stay under an inch as the system passes through, with the exception of slightly higher amounts near Lake Superior.

weather graphic
Forecast snowfall through Wednesday
National Weather Service

In southern Cook County, 1 to 4 inches of snow are possible, enough to prompt a winter weather advisory from 3 a.m. to 9 a.m. Wednesday morning.

The warm air with the warm front bring highs similar to Monday, ranging from the upper 30s north to 60s southwest.

weather graphic
Wednesday high temperatures
National Weather Service

50s and 60s spread even farther north up the western border than on Monday, making record highs possible along the western edge of the state.

Extended forecast

By Thursday, Minnesota is on the cooler side of the storm.

High will be 5 to 10 degrees cooler Thursday, although still above average. Temperatures continue to fall slightly Friday and Saturday. Through Friday, this still puts the state above average, but by Saturday, the forecast highs in the 20s north and 30s south bring Minnesota back to more seasonable December cold.

Here is the forecast highs and lows for the Twin Cities through Monday, showing that colder trend by the weekend:

weather graphic
Twin Cities highs and lows through Monday
National Weather Service

Programming note

You can hear my live weather updates on Minnesota Public Radio at 7:49 a.m. Monday through Friday morning.