50s and 60s Wednesday for much of Minnesota
Morning fog and lingering precipitation makes for a slow commute in some areas
Overnight precipitation mostly came to an end Wednesday morning, and now the same pattern will send temperatures soaring by afternoon.
Wednesday’s forecast
A warm front influencing Minnesota overnight brought a wintry mix of precipitation as expected, most of which has cleared as of 7 a.m.
Northern Minnesota, especially the eastern edge of the Arrowhead, could continue to see some spotty snow or freezing precipitation through the day, and the southern edge of Cook County remains under a winter weather advisory until 9 a.m.
Behind the precipitation, areas of fog have developed in central and northern Minnesota, so be prepared both for a few lingering slick spots and reduced visibility during the morning commute.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.
The warm front that brought the precipitation in has also made for a mild morning, with all of the state, except a few spots in northern Minnesota, starting the day in the 30s.
Highs will be even warmer compared to average, ranging from the 30s north to a few 60s southwest.
For northern Minnesota this is about 10 degrees above average, but for southern and western Minnesota, those highs are 20 to 25 degrees above average in most cases.
This puts some towns in western Minnesota in range of record highs. For example, the forecast highs in Marshall and Moorhead are 60 and 55 respectively, with those records at 64 and 57.
Western Minnesota has the best chance at records because that is where our wind pattern from the south to southwest will be the gustiest by the afternoon, with gusts over 20 mph funneling in warm air.
Cooler air starts moving back across Minnesota Thursday. By the weekend, highs will only be in the 20s and 30s.
Programming note
You can hear my live weather updates on Minnesota Public Radio at 7:49 a.m. Monday through Friday morning.