Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Christmas week warm front ahead; heavy snow chance emerging Christmas Day?

Christmas Eve looks mild. A chance of snow lurks Christmas Day.

NOAA GFS model noon Friday to 6 pm Saturday
NOAA GFS model noon Friday to 6 pm Saturday.
NOAA via tropical tidbits

The forecast heading through Christmas week offers some changes.

First, we enjoy a quiet and mostly sunny Wednesday. Highs will approach 30 degrees in southern Minnesota with 20s across most of the state.

Forecast high temperatures Wednesday
Forecast high temperatures Wednesday.
NOAA

Thursday brings some light snow to the northern half of Minnesota once again. By Christmas Eve, a warm front will blow through Minnesota.

Surface weather map Friday
Surface weather map 6 p.m. Thursday.
NOAA

Highs on Christmas Eve will reach the balmy 40s in the Twin Cities and southern Minnesota, with 30s up north.

Forecast high temperatures Friday
Forecast high temperatures on Christmas Eve.
NOAA

Some perspective here. The average high for the Twin Cities this week is 26 degrees. So temperatures will run 15 degrees above average across much of Minnesota on Christmas Eve. So far December is running 4.2 degrees warmer than average in the Twin Cities.

Snow chances emerging on Christmas Day?

Tuesday’s forecast models picked up on a potential low-pressure system moving toward Minnesota Christmas Day. Both the American GFS and Canadian models picked up on this trend, which gets our attention.

NOAA’s GFS model shows the chance for light rain showers Christmas Eve, then a solid area of moderate to heavy snow pushing into Minnesota on Christmas Day.

NOAA GFS model noon Friday to 6 pm Saturday
NOAA GFS model noon Friday to 6 p.m. Saturday.
NOAA via tropical tidbits

It’s too early to tell how reliable this trend is. But that this point it looks like we’ll need to be on the watch for the potential of significant to heavy snow across parts of Minnesota on Christmas Day.

Forecast high temperatures Saturday
Forecast high temperatures Christmas Day.
NOAA

Stay tuned.