Frigid temperatures this weekend prompt cold weather advisories

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Some spots in Minnesota saw fresh snow on Christmas, and more snow is on the way.

Ashby and Breckenridge in west-central Minnesota tallied 4 inches of fresh snow by midday on Saturday, with 3 inches in Fergus Falls. Additional snow reports can be found on the NWS 24-hour 

Snow will continue into Saturday evening in portions of northern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin.  Updated Minnesota road conditions can be found 

. Wisconsin road conditions can be found 

You can hear updated weather information for Minnesota and western Wisconsin on the Minnesota Public Radio News 

, and you can see updated weather info on the MPR News 

A winter storm is headed our way for Sunday afternoon and evening into early Monday.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North American Mesoscale (NAM) forecast model shows the potential precipitation pattern for Sunday afternoon through Monday morning:

The snow continues into Monday afternoon in parts of far northern Minnesota.

NOAA’s High-Resolution Rapid-Refresh (HRRR) model shows a similar overall pattern, but it moves the snow out of Minnesota by noon on Monday:

The Twin Cities metro area and southern Minnesota could see a wintry mix in addition to the snow. Early estimates of snow in the Twin Cities metro area from Sunday evening into early Monday are in the 2 to 4 inch range. Check forecast updates on Sunday.

Portions of northwestern Minnesota could see 6 inches or more of snow: from Sunday evening into Monday:

Here are NWS probabilities for heavy snow in northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin from late Sunday through Monday:

This is the NWS forecast of snow totals from Sunday evening through Monday in northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin:

A winter storm watch begins Sunday evening and runs into Monday afternoon in much of northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin:

The winter storm watch begins Sunday afternoon for portions of central Minnesota.

Here are winter storm watch details for northeastern Minnesota:

A winter storm watch begins Sunday evening across northwestern Minnesota.  Here are the winter storm watch details:

I expect the watch to be upgraded to winter storm warnings for portions of northern and central Minnesota plus parts of Wisconsin in later forecasts.

Our average Twin Cities high temp is 26 degrees on Dec. 26.  The metro area will see highs close to 30 on Sunday.  Highs will range from teens in far northern Minnesota to 30s in the far southeast Sunday afternoon:

Sunday midday wind gusts will be in the 16 to 24 mph range in many areas:

Forecast gusts are in knots, with 16 knots equal to 18.4 mph.

Back to temperatures, Twin Cities metro area highs are projected to reach the mid 20s on Tuesday, followed by single-digit highs on Wednesday and Thursday and then upper teens on Friday.

The NWS Climate Prediction Center shows a tendency for below-normal temperatures in Minnesota and Wisconsin from Dec. 31 through Jan. 4:

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.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Ron Trenda

Author

A winter storm is headed our way for Sunday afternoon/evening into Sunday night and early Monday. We have the forecast details for Sunday and the week ahead.

Winter storm will begin Sunday evening in many areas

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