Arctic chill this weekend; top 5 weather events of 2021

The main weather story for the weekend is the arctic cold.

I’ll first mention that parts of southern Minnesota, the Twin Cities metro area and portions of western Wisconsin will see periods of light snow showers into early Friday evening. Updated Minnesota road conditions can be found here. Wisconsin road conditions can be found here.

Wind chill advisories and warnings

Temperatures will plummet Friday night and arctic cold will be with us through the weekend.

The combination of cold temps and gusty winds will drop wind chill temperatures into the minus 35 to minus 45 degrees range in parts of western Minnesota, where wind chill warnings continue Friday evening and through Saturday morning:

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

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 155 PM CST Fri Dec 31 2021 MNZ041-042-047-048-054>056-064-010615- /O.CON.KMPX.WC.W.0003.220101T0000Z-220101T1800Z/ Douglas-Todd-Stevens-Pope-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-Chippewa- Yellow Medicine- Including the cities of Alexandria, Long Prairie, Morris, Glenwood, Madison, Benson, Montevideo, and Granite Falls 155 PM CST Fri Dec 31 2021 ...WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON CST SATURDAY... * WHAT...Dangerously cold wind chills expected. Wind chills as low as 45 below zero. * WHERE...Portions of central and west central Minnesota. * WHEN...From 6 PM this evening to noon CST Saturday. * IMPACTS...The dangerously cold wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Avoid outside activities if possible. When outside, make sure you wear appropriate clothing, a hat, and gloves.

The windchill warning includes Carver County of the southwestern Twin Cities metro area. The remainder of the metro area plus southeastern Minnesota and west-central Wisconsin are in a windchill advisory from midnight Friday night through noon on Saturday. Here are details of the windchill advisory:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 155 PM CST Fri Dec 31 2021 MNZ053-060>063-069-070-076>078-084-085-093-WIZ014-015-023-024- 010615- /O.EXT.KMPX.WC.Y.0011.220101T0600Z-220101T1800Z/ Chisago-Hennepin-Anoka-Ramsey-Washington-Scott-Dakota-Le Sueur- Rice-Goodhue-Waseca-Steele-Freeborn-Polk-Barron-St. Croix-Pierce- Including the cities of Center City, Minneapolis, Blaine, St Paul, Stillwater, Shakopee, Hastings, Le Sueur, Faribault, Red Wing, Waseca, Owatonna, Albert Lea, Osceola, Rice Lake, Hudson, and River Falls 155 PM CST Fri Dec 31 2021 ...WIND CHILL ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO NOON CST SATURDAY... * WHAT...Very cold wind chills expected. Wind chills as low as 35 below zero. * WHERE...Portions of northwest and west central Wisconsin and east central, south central and southeast Minnesota. * WHEN...From midnight tonight to noon CST Saturday. * 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.

A windchill warning continues in northwestern and north-central Minnesota through Saturday morning:

Here are details of the warning, with “tonight” referring to Friday night:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Grand Forks ND 159 PM CST Fri Dec 31 2021 MNZ001>005-007-008-013>016-022-023-027>031-040-NDZ006>008-014>016- 024-026>030-038-039-049-052>054-011800- /O.CON.KFGF.WC.W.0003.000000T0000Z-220101T1800Z/ West Polk-Norman-Clay-Kittson-Roseau-West Marshall-East Marshall- Pennington-Red Lake-East Polk-North Clearwater-Mahnomen- South Clearwater-West Becker-East Becker-Wilkin-West Otter Tail- East Otter Tail-Grant-Towner-Cavalier-Pembina-Benson-Ramsey- Eastern Walsh-Eddy-Nelson-Grand Forks-Griggs-Steele-Traill-Barnes- Cass-Ransom-Sargent-Richland-Western Walsh- Including the cities of Crookston, East Grand Forks, Ada, Twin Valley, Halstad, Moorhead, Hallock, Karlstad, Lancaster, Roseau, Warroad, Greenbush, Warren, Stephen, Argyle, Newfolden, Middle River, Grygla, Thief River Falls, Red Lake Falls, Fosston, Fertile, McIntosh, Erskine, Bagley, Clearbrook, Mahnomen, Naytahwaush, Waubun, Alida, Ebro, Lake Itasca, Long Lost Lake, Lower Rice Lake, Roy Lake, Upper Rice Lake, Detroit Lakes, Wolf Lake, Breckenridge, Fergus Falls, Perham, New York Mills, Parkers Prairie, Henning, Battle Lake, Elbow Lake, Hoffman, Ashby, Herman, Barrett, 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, Valley City, Fargo, Lisbon, Enderlin, Gwinner, Milnor, Forman, Rutland, Wahpeton, Edinburg, Adams, and Lankin 159 PM CST Fri Dec 31 2021 ...WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON CST SATURDAY... * WHAT...Dangerously cold wind chills. Wind chills in the -35 to -50 range this afternoon will drop even lower tonight. Wind chills as low as 55 below zero possible. * WHERE...Portions of northwest and west central Minnesota and northeast and southeast North Dakota. * WHEN...Until noon CST Saturday. * 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. If outside, make sure you wear appropriate winter clothing.

A windchill warning runs from Friday evening through Saturday morning in northeastern Minnesota, with a wind chill advisory in northwestern Wisconsin:

Here are details of the warning:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Duluth MN 156 PM CST Fri Dec 31 2021 MNZ010>012-018>021-025-026-033>038-010800- /O.UPG.KDLH.WC.Y.0016.220101T0000Z-220101T1800Z/ /O.NEW.KDLH.WC.W.0007.220101T0000Z-220101T1800Z/ Koochiching-North St. Louis-Northern Cook and Lake-North Itasca- Central St. Louis-Southern Lake-Southern Cook-North Cass- South Itasca-South Cass-Crow Wing-Northern Aitkin-South Aitkin- Carlton and South St. Louis-Pine- Including the cities of International Falls, Ely, Isabella, Bigfork, Hibbing, Two Harbors, Silver Bay, Grand Marais, Walker, Grand Rapids, Pine River, Brainerd, Hill City, Aitkin, Duluth, Pine City, and Hinckley 156 PM CST Fri Dec 31 2021 ...WIND CHILL WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO NOON CST SATURDAY... * WHAT...Dangerously cold wind chills expected. Wind chills as low as 45 below zero. * WHERE...Portions of east central, north central and northeast Minnesota. * WHEN...From 6 PM this evening to noon CST Saturday. * IMPACTS...The dangerously cold wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Since these cold wind chills will occur over the New Year holiday, and there are sure to be a lot of festivities, ensure those who venture outside make it indoors safely. Plan now for a safe ride home. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Avoid outside activities if possible. When outside, make sure you wear appropriate clothing, a hat, and gloves.

Lighter winds are expected on Sunday, but arctic temps will linger over us.

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

Weekend lows and highs

Low temps early Saturday morning will be in the 20s below zero across most of northern and central Minnesota, with teens below zero to the south:

A few spots in northern Minnesota could drop into the 30s below zero.

We start the new year with below-zero high temperatures:

Our average Twin Cities high temp is 25 above zero on New Year’s Day. Our record coldest Twin Cities Jan. 1 high temp was minus 12 degrees, in 1974.

Sunday morning lows are expected to be in the 20s below zero in many spots:

There could even be some 20s below zero early Sunday morning around the outer edges of the Twin Cities metro area.

Sunday highs will be in the single digits above zero in many areas, with a few teens in southwestern Minnesota:

Temps rebound Monday

Twin Cities metro area highs are projected to reach the upper 20s Monday and Tuesday, then retreat to the lower teens Wednesday, followed by single-digit highs Thursday and Friday.

Top 5 weather events of 2021

It’s time to recap the top weather events of 2021.

The Minnesota State Climatology Office has released the results of voting for the Top Five Weather Events of 2021 in Minnesota.

According to the Climatology Office:

Votes were cast from various weather enthusiasts including the National Weather Service, the University of Minnesota, State agencies and Facebook followers.

Here are the results of the voting, along with Climatology Office narratives:

#1 Historic Mid-December Severe Weather and Wind Event, December 15-16, 2021

This runaway #1 would have been a top-five candidate any time of year, but its out-of-season timing, as much as its potency, made it a "career" or "generational" event that had never before been recorded in Minnesota.

A powerful cyclone brought warm air, high dew point temperatures and summer-like severe weather into Minnesota. As of December 29, twenty tornadoes have been confirmed, the strongest of which, rated EF-2, struck the town of Hartland in Freeborn County. Damaging thunderstorm winds tracked across several states and qualified as a "derecho," and the same system brought additional damaging non-thunderstorm winds due to the pressure gradient. The warm air out ahead of the storm brought the fastest snow melt seen in December in the Twin Cities. The snow depth went from 12 inches on December 11 to zero on the 16th.

#2 The Drought of 2021

A major drought overtook Minnesota during 2021, as persistent moisture deficits combined with above-normal temperatures across the state. In some parts of the state, the drought was as serious as anything experienced in over 40 years, though for most of the state it was the worst drought in 10-30 years. By August 10th, a swath of northwestern through north-central Minnesota was designated in Exceptional Drought (D4), marking the first time any part of the state had made it to that level of drought during the 21-year history of the US Drought Monitor. Precipitation events beginning in August eased the drought situation, but at the close of 2021 the drought continued, especially in northern Minnesota.

#3 Summer of Smoke, 2021

The summer of 2021 was dry and hot, but Minnesotans will also remember it as unusually smoky. The Twin Cities International Airport reported smoke present on 25 different days between June and August, but by far the most noteworthy period was the long-duration "smoke outbreak" of July 28 - August 6. During this time, the smoke was so thick that it occasionally reduced surface visibility across Minnesota to a mile or less--values typically reserved for accumulating snowfalls or foggy episodes. The fine particulate matter from the smoke created imminent health hazards for vulnerable populations.

#4 February 2021 Cold Outbreak

The winter of 20-21 that was on its way to top ten for warmth, suddenly had a change of heart and plunged Minnesota (and a good chunk of the nation) into the icebox. The cold was noteworthy for how late in the season it was. The Twin Cities was at or below zero for 116 hours, the most since 1994 and had the 3rd most hours of zero or colder back to 1905.

#5 June 2021 Heat Wave

Minnesota has had many historical heat waves that were "worse" than this one on numerous counts. However, at many locations, this was the longest and most severe heat wave to occur so early in the season. It's not unusual have several days or more of 90-degree weather during the middle of July, but it is unusual to do so during (or before) the first half of June. The Twin Cities hit 90 degrees or higher nine days in a row, the third longest streak on record. It was this heat wave that really intensified the drought.

You can click on the links to the top five weather events for much more detail.

We’ll see what 2022 brings us. I hope that you have a great 2022!