Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Northern snowfall totals increase before Canadian cold arrives

Tuesday's southern Minnesota thaw turns arctic Wednesday

MNDOT cam near Grand Portage
MNDOT cam near Grand Portage Tuesday.
MnDOT

Tuesday’s clipper is putting down some significant snowfall along the North Shore of Lake Superior. Bands of snow continue to move across northeast Minnesota through Tuesday afternoon before tapering off.

Early snowfall totals coming in include around 5 inches of snow around the Two Harbors area as of early Tuesday afternoon.

International Falls has picked up 4.5 inches so far.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s NAM 3 km resolution model shows the heaviest snow bands rolling through the North Shore Tuesday afternoon, with snowfall intensity tempering off through the evening. The loop below runs from 3 p.m. to midnight.

NOAA NAM 3 km model
NOAA NAM 3 km model Tuesday.
NOAA via tropical tidbits

Arctic air arrives Wednesday

Another arctic air mass blows into Minnesota starting Tuesday through Wednesday and Thursday. Wind chill advisories cover all of northern Minnesota and run right up to the western Twin Cities late Tuesday through Wednesday morning.

Wind chill advisory
Wind chill advisory.
Twin Cities National Weather Service

Wind chill levels will reach close to 40 below zero in the Red River Valley and northwest Minnesota by Wednesday morning.

Including the cities of Bagley, Clearbrook, Bemidji, Mahnomen, Naytahwaush, Waubun, Alida, Ebro, Lake Itasca, Long Lost Lake, Lower Rice Lake, Roy Lake, Upper Rice Lake, Park Rapids, Detroit Lakes, Wolf Lake, Fergus Falls, Perham, New York Mills, Parkers Prairie, Henning, Battle Lake, Wadena, Menahga, Elbow Lake, Hoffman, Ashby, Herman, and Barrett

1053 AM CST Tue Jan 18 2022

...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT CST TONIGHT...

...WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO NOON CST THURSDAY...

* WHAT...For the Winter Weather Advisory, blowing snow expected. This afternoon northwest winds gusting 35 to 45 mph causing areas of blowing and drifting snow in open areas. For the Wind Chill Advisory, very cold wind chills expected. Wind chills as low as 40 below zero.

* WHERE...Portions of central, north central, northwest and west central Minnesota.

* WHEN...For the Winter Weather Advisory, until midnight CST tonight. For the Wind Chill Advisory, from midnight tonight to noon CST Thursday.

* IMPACTS...Patchy blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute. The dangerously cold wind chills could cause frostbite on exposed skin in as little as 10 minutes.

Wind chill values will reach the negative 30s across much of northeast Minnesota this week.

Wind chill forecast for northeast Minnesota
Wind chill forecast for northeast Minnesota.
Duluth National Weather Service

It’s pretty typical to get wind chill values like this in January in Minnesota. But it still poses risks to be caught outside for extended periods of time.

Stay warm Minnesota.