MPR News Chief Meteorologist Paul Huttner signs off

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Get ready for another free Minnesota roller coaster temperature ride. 

Check out the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Global Forecast System model forecast upper air pattern through Feb. 11 above. See how we alternate between bitter cold (blue) air masses and milder Pacific (red) air masses across Minnesota in the next two weeks?

With this pattern, we can still expect a few subzero arctic invasions this month. But milder Pacific air intrusions will become more frequent now as we slowly crawl out of the coldest weeks of winter. 

We bottom out below zero again Thursday morning across Minnesota with our latest arctic swipe. 

 cover all of Minnesota into Thursday morning.

Lows will hover near 10 below zero around the Twin Cities, with negative 30s up north once again. 

Saturday brings a rapid warmup to Minnesota. We’ll start out cold, then milder Pacific air blows rapidly into Minnesota Saturday afternoon. Highs will soar into the 30s across southern Minnesota, with 40s in the southwest. Note once again the 50s in Nebraska and western Iowa.

Colder air arrives again Sunday into Monday. But another warmup into the 20s and 30s sweeps in Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. NOAA’s six to 10-day outlook strongly favors warmer than average temperatures overall next week. 

The medium-range upper air forecast maps hint at another shot of bitter arctic air between about Feb. 11 and 15. NOAA’s updated temperature outlook for February favors colder than average temperatures overall for Minnesota. 

So we can expect to feel some potentially extreme temperature whiplash this month as arctic and Pacific air masses battle for position over Minnesota. 

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

Thursday starts subzero again. Temperatures soar above the thawing point by Saturday afternoon in southern Minnesota. 

NOAA via tropical tidbits

Forecast low temperatures Thursday morning

Flash thaws Saturday and next week, but a colder than average February overall?

Go Deeper.

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