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Our weekend could start out a bit messy. A low pressure system is expected to spread snow, sleet, light freezing rain, freezing drizzle and rain into Minnesota and western Wisconsin Friday night into early Saturday morning. 

The wintry mix is expected to change mainly to rain for the bulk of Saturday in portions of eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin, but it may stay a mix or change to mainly snow in parts of western Minnesota on Saturday. 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North American Mesoscale (NAM) forecast model shows the potential precipitation pattern from 6 a.m. Saturday to noon on Sunday:

Road temperatures will be important. Light freezing rain and freezing drizzle can quickly create icy surfaces. Snow will cause slick roads in some areas. Eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin could see a few lingering snow showers Sunday morning. 

The track of the low-pressure system may change, which would alter the distribution of snow, wintry mix and rain.

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 

The Storm Prediction Center of the National Weather Service shows a marginal risk of severe weather Saturday and Saturday night in southeastern Minnesota and parts of southwestern Wisconsin:

An isolated severe thunderstorm is possible in the marginal risk area, which is shaded darker-green and labeled “1.”  General (non-severe) thunderstorms are possible in the lighter green shaded area that includes the Twin Cities.

Our average Twin Cities high temperature is 36 degrees on March 5. The metro area can expect highs in the lower 40s this Saturday. Highs will range from 20s in far northern Minnesota to 50s in the far southeastern corner of Minnesota Saturday afternoon:

Saturday will be breezy, with afternoon wind gusts over 20 mph in many areas:

Forecast winds are in knots, with 18 knots equal to 20.7 mph. Much higher gusts can be expected near any thunderstorms that develop.

Back to temperatures, Sunday highs will be in the 20s across much of Minnesota, with 30s in the Twin Cities plus southeastern Minnesota and much of western Wisconsin:

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

Stay updated on forecasts this weekend, since a wintry mix of freezing drizzle, sleet, freezing rain and snow may slick up some roads in Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

Weekend weather: Rain, snow, wintry mix on Saturday

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