Wintry mix spreads across Minnesota

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Parts of Minnesota will see periods of rain this afternoon and evening.

rain showers across much of western and northern Minnesota today, possibly mixed with a few flakes. The rain coverage expands into central Minnesota later this afternoon, then into east-central Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin Sunday evening. The Twin Cities metro area could see a few scattered rain showers late this afternoon and this evening, and the metro area might also see a rain shower or snow shower overnight. 

The precipitation in northern Minnesota could transition to a rain/snow mix by this evening, then change over to all snow later tonight.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North American Mesoscale (NAM) forecast model shows the potential precipitation pattern from noon Sunday to noon Monday:

NOAA’s High-Resolution Rapid-Refresh (HRRR) model shows a similar precipitation pattern, but a later changeover to snow in the north:

There is the potential for several inches of snow in parts of northern Minnesota Sunday evening into early Monday: 

NWS has issued winter weather advisory for much of northeastern Minnesota from 7 pm tonight to 7 a.m. Monday. Here are details of the advisory (see insert above) in northeastern Minnesota this evening and overnight:

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 

Sunday highs will be mainly in the 40s in northern Minnesota, with 50s in much of central and southern Minnesota and western Wisconsin. A few spots in far southern Minnesota could top 60. Metro area highs are forecast to reach the upper 50s to around 60.

Monday highs will be in the 40s north with 50s in the south:

Monday afternoon wind gusts will be over 25 mph in parts of northeastern Minnesota:

Forecast wind gusts are in knots, with 20 knots equal to 23 mph.

Back to temperatures, Twin Cities highs are projected to reach the lower 50s Tuesday and lower 60s Wednesday, then upper 30s Thursday and Friday.  

A strong low pressure system will bring generous rains to much of Minnesota and western Wisconsin from late Tuesday through Wednesday, with a few thunderstorms also possible. The storm will pack strong winds, and many areas will see a transition from rain to snow Wednesday night and snow on Thursday. Here’s the Twin Cities NWS overview of the system this week:

Here’s a look at the system from the Duluth NWS office:

The timing of the changeover to snow will determine snowfall totals, with the changeover expected to happen soonest in northwestern Minnesota. Check forecast updates of you have travel plans Wednesday night or Thursday.

So far this April, the warmest high temp at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is yesterday’s 55 degrees.  In the first 9 days last April, MSP airport had 4 days with highs in the 70s and a day (April 5) with a high of 85.

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

Northern and western Minnesota have the best chance of Sunday afternoon showers, but scattered showers are also possible elsewhere. We have details on that, plus who could see some snow Sunday night. Also, we’ll have strong winds and plenty of rain midweek.

Sunday rain or mix favors western and northern Minn.; snow in the north Sunday night

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