Mild temps continue; wintry mix Thursday

Weekend weather looks mostly drama-free

Wednesday’s mild temperatures will continue for much of the next week. Areas of snow and a wintry mix likely on Thursday. A stronger, soggy storm is likely early next week.

Snow, drizzle, freezing drizzle, rain

Pacific air has arrived. Temperatures warmed into the upper 20s and low 30s in northern Minnesota and 30s across the central and south Wednesday afternoon. Temperatures will dip a bit on Thursday and Friday, then turn milder again for the weekend and into early next week.

That Pacific air is also rather moist. The combination of moisture, temperatures near the freezing point and some atmospheric oomph will bring Minnesota a variety of mixed wintry precipitation streaming northeastward across Minnesota on Thursday.

Areas of snow, drizzle, freezing drizzle and rain are likely. Rain is most likely in southeastern Minnesota while snow and a wintry mix are more likely in a southwest-to-northeast band.

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Weather forecast map for Thursday
Weather forecast map for Thursday
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Weather Prediction Center

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for Murray, Cottonwood, Nobles, Jackson and Rock counties of southwestern Minnesota from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday. Snowfall of 1 to 3 inches along with a light glaze of freezing rain seem to headed that way.

Winter weather advisory for Thursday
Winter weather advisory for Thursday
National Weather Service

The Twin Cities area should see mixed precipitation arrive by early afternoon and change rather quickly to wet snow. Precipitation should end Thursday evening.

Overall, the potential for an inch or more of snow on Thursday will be in a band from southwestern Minnesota and extending well to the northeast, including the northwestern half of the Twin Cities area.

Potential for an inch or more of snow on Thursday
Potential for an inch or more of snow on Thursday
Twin Cities National Weather Service

Sunshine Friday

Friday will be a cooler day with highs probably in the upper teens northwest to the low 30s south. But there will be sunshine.

Mostly drama-free weekend

Saturday could bring some spotty light snow showers, but no real problems. Temperatures will be milder, also. And temperatures are likely to be in the mid or upper 30s in Green Bay for the Packers-Vikings game on Sunday.

Forecast high temperatures for Sunday
Forecast high temperatures for Sunday
NOAA Weather Prediction Center

Messy start to next week

Monday and Tuesday will see a spring-like mess of rain and snow come our way from Colorado. Rain should reach most of Minnesota on Monday with snow falling only in the north. Then rain and snow will fall Tuesday and probably end as light snow or freezing drizzle Tuesday night or Wednesday morning as colder air arrives from the northwest.

This storm will have abundant moisture. Decent amounts of rain and snow are possible.