Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Weekend weather: Chilly; snow shower chances Friday night, early Saturday

Breezy on Saturday

Updated at 5:15 p.m.

Twin Cities metro area temperatures were in the teens Friday afternoon. Our average Twin Cities high temperature is 42 degrees this time of year.

The coldest St. Patrick’s Day high temp in Twin Cities weather records was 8 degrees, set in 1941. The snowiest St. Patrick’s Day in Twin Cities weather records was in 1965, with 11.2 inches of new snow.

Travel issues continue into Friday night

Icy roads and blowing snow remain a problem in western Minnesota and parts of central Minnesota Friday afternoon into Friday night, so the National Weather Service has posted a special weather statement for those areas:

rt0317mpxsp4
Special weather statement regarding icy roads/drifting snow Friday afternoon into Friday night
National Weather Service

Here are details of the special weather statement:

Special Weather Statement National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 144 PM CDT Fri Mar 17 2023 MNZ041-047>049-054>058-064>067-073>075-082-180200- Douglas-Stevens-Pope-Stearns-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-Chippewa- Kandiyohi-Meeker-Yellow Medicine-Renville-McLeod-Sibley-Redwood- Brown-Nicollet-Watonwan- Including the cities of Alexandria, Morris, Glenwood, St Cloud, Madison, Benson, Montevideo, Willmar, Litchfield, Granite Falls, Olivia, Hutchinson, Gaylord, Redwood Falls, New Ulm, St Peter, and St James 144 PM CDT Fri Mar 17 2023 ...ICY ROADS FROM BLOWING AND DRIFTING SNOW WILL CONTINUE THROUGH TONIGHT... Icy roads from cold temperatures,gusty winds, and recently fallen snow and intermittent flurries will continue this afternoon and evening. Winds will diminish on Saturday, but temperatures will remain below freezing. Motorists should be aware that road conditions can change quickly and are urged to drive accordingly, including allowing extra space between vehicles and allowing extra time to reach destinations.

Snow is likely in much of northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin Friday evening and overnight Friday night. Some periods of snow showers are possible elsewhere in Minnesota and western Wisconsin Friday evening and overnight.

A winter weather advisory covers much of northeastern Minnesota through Friday night, with a winter storm warning in portions of northwestern Wisconsin:

rt0317dlh4
Winter weather advisory and winter storm warning through Friday night
National Weather Service

Here are details of the winter weather advisory in northeastern Minnesota:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Duluth MN 317 PM CDT Fri Mar 17 2023 MNZ012-020-021-180830- /O.EXT.KDLH.WW.Y.0021.000000T0000Z-230318T1000Z/ Northern Cook and Lake-Southern Lake-Southern Cook- Including the cities of Isabella, Two Harbors, Silver Bay, and Grand Marais 317 PM CDT Fri Mar 17 2023 ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 AM CDT SATURDAY... * WHAT...Snow. Additional snow accumulations of 2 to 5 inches, the higher amounts will be most likely in northern Lake and Cook Counties.. Winds gusting as high as 35 mph. * WHERE...Northern Cook and Lake, Southern Lake and Southern Cook Counties. This includes the Tribal Lands of the Grand Portage Reservation. * WHEN...Until 5 AM CDT Saturday. * IMPACTS...Plan on slippery road conditions. Patchy blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility. The hazardous conditions could impact the evening commute. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Snow squalls are possible this afternoon which may briefly reduce visibility to less than 1/4 mile. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Slow down and use caution while traveling. The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. Road conditions can also be found at 511mn.org for Minnesota or 511wi.gov for Wisconsin.

Here are details of the winter storm warning in portions of northwestern Wisconsin:

URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Duluth MN 317 PM CDT Fri Mar 17 2023 WIZ001-002-180830- /O.EXT.KDLH.WS.W.0009.000000T0000Z-230318T1200Z/ Douglas-Bayfield- Including the cities of Superior, Washburn, and Bayfield 317 PM CDT Fri Mar 17 2023 ...WINTER STORM WARNING NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 AM CDT SATURDAY... * WHAT...Heavy snow. Additional snow accumulations of 1 to 4 inches, except 3 to 7 inches from east-central Douglas County into the Bayfield Peninsula. * WHERE...Douglas and Bayfield Counties. This includes the Tribal Lands of the Red Cliff Band. * WHEN...Until 7 AM CDT Saturday. * IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult. The hazardous conditions could impact the evening commute. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Snow squalls are possible this afternoon which may briefly reduce visibility to less than 1/4 mile. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. Road conditions can also be found at 511mn.org for Minnesota or 511wi.gov for Wisconsin.

You can find updated weather information for Minnesota and western Wisconsin on the MPR News network, and on the MPR News live weather blog.

Minnesota road conditions can be found here. Wisconsin road conditions can be found here.

Mainly dry Saturday and Sunday

Other than a passing early-morning snow shower, Saturday and most of Sunday look dry in Minnesota and much of western Wisconsin.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North American Mesoscale (NAM) forecast model shows the potential precipitation pattern from 7 a.m. Saturday to 6 p.m. Sunday:

 rt0317rad6
Simulated radar from 7 a.m. Saturday to 6 p.m. Sunday
NOAA, via Tropicaltidbits.com

Chilly weekend

Saturday morning low temps will be in the single digits in many areas, with lower teens in parts of the Twin Cities metro area and into southeastern Minnesota.

Saturday highs will be in the teens in western Minnesota, with 20s to the east:

rt0318h10
Saturday forecast highs
National Weather Service

Low temperatures Sunday morning will be in the single digits:

rt0319l10
Sunday morning forecast lows
National Weather Service

Sunday highs will be mainly in the 30s, with some 20s in parts of west-central and northwestern Minnesota:

rt0319h10
Sunday forecast highs
National Weather Service

Warmer temps next week

Monday highs reach the 30s in many locations, with some 40s in the metro area, southeastern Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin:

rt0320h10
Monday forecast highs
National Weather Service

Twin Cities metro area highs are projected to reach the lower 40s Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by mid 40s on Thursday, then around 40 on Friday.

Weather nugget

The warmest St. Patrick’s Day in Twin Cities weather records was in 2012, with a high temp of 80 degrees:

rt0317tchi2
Twin Cities high temperatures
Minnesota State Climatology Office

The Twin Cities high temp was 79 degrees on the day before St. Patrick’s Day in 2012, and on the two days that followed St. Patrick’s Day.

Programming note

You can hear my live weather updates on MPR News at 7:35 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 4:39 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Volume Button
Volume
Now Listening To Livestream
MPR News logo
On Air
MPR News