Cool weekend; Saturday morning frost advisory across western Minnesota

It’s a breezy and chilly Friday afternoon across Minnesota, and colder air is on the way for tonight.

Temperatures will drop into the 30s in many areas late Friday night through early Saturday morning:

Twin Cities metro area lows are expected to range from upper 30s in the suburbs to lower 40s near the downtown areas of Minneapolis and St. Paul. This assumes at least partial cloud cover early Saturday morning and just enough wind to keep the air at lower levels stirred up a bit.

Check forecast updates later Friday.

Frost advisories have been posted for much of western Minnesota from midnight Friday to 9 a.m. Saturday, with freeze warnings in southwestern Minnesota:

Here are details of the frost advisory:

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 1218 PM CDT Fri Oct 6 2023 MNZ041-042-047>049-054>058-064-065-073-074-082-091-070900- /O.CON.KMPX.FR.Y.0001.231007T0500Z-231007T1400Z/ Douglas-Todd-Stevens-Pope-Stearns-Lac Qui Parle-Swift-Chippewa- Kandiyohi-Meeker-Yellow Medicine-Renville-Redwood-Brown-Watonwan- Martin- Including the cities of Alexandria, Long Prairie, Morris, Glenwood, St Cloud, Madison, Benson, Montevideo, Willmar, Litchfield, Granite Falls, Olivia, Redwood Falls, New Ulm, St James, and Fairmont 1218 PM CDT Fri Oct 6 2023 ...FROST ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 9 AM CDT SATURDAY... * WHAT...Temperatures as low as 34 will result in frost formation. * WHERE...Portions of central, south central, southwest and west central Minnesota. * WHEN...From midnight tonight to 9 AM CDT Saturday. * IMPACTS...Frost could kill sensitive outdoor vegetation if left uncovered. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.

Frost advisories cover portions of northwestern Minnesota from 10 p.m. Friday to 10 a.m. Saturday:

Check forecast updates.

Weekend highs

The average Twin Cities high temperature is 64 degrees on Oct. 7. Metro area highs will be mainly in the lower 50s on Saturday.

Saturday highs are expected to reach the 50s across southern and central Minnesota and in the Red River Valley of northwestern Minnesota:

Highs in the 40s are on tap for north-central and northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin.

Sunday morning low temps will be in the lower 40s across much of southern Minnesota and the Twin Cities metro area, with 30s elsewhere:

Most locations will have Sunday highs in the 50s, but 40s are expected in northeastern Minnesota:

Parts of southwestern Minnesota will reach the lower 60s.

Rain chances

Many areas will have dry weather Saturday and Sunday. A few scattered showers are possible in northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin early Saturday morning and late Saturday afternoon into Saturday evening.

Parts of northwestern Wisconsin could see scattered showers at times Sunday afternoon.

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

You can hear updated weather information for Minnesota and western Wisconsin on the MPR News network. Also check out the MPR News display of National Weather Service radar.

Fall color report

Fall colors continue to pop across much of Minnesota.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources fall color report for Minnesota State Parks and Trails looks like this:

When you look at the fall color map, keep in mind that all deciduous trees are included, not just maples.

The Wisconsin fall color report can be found here.

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. each Saturday and Sunday.