Cooler but still well above normal this week

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It was historically warm on Sunday. The high temperature at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport was 55 degrees, which shattered the previous Twin Cities Dec. 24 record high of 46 degrees. The average Twin Cities high temp is just 26 degrees on Dec. 24.

St. Cloud Minn. and Eau Claire, Wis. set new Dec. 24 record highs of 51 degrees on Sunday.

Christmas Day highs could reach 50 degrees or warmer from the Twin Cities metro area into southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin. Much of northern and western Minnesota will have highs in the 30s:

Tuesday highs will be in the 30s in many areas, with some lower 40s in St. Cloud and the Twin Cities:

Twin Cities metro area highs are projected to be in the upper 30s Wednesday, followed by mid 30s Thursday and Friday.

Much of eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin will see periods of rain Sunday evening through parts of Christmas Day. Patchy light freezing rain is also possible Monday morning in northeastern Minnesota.

Portions of western Minnesota will see a wintry mix Sunday evening into Christmas Day, North-central and northeastern Minnesota could see a transition to a wintry mix Monday afternoon.

Precipitation will continue into Monday evening in many areas. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North American Mesoscale Forecast System model shows the potential precipitation pattern from 3 a.m. Monday through 11 p.m. Monday:

NOAA’s High Resolution Rapid-Refresh model shows a similar pattern, with a stronger northward push during that time period:

Precipitation is also possible in some areas that look precipitation-free in the forecast models. 

Winter weather advisories have been posted for much of western Minnesota Sunday night into Monday, due to the wintry mix that is expected:

Here are details of the advisory in west-central Minnesota:

Some spots in west-central and southwestern Minnesota will see an inch or two of snow, but icing is the main concern.

A winter storm watch covers parts of northwestern Minnesota:

A winter weather advisory begins Monday evening in far northwestern Minnesota:

Winter weather advisories begin Monday afternoon in north-central and northeastern Minnesota:

You can hear updated weather information for Minnesota and western Wisconsin on the MPR News 

Updated forecast info will be posted by the NWS offices in the 

Blizzard warnings in South Dakota and Nebraska

Parts of South Dakota and Nebraska will see heavy snow and strong winds Monday into Tuesday. Blizzard warnings have been posted for large portions of both states:

The Twin Cities record high temp for Dec. 25 is 51 degrees, set in 1922.

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

Some of us will see rain on Christmas Day, with a wintry mix most likely in western Minnesota and far northern Minnesota. 

Christmas rain for eastern Minnesota, with a wintry mix in the west

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