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Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News
Sven Sundgaard

Breezy Thursday, briefly cooler Friday before warming dramatically

Temps nearly 20-30 degrees above normal by Monday

winds PM THU
Forecast wind gusts and direction late Thursday afternoon
College of DuPage weather lab

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Updated 9 a.m.

Winds will increase Thursday in the wake of a cool front. Northwest winds will blow at 10-20 mph by afternoon. Friday will be briefly colder before warming right back up this weekend.

Warm records

Wednesday’s high temperatures topped out in the 50s for many portions of central and southern Minnesota.

yest highs
Temperature map at 4 p.m. Wednesday shows many 50s recorded
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, via Pivotal Weather

The Twin Cities officially hit 50 degrees for our sixth time this month. That ties with 2017 for the most ever recorded in February, and we have at least one more guaranteed by Monday with the possibility of getting close to it this weekend and Tuesday.

This February is also on track to be the warmest recorded by far, beating the previous No. 1 spot of 1998 (also a strong El Niño year) by more than 2 degrees. The typical margin between the top spots is just about two-tenths of a degree.

FEB cli
Climate data for February 2024 in the Twin Cities. High temperatures of 50 degrees or more are highlighted in red.
National Weather Service

Breezy Thursday then briefly cooler Friday 

We’ll still have a mild day Thursday with highs well into the 40s across southern Minnesota but cooler air will already be moving in from the northwest.

thu hi 8a
Forecast highs Thursday
National Weather Service

Winds will increase from the northwest becoming blustery by afternoon at 10-20 mph.

fcst wind THU
Forecast winds 5 a.m. through 7 p.m. Thursday
College of DuPage Weather

Thursday night will bring colder temperatures to mainly northern Minnesota while southern Minnesota will still be above normal.

thu night LO 8a
Forecast lows Thursday night
National Weather Service

Friday will bring one day of near-normal temperatures in the 30s south to just upper teens in the far north.

fri hi 8a
Forecast highs Friday
National Weather Service

Temperatures warm up quickly again this weekend back well into the 40s with some 50s in southwestern Minnesota. We’ll continue the pattern of a fair amount of sunshine and dry weather.

WKND highs
Forecast highs Saturday and Sunday
National Weather Service

Monday will be even warmer with highs well into the 50s and even some 60s in southern Minnesota. We then cool off by midweek next week. 

mon hi 8a
Forecast highs Monday
National Weather Service