Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Thursday was warmest day in 3 weeks; even milder by Monday

Cold front set to sweep through Friday and Saturday

Temperatures
Temperatures Thursday afternoon
Oklahoma Mesonet

Well, that felt nice.

A milder Pacific air mass swept into Minnesota Thursday on westerly winds. Temperatures reached the 50s in southwestern Minnesota Thursday afternoon.

On the map at the top of the post, you can see how Minnesota was riding the top of an unseasonably warm air mass to the southwest.

Temperatures in the 60s were common as close as northeastern Nebraska and it even hit 70 degrees in southwestern Nebraska Thursday afternoon!

Thursday brought the warmest day in more than three weeks to much of Minnesota. In the Twin Cities, we touched 37 degrees. That’s the warmest day since 42 degrees on Jan. 13.

Here are some select temperatures from around Minnesota Thursday afternoon:

  • Luverne, 55 degrees

  • Slayton, 51 degrees

  • Canby, 51 degrees

  • Worthington, 50 degrees

  • Longville, 45 degrees

  • Pine River, 43 degrees

  • Walker, 42 degrees

  • Brainerd, Cook, 39 degrees

  • Baudette, 38 degrees

  • International Falls, Bemidji, Roseau. 37 degrees

  • Duluth, 34 degrees

Next cold front Friday

Our next cold front sweeps though Minnesota Friday. Temperatures will fall from the 30s south into the 20s on gusty northwest winds to 30 mph.

Saturday brings a typical February temperature range across Minnesota with plenty of sun and teens northeast to 20s central and 30s southwest.

Forecast high temperatures Saturday
Forecast high temperatures Saturday
NOAA

Another thaw by Monday

Temperatures will rise above freezing again in the south Sunday afternoon.

Forecast high temperatures Sunday
Forecast high temperatures Sunday
NOAA

Monday looks like the warmest day of the next week. Highs on Monday will likely reach the 40s from around the Twin Cities south and west. Most all of Minnesota will rise above freezing Monday afternoon.

Forecast high temperatures Monday
Forecast high temperatures Monday
NOAA

Cooler temperatures ease in again later next week. So our next thaw will melt a little more snow, but it doesn’t look like the extended mega thaw that some (European) models have been advertising for next week.

Snow depth
Snow depth as of Feb. 5
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

A little snow may fall in the northern half of Minnesota next Tuesday. Right now most forecast models don’t suggest any big snow systems in the next week or so.

Stay tuned.