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As Cupid aims for hearts, the forecast is aiming for history, with near-record warmth expected Saturday on Valentine’s Day

Record-setting warmth thaws hearts, snowpack

Minnesota is in for an unusually warm stretch of weather this weekend and into early next week. 

Highs are expected to run 20 to 30 degrees above normal across much of the state, with southern Minnesota seeing temperatures climb into the mid-50s and possibly approach 60 degrees during Valentine’s Day weekend.

The extended stretch of warmth will also accelerate snow melt across much of the area. Remaining snowpack is expected to shrink significantly, particularly where depths are already shallow. 

Parts of southwestern Minnesota, where little or no snow remains on the ground, had little trouble in recent days warming into the 50s. In the Twin Cities, the already dismal snowpack of just a couple of inches is likely to disappear altogether during the upcoming warm spell.

If the Twin Cities reach 51 degrees on Valentine’s Day, it would break the record for the date, which has stood since 1882.

With our highs climbing well above normal this year, Valentine’s Day will offer a rare chance to celebrate outdoors this year.

A history of Valentine’s Day weather in Minnesota

While this year’s forecast points to record warmth, past Valentine’s Days in Minnesota have often been colder and snowier. 

The snowiest Valentine’s Day occurred just two years ago, in 2024, when a low-pressure system moved east through Nebraska and Iowa, bringing snow to the southern half of the state. Rain fell briefly before changing to snow, ultimately dumping 6.9 inches across the region.

The coldest Valentine’s Day on record came in 1920, when highs struggled to climb above zero. The Twin Cities recorded a low of minus 5 degrees, marking the coldest Valentine’s Day in state history. 

That record narrowly beat the February 2021 cold outbreak, when the Twin Cities spent 238 hours below zero. On Valentine’s Day 2021, the temperature reached minus 4 degrees.

In 2023, a fast-moving storm system brought heavy rain to Minnesota on Valentine’s Day. The wet weather set daily precipitation records in St. Cloud and the Twin Cities with each station recording 0.68 of an inch of rain on Feb. 14. 

The state has seen it all on Valentine’s Day, from rain and snow to bitter cold, and now record warmth is on the way.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Mandy Thalhuber

Author

As Cupid aims for hearts, the forecast is aiming for history, with near-record warmth expected on Valentine’s Day.

A florist arranges bouquets ahead of Valentine's Day.

Valentine’s Day warmth flirts with records

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