Until 8 p.m. includes Twin Cities area

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Our messy Friday system has already produced significant ice totals in parts of northeastern Minnesota. Some areas around Duluth have picked up over an inch of icy glaze. Here’s one report:

In the warm sector it’s been rain. More than an inch fell across northeastern Iowa. Austin, Minn., picked up 0.77 of an inch of rain Friday.

Farther south, a severe weather outbreak is ramping up. Tornado watches extend as far north as Ames, Iowa, thorough Friday evening.

Tornadoes have already been reported in southwestern Michigan Friday.

Let’s break down to messy forecast into the weekend.

This hybrid wintry spring system is producing severe weather in the warm sector south of Minnesota. It’s been mostly rain and drizzle in milder eastern Minnesota. But the lingering wintry air mass is cold enough for ice and some snow on the system’s north side.

On the map below, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s High-Resolution Rapid Refresh model shows the mix of thunderstorms south with rain changing to ice and some snow west and north overnight into Saturday.

Overall ice accumulations into Saturday will reach one-tenth to two-tenths of an inch in many areas west and north of the Twin Cities. That’s not a major widespread ice storm that knocks out trees and power, but it’s enough to make untreated roads and walkways dangerously slick. 

Take care out there overnight into Saturday.

A little band of snow will trail behind the ice. Snow totals look like a light coating in most areas. But with temperatures at or below freezing, it can get slick out there especially in the predawn hours Saturday morning.

Winter weather advisories cover most of the region from northeastern Minnesota all the way into the Dakotas. Here’s the 

And here are the details for more of northern and central Minnesota:

Conditions improve Saturday afternoon as temperatures climb above freezing.

A milder westerly Pacific flow returns to Minnesota Sunday into early next week. Abundant sunshine will push highs into the 60s south Sunday afternoon with 50s well north.

It appears colder air will return once again late next week with chances for rain and or snow.

Weather and Climate News

Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Paul Huttner

Author

An icy wintry mix is prompting winter weather advisories across most of Minnesota into early Saturday.

Icy wintry mix overnight; spring weather returns Sunday

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