Springy thaw: First 70-degree temperature of 2026 in the Twin Cities Saturday?
Temperatures running 20 to 30 degrees warmer than normal. Morning fog still possible.
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Golf anyone?
I’m guessing there may be a few over eager golf courses open in Minnesota this Saturday. An unseasonably warm air mass is pouring into Minnesota from the southwest.
Minnesota is riding the tip of a record hot heat dome across the western United States. This unprecedented air mass is producing June level heat in the desert Southwest with temperatures over 100 degrees.
It’s breaking records for the earliest 100 degree readings of the year by a month in some locations.
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Just upstream form Minnesota highs are in the 80s from Denver through Nebraska into western South Dakota.
I saw 71 degrees Thursday afternoon at Canby in southwestern Minnesota. It hit 50 degrees all the way north to Roseau. As usual, it’s cooler by your favorite Great Lake.
We may see a bit more fog and haze Friday and Saturday mornings as snowmelt cool air near the ground and adds moisture.
The warmer layer aloft fuels a strong temperature inversion that traps particulates and nitrates near the ground where we breathe. Air quality will be in the moderate range and could locally be unhealthy again around the Twin Cities in the mornings.
Here’s the forecast discussion from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency:
Light southerly winds are expected across the state on Thursday. Overnight fog and a strong temperature inversion near the ground produced elevated fine particle levels across the Twin Cities this morning. However, levels will improve slightly in the afternoon as temperatures increase and dispersion improves. The environment will continue to be favorable for air quality to remain in the Yellow (Moderate) category across southeast, central, and northwest MN through the day Thursday. The stagnant weather pattern is likely to continue through Saturday with air quality in the Yellow category likely for the same regions of the state through Saturday. A cold front will pass through the state Sunday morning and northerly winds will begin pulling cleaner air into the region. Air quality will improve into the Green (Good) category for most of the state on Sunday, but Yellow AQI may persist for another day across far southern MN.
Highs Friday will push into the 60s and 70s southwest once again Friday afternoon. I wouldn’t be shocked to see us tickle 60 degrees in the Twin Cities Friday.
Saturday is the warmest day of this current mild spell. Highs in the 80s in southwestern Minnesota look likely. And I think 70 degrees in the Twin Cities is quite possible. We could overperform NOAA’s National Blend of Models temperatures below.
Things cool down again Sunday into the 30s north and 40s south. Next week looks a little mild again with highs int he 40s to 50s south. It’s possible we may touch 60 degrees again in the south by next Wednesday.
The weather maps have taken a turn toward spring, but it’s still likely we’ll have a couple wintry relapses ahead.
Stay tuned.
