As snow departs Minnesota, dangerous cold arrives

As as storm exits Minnesota, leaving more heavy snow in its wake, it sets the stage for the first of a couple arctic blasts over the next week.

Departing snow

A storm that brought another round of snow across Minnesota Tuesday is slowly making its way northeast, with the storm center near Duluth as of 6 p.m. Tuesday evening.

Snow behind the system is slowly diminishing and ends for most of the state by late Tuesday evening. However, precipitation is likely to linger in the Arrowhead for part of the overnight, which could bring storm totals, especially along the North Shore to 6 or more inches in a few spots by the time the snow ends.

So far, the highest totals (per reports as of 6 p.m.) have been in west-central Minnesota, with a couple reports over 6 inches.

There is also a potential for some freezing drizzle during the evening hours in southeastern Minnesota, with a few reports of it already around the Twin Cities, so be prepared for slick spots.

Dangerous cold

As that storm departs, it leaves a northwesterly wind flow behind it which draws much colder air into the state. Skies also clear overnight, allowing temperatures to fall even more quickly. By Wednesday morning, almost the entire state will be subzero.

For many spots, this will be the coldest air since the arctic outbreak last February.

Most of northern and central Minnesota is under a windchill advisory beginning at midnight, for windchills that will be 20 to almost 30 below in some areas. Near the North Dakota border, even colder windchills that could hit minus 40 have prompted a windchill warning.

All of Wednesday stays cold with highs running 15 to 25 degrees below average, only in the single digits for most of Minnesota and below zero northwest.

The state warms slightly Thursday, before another strong cold front starts dropping temperatures again Friday, setting the stage most for most of Minnesota to not make it above zero all day New Year’s Day. The coldest air with that arctic blast comes Sunday morning, with most of Minnesota in the teens and 20s below zero. The current forecast is that could push the Sunday morning windchill to over 40 below in some spots, making it another morning of dangerous cold.

Because of this, windchill advisories and possibly windchill warnings are likely to be issued for the weekend.

After Tuesday’s storm departs, snow chances reduce greatly for the rest of the week, with only a light snow chance in northern Minnesota on Thursday.

Programming note

You can hear my live weather updates on Minnesota Public Radio at 7:49 a.m. Monday through Friday morning.