Seasonal temps on Sunday; Update on the upcoming winter storm
Heaviest snow expected to miss the metro area
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It was a fairly typical Saturday in many ways. The high temperature at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport was 35 degrees, which is four degrees warmer than our average Dec. 10 high. Most of Minnesota and western Wisconsin had Saturday highs in the 30s.
Some areas saw patchy light snow and drizzle/light freezing drizzle on Saturday. As expected, snow accumulations were more substantial along and near the North Shore of Lake Superior; afternoon snow reports included 3 inches at Duluth and Silver Bay, with 5 inches just west of Grand Marais.
Spotty light snow or flurries will be possible Saturday evening and overnight, and some spots could see some occasional drizzle and patchy fog.
You can find updated weather information for Minnesota and western Wisconsin on the Minnesota Public Radio News network, and on the MPR News live weather blog.
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Temperature trends
Sunday highs will be mainly in the 30s:
Some spots in the Twin Cities metro area will reach the mid-30s.
Winds will be light in the east on Sunday, but winds in far western Minnesota will be high enough Sunday afternoon to drop wind chill temps into the teens:
Back to high temperatures, Twin Cities metro area highs are projected to be in the mid-30s on Monday, followed by middle to upper 30s Tuesday and Wednesday, lower 30s Thursday and upper 20s on Friday.
Winter storm update
Computer models show a low pressure system becoming more organized over Colorado Monday evening, then tracking northeastward Tuesday and Wednesday. It’ll spread plenty of moist air over the Upper Midwest. In the colder air over western Minnesota and central and northern Minnesota, heavy snow will be possible. There could even be some double-digit snow totals by late Wednesday or early Thursday.
Here are some early looks at the potential winter storm impacts this coming week, from the National Weather Service forecast offices in the Twin Cities, Duluth and Grand Forks:
The NWS office in Grand Forks has issued a winter storm watch that includes several counties in northwestern Minnesota from late Monday night through Wednesday night:
Here are details of that watch:
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Grand Forks ND 249 PM CST Sat Dec 10 2022 MNZ001>004-007-029-NDZ006>008-014>016-024-026>030-038-039-049- 052>054-132100- /O.CON.KFGF.WS.A.0011.221213T0600Z-221215T1200Z/ West Polk-Norman-Clay-Kittson-West Marshall-Wilkin-Towner- Cavalier-Pembina-Benson-Ramsey-Eastern Walsh-Eddy-Nelson- Grand Forks-Griggs-Steele-Traill-Barnes-Cass-Ransom-Sargent- Richland-Western Walsh- Including the cities of Crookston, East Grand Forks, Ada, Twin Valley, Halstad, Moorhead, Hallock, Karlstad, Lancaster, Warren, Stephen, Argyle, Breckenridge, Cando, Langdon, Cavalier, Walhalla, Drayton, Pembina, Neche, St. Thomas, Fort Totten, Maddock, Leeds, Minnewaukan, Devils Lake, Grafton, Park River, New Rockford, Lakota, Mcville, Aneta, Tolna, Grand Forks, Cooperstown, Finley, Hope, Mayville, Hillsboro, Hatton, Portland, Valley City, Fargo, Lisbon, Enderlin, Gwinner, Milnor, Forman, Rutland, Wahpeton, Edinburg, Adams, and Lankin 249 PM CST Sat Dec 10 2022 ...WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM LATE MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT... * WHAT...Mixed precipitation possible at the beginning of the event. Then heavy snow with blowing and drifting snow possible. Total snow accumulations greater than 6 inches and ice accumulations of around one tenth of an inch possible. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph. * WHERE...Portions of northwest and west central Minnesota and northeast and southeast North Dakota. * WHEN...From late Monday night through late Wednesday night. * IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult. Areas of blowing snow could significantly reduce the visibility. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Monitor the latest forecasts for updates on this situation.
Additional counties will probably be added to the winter storm watch in coming forecasts.
The Twin Cities metro area, southeastern Minnesota and west-central Wisconsin will be in the milder air to start, so those areas could start with a wintry mix Tuesday afternoon followed by a period of rain, then back to a mix before finally changing to all snow. The storm track and temperature profile will become more certain as we get closer to Tuesday and Wednesday. Check forecast updates.
Programming note
You can hear my live weather updates on MPR News at 7:35 a.m., 9:35 a.m. and 4:39 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.