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Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News
Paul Huttner

Signs favor an early spring this year in Minnesota

Snow and cold now, 40s and 50s ahead to close out February

NOAA 8 to 14-day temperature outlook
8 to 14-day temperature outlook
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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Outdoor winter sports have been scarce this winter. We’re still on pace for the warmest winter on record. Temperatures are running an astounding 13 degrees warmer than normal this winter.

Seasonal snowfall is still running at record lows (14.2 inches for the Twin Cities) even after Wednesday night’s snow. Medium-range forecast models suggest unseasonably mild air is on the way back to Minnesota.

But our fresh coating of white and subfreezing temperatures will make for some great outdoor play on Friday and into the weekend.

Thursday’s high of 28 degrees in the Twin Cities is right on the normal for Feb. 15. Friday morning brings temperatures a few degrees on either side of zero in northern Minnesota. Lows will dip into the teens across southern Minnesota.

Forecast low temperatures Friday morning
Forecast low temperatures Friday morning
NOAA

Highs Friday under sunshine will rebound into the lower 20s south with teens north.

Friday will very likely be the coldest day until next winter in Minnesota.

Forecast high temperatures Friday
Forecast high temperatures Friday
NOAA

Saturday will be a windy day, with gusts to 30 mph. Highs will budge into the low 30s south on Saturday.

Forecast high temperatures Saturday
Forecast high temperatures Saturday
NOAA

By Sunday, a milder air mass will push highs into the upper 30s south.

Forecast high temperatures Sunday
Forecast high temperatures Sunday
NOAA

Get out there and enjoy our fresh snow. While you can.

Warmer again next week

We’ll be melting snow by early next week. Highs will rise into the 40s again next Monday through Wednesday.

Forecast high temperatures Wednesday
Forecast high temperatures Wednesday
NOAA

There are signs we could get another shot of springlike air in the last week of February. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Global Forecast System model suggests highs in the 50s to near 60 degrees across southern Minnesota in the last week of February.

NOAA GFS temperature output
Global Forecast System temperature output between Feb. 25-28
NOAA, via Tropical Tidbits

NOAA’s outlooks favor milder-than-average temperatures overall through March. We typically still see snow in March and even early April, but odds strongly favor an early spring overall this year.

Stay tuned.