Freeze warnings/frost advisories until 8 a.m. Sunday
Milder temps ahead
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It was a chilly and breezy Saturday afternoon, with highs in the 40s across most of Minnesota and western Wisconsin.
The Saturday high of 49 degrees at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport was 10 degrees cooler than the average April 20 high temp in the Twin Cities.
It’ll be very chilly Saturday night into Sunday morning. You’ll need to cover tender outdoor plants or bring potted plants indoors to withstand the cold temps. Low temps late Saturday night into early Sunday morning will be in the upper 20s to lower 30s in most areas:
Much of the Twin Cities metro area will dip into the lower 30s, with some mid 30s in and close to the downtown areas of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
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Most of the southern third of Minnesota is in a freeze warning from midnight Saturday night through 8 a.m. Sunday, with a frost advisory in Hennepin County and Ramsey County:
“Tonight” in the graphic refers to Saturday night.
The growing season hasn’t yet begun in northern Minnesota, so warnings haven’t been issued up there.
Here are details of the freeze warning:
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 206 PM CDT Sat Apr 20 2024 MNZ054-056>059-061-063>070-073>078-082>085-091>093-WIZ023>028-210315- /O.NEW.KMPX.FZ.W.0003.240421T0500Z-240421T1300Z/ Lac Qui Parle-Chippewa-Kandiyohi-Meeker-Wright-Anoka-Washington- Yellow Medicine-Renville-McLeod-Sibley-Carver-Scott-Dakota- Redwood-Brown-Nicollet-Le Sueur-Rice-Goodhue-Watonwan-Blue Earth- Waseca-Steele-Martin-Faribault-Freeborn-St. Croix-Pierce-Dunn- Pepin-Chippewa-Eau Claire- Including the cities of Blaine, Olivia, Redwood Falls, Owatonna, River Falls, Hutchinson, Litchfield, New Ulm, Chanhassen, Chaska, Gaylord, Madison, Hastings, Eau Claire, Fairmont, Shakopee, Le Sueur, Red Wing, Waseca, Monticello, Durand, Albert Lea, Stillwater, St James, Victoria, Faribault, Willmar, Hudson, St Peter, Menomonie, Blue Earth, Mankato, Granite Falls, Montevideo, and Chippewa Falls 206 PM CDT Sat Apr 20 2024 ...FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 8 AM CDT SUNDAY... * WHAT...Sub-freezing temperatures as low as 28 expected. * WHERE...Portions of central, east central, south central, southeast, southwest, and west central Minnesota and west central Wisconsin. * WHEN...From midnight tonight to 8 AM CDT Sunday. * IMPACTS...Frost and freeze conditions could kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.
Here are details of the frost advisory in Hennepin County and Ramsey County:
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Twin Cities/Chanhassen MN 206 PM CDT Sat Apr 20 2024 MNZ060-062-210315- /O.NEW.KMPX.FR.Y.0001.240421T0500Z-240421T1300Z/ Hennepin-Ramsey- Including the cities of Minneapolis and St Paul 206 PM CDT Sat Apr 20 2024 ...FROST ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 8 AM CDT SUNDAY... * WHAT...Temperatures of 32 to 35 will result in frost formation. * WHERE...Hennepin and Ramsey Counties. * WHEN...From midnight tonight to 8 AM CDT Sunday. * IMPACTS...Frost could harm sensitive outdoor vegetation. Sensitive outdoor plants may be killed if left uncovered. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.
You can hear updated weather information for Minnesota and western Wisconsin on the MPR News network.
Temperature trends
Temperatures will rebound nicely Sunday afternoon. Highs will be in the lower 60s across roughly the southern half of Minnesota and up into the Red River Valley of northwestern Minnesota, with mainly 50s elsewhere:
Highs will reach the 60s in most areas on Monday:
Twin Cities metro area highs are projected to reach the upper 50s Tuesday and Wednesday, followed by mid 60s Thursday then around 60 degrees on Friday. Metro area highs could be in the lower 60s next weekend.
The NWS Climate Prediction Center shows a tendency for above-normal temperatures in Minnesota and Wisconsin from the end of April through the first few days of May:
Next precipitation chance
Most of Minnesota and western Wisconsin will be dry on Sunday. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s North American Mesoscale Forecast System model shows the potential precipitation pattern from 6 a.m. Sunday to 10 p.m. Sunday:
Scattered showers are possible in Minnesota and western Wisconsin Monday afternoon and evening, with another shower chance Tuesday afternoon.
Better rain chances arrive Thursday afternoon and evening and linger into Friday.
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. each Saturday and Sunday.