Updraft® - Minnesota Weather News

Winter wonderland: Widespread snow cover now, Christmas week thaw

Highs in the 30s next week; pretty good travel weather

Snowfall totals
Snowfall totals
Twin Cities National Weather Service office

Our Thursday storm finally graced Minnesota with a proper coating of winter white.

person walks dog on snow
A person walks their dog in Powderhorn Park in Minneapolis during Thursday's winter storm.
Ben Hovland | MPR News

Here are some updated final snowfall totals from the system, in inches:

  • Faribault, 8.9

  • Bird Island, 8.7

  • Elko New Market, 8.3

  • Northfield, 8.1

  • NE Rochester, 8

  • St. Peter, 7.8

  • Shorewood, 7.5

  • New Prague, 7.4

  • Oakdale, Winthrop, 7.2

  • Carver County, 6.57

  • Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, 5.5

The 5.5 inches of snowfall at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport brings our season snowfall total up to 8.1 inches so far. That’s still about 7 inches below the average of 15.2 inches to date.

Classic winter weekend

The first weekend of astronomical winter will feel classic. Highs on Saturday will run in the teens north to 20s south.

Forecast high temperatures Saturday
Forecast high temperatures Saturday
NOAA

By Sunday highs will reach the lower 30s south.

Forecast high temperatures Sunday
Forecast high temperatures Sunday
NOAA

Christmas week thaw

It will still be cold enough to keep our snow cover around for a white Christmas over most of Minnesota, but highs will begin to warm through the 30s next week. Travel weather looks good overall.

By Christmas Day, highs will be well into the 30s.

Forecast high temperatures Wednesday
Forecast high temperatures on Christmas Day
NOAA

Some forecast models show highs near 40 degrees late next week with a chance for rain next Friday!

Our extended thaw could last into the final days of 2024.

NOAA 8 to 14-day temperature outlook
8 to 14-day temperature outlook
NOAA

Happy holidays everyone and thanks for your support of the MPR News weather team this year!